Estimación del caudal medio a partir del estudio de las relaciones funcionales entre la geometría hidráulica y la morfometría de las cuencas en el departamento del Meta

Abstract

The present undergraduate thesis entitled “Estimation of the Mean Discharge Based on the Study of the Functional Relationships Between Hydraulic Geometry and Basin Morphometry in the Department of Meta” aimed to establish methodologies for estimating mean discharge in watersheds with limited hydrological information, by analyzing the relationship between hydraulic geometry variables (width, depth, and velocity) and basin morphometric parameters. Hydrological series from IDEAM stations located in the Meta department were compiled and processed, and functional relationships of potential and logarithmic type were formulated. Subsequently, simple and multiple regression models were applied to identify significant dependencies between hydraulic exponents (a, b, c, m, f, k) and morphometric characteristics such as drainage area, altitude, channel slope, and geographic coordinates. The models were evaluated using statistical performance indicators (R², NSE, MAPE), and patterns of similarity were identified among groups of stations, which allowed the development of methodological proposals for mean discharge estimation in ungauged sites. The results demonstrate consistent correlations that support the applicability of hydraulic geometry as an indirect tool in hydrological estimation, contributing to regional knowledge of watersheds in Meta and providing an alternative approach for water resources planning and management in the Colombian Orinoquía.