Inventario y caracterización de los sistemas de riego en la cuenca hidrográfica del río Guabalcón

Abstract

The Guabalcón river basin is located in the Andean region of the Republic of Ecuador, within the Occidental mountain range, in the Chimborazo and Cañar provinces, specifically in the Alausí, Cañar and Chunchi cantons. The waters of the basin drain directly into the Chanchan River, which is part of the Guayas River's water system, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. It has a total area of 65.83 km2, with a height that varies from 4,420 meters above sea level, to 1,370 meters above sea level. The basin is located in the heart of the Andean mountain range, maintained an extensive population until a decade ago. It currently has a scattered and declining population, due to the fact that the majority of the population is dedicated to agriculture, and by presenting poor farming systems, they show waves of migration. This raises concern and is one of the reasons why this project is being carried out in which the irrigation areas of the communities of the Guabalcón river basin will be identified and characterized. The inventory will make it possible to inquire about the status of water sources, the types of uses and the characteristics of the organization for the use of water, in such a way as to identify current and potential conflicts that do not allow their correct planning for efficient use and sustainable resource in the community. The water resource coming from the basin is mainly water for irrigation, whose main economic activity is agriculture, which implies that the irrigation water distribution system must present good efficiency. The tools used in this project help us to plan a sustainable use of the resource, in order to guarantee its distribution in good quality terms necessary for all users. The operation of the existing systems was evaluated, and in this way it was determined if the minimum requirements that each irrigation system needs are met. The evaluation of the irrigation systems, based on the topography of the land that is the main ally of the project, since the results of which were the fundamental basis for certain studies, and through the use of geographic information systems, the analysis of slopes, delimitation of the basin, canal tree and evaluation of existing structures