Caracterización Fisiográfica e Hidrológica: Cuenca Hidrográfica del Río Cauca

Abstract

Physiograpical, morphological and hydrological parameters were determined for the Cali river watershed (123 Km²), located in the eastern side of the western mountains chain, in the municipality Cali, Valle (Colombia). The water balance was estimated in the watershed of its main tributary, the Pichindé river (62.9 Km²), as well as the Cali river watershed. Three methods were tested to determine the potential evapotranspiration (Penman, Christiansen and Hargreaves). Hargreaves method was selected due it had the best adjusment for the water balance. The mean rain was determined using isohyetals, Thiessen and arithmetic mean methods, being the isohyetals method the appropiate for the area. The water balance was determined combining the variables correspondents to rain, evapotranspiration and runoff to analize the spatial and temporal dinamic of the water balance.