Generación de cartografía temática y geodatabase del río meta como apoyo en la ejecución de cartas de navegación: en busca de la dinamización de la navegabilidad fluvial en Colombia

Abstract

The Meta River, located in the center of Colombia, begins in the municipality of Puerto López, department of Meta and its mouth in the municipality of Puerto Carreño, department of Vichada, is a braided river with islands inside, it is one of the strategic river corridors of the country in which the potential of the region in agro-industrial and forestry production can be developed and taken advantage of, for González, Ramírez Sosa, & Cortázar Ávila (2020), "Within the means of transport, the river represents greater advantages over the others, especially in territories where they have large water courses that have navigable conditions." However, over the years there have been various incidents related to navigation on the target river, attributed to changes in flow and the lack of updated and accurate information. To address this problem, it is necessary to have updated navigation charts that provide detailed information about the river, the location of possible obstacles and other elements relevant to safe navigation. Cartography plays a fundamental role in the creation and design of navigation charts, llowing the precise representation of the relief of the seabed, the riverbed or any other body of water, indicating the variations in the terrain, allowing the precise location of important objects, as well as identifying possible dangers to navigation, such as submerged rocks, sandbanks, among others. They allow for safe and efficient route planning, helping boaters avoid accidents and stay safe, as well as planning optimal routes, avoiding shallow water areas and minimizing fuel consumption and travel time. In many places, they are a legal requirement for commercial and recreational navigation, ensuring that vessels comply with current regulations and standards. In the event of an emergency, navigation charts can be vital in finding the exact location of a vessel and facilitating rescue operations.