Caracterización de las sequías meteorológicas en la cuenca del Paute mediante la aplicación del índice de precipitación estandarizado en diversas escalas temporales

Abstract

Meteorological droughts are very complex climatic phenomena that consist of a significant deficit of below-normal rainfall over a relatively long period of time. Droughts in tropical regions have received little attention and there are few studies that take into account its spatial and temporal characteristics. In this study, the characterization of meteorological droughts in the Paute river basin was performed through the application of the standardized precipitation index at various time scales (1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 months). Part of this characterization included the calculation of the following parameters: persistence, duration, severity, frequency, number of events, their occurrence and severity, as to identify to what degree droughts had a regional behavior. Monthly rainfall data were used from 8 rainfall stations located in the Paute basin in the period 1980-2010. The results show that the 3 and 12 month time scales have a greater sensitivity to the frequency changes that represent short and long term drought events, facilitating the characterization of droughts. The stations Piscícola Chirimichay, Cuenca-Aeropuerto and Palmas-Azuay, when located in different sub-basins, show different behaviors that better represent the diversity of the different drought categories. The results were only a regional drought registered in 1985, determined as the most representative event of the study period. With the information obtained valid and precise information will be provided to the institutions in charge of the management of water resources, providing a tool that facilitates the objective and quantitative evaluations of the severity of droughts.