Análisis de la Pérdida de Suelo en las Cuencas Media y Alta del Río San Pedro en Puerto Libertador, Córdoba; con Fines de Implementación de Alternativas para la Conservación del Recurso Hídrico

Abstract

One of the main environmental problems currently in Colombia is the loss of water capacity due to the changes generated in soils. The middle and upper basins of the San Pedro river, which supplies water resources to the Municipality of Puerto Libertador (Córdoba-Colombia), has presented great dynamics in its uses and coverages over time, which until now have not been quantified. A multitemporal analysis, between 1985 and 2016, was proposed with the objective of establishing the impact and the causes of these dynamics that threaten the water resource. The analysis had three axes: remote sensing, hydrology, and soils. In remote sensing, three Landsat images were used (acquired in 1985, 1999 and 2016) to perform classification of use and coverage, following the LCCS-2 methodology developed by FAO. In hydrology, the morphometric analysis was performed, based on the Digital Elevation Model obtained in the NASA SRTM Project; and in the data from the rainfall stations reported by IDEAM (Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies of Colombia). For the soils’ analysis, each of the elements of the Revised Universal Soil Loss were obtained and evaluated, supported by secondary information in some cases. In addition, ground-truthing was carried out in the area, finding that illegal mining and deforestation activities are being carried out. The results show that livestock and agriculture practices are the main cause of soil loss in the region. In addition, the San Pedro river and its main tributaries are the places most affected by erosion, which reduces the supply of water resources in the region and could lead to a possible shortage of resources for the municipal head that supplies of water from this basin.