Caracterización geomorfológica biofísica de las cuencas de aporte de las captaciones de los sistemas de agua potable de los cantones que conforman la mancomunidad Cañari

Abstract

The study of a watershed allows the generation of measures to protect natural resources, especially water. The availability of water is closely related to factors such as vegetation, soil, fauna and the degree of degradation of the basin due to human activities. The objective of this research was to perform the geomorphological and biophysical characterization of the basins for the intake of the drinking water systems of the cantons of Biblián, Cañar, El Tambo and Suscal, which make up the Cañari Commonwealth. In order to determine the current status of the supply systems of each canton, an inspection of the catchments and drinking water treatment plants was carried out. While, for the development of geomorphological and biophysical characterization, methods based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used. After that, based on the results obtained, integral management proposals were generated, through the analysis of the type of soil, land use and vegetation cover and the slope map of each contribution basin. It was found that the Suscal canton has two underground catchment sources, unlike the other cantons that have surface catchment sources. In addition, it was determined that the basins of the Biblián and El Tambo cantons are those with the largest area (38.5 and 21.5 km2, respectively). Finally, the proposals for integral management are aimed at the conservation of the native vegetation cover and the recovery of the degraded areas.