Using the SWAT Model to Simulate the Hydrological Response to LULC in a Binational Basin between Ecuador and Peru

Murillo R.F.P.; Lavado Casimiro W.; Pachac Huerta Y.C.; Zapana Quispe M.; Guevara-Freire D. · Engineering, Technology and Applied Science Research (2024) · DOI: 10.48084/etasr.8646

Resumen

Land use change has played a crucial role in altering the hydrological behavior, making detailed assessments essential to ensure sustainable water resource management and the conservation of natural ecosystems. This study focuses on simulating the impact of different Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) scenarios for the years 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015 on the water balance in the Puyango-Tumbes River basin, which spans across Ecuador and Peru, during the period 1981-2015. The results indicated an 18.3% increase in the grassland areas and a significant 38.2% reduction in the savanna zones, contributing to an annual 2.1% increase in the Evapotranspiration (PET) rates. These land use changes led to a 29.2% decrease in the Percolation (PERC), a 20.7% decrease in the Surface Runoff (SURQ), a 33% reduction in the Groundwater Flow (GW_Q), and a 26.6% decrease in the Annual Water Yield (WYLD), as well as a slight reduction of 0.9% in the Lateral flow (LAT_Q). These findings highlight the importance of considering land use changes to ascertain the sustainable management of natural resources, particularly in a transboundary basin. © by the authors.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina; Universidad Nacional del Altiplano; Universidad Nacional Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo