Evaluation of the Hydrological Response to Land Use Change Scenarios in Urban and Non-Urban Mountain Basins in Ecuador

Diego Mejía-Veintimilla, Pablo Ochoa-Cueva and Juan Arteaga-Marín ()
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Diego Mejía-Veintimilla: Maestría en Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), París s/n y Praga, Loja 110108, Ecuador
Pablo Ochoa-Cueva: Maestría en Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), París s/n y Praga, Loja 110108, Ecuador
Juan Arteaga-Marín: Maestría en Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), París s/n y Praga, Loja 110108, Ecuador

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-13

Abstract: Land cover is a crucial factor in controlling rainfall–runoff processes in mountain basins. However, various anthropogenic activities, such as converting natural vegetation to agricultural or urban areas, can affect this cover, thereby increasing the risk of flooding in cities. This study evaluates the hydrological behavior of two mountain basins in Loja, Ecuador, under varying land use scenarios. El Carmen small basin (B1), located outside the urban perimeter, and Las Pavas small basin (B2), within the urban area, were modeled using HEC-HMS 4.3 software. The results highlight the significant influence of vegetation degradation and restoration on hydrological processes. In degraded vegetation scenarios, peak flows increase due to reduced soil infiltration capacity, while baseflows decrease. Conversely, the conserved and restored vegetation scenarios show lower peak flows and higher baseflows, which are attributed to enhanced evapotranspiration, interception, and soil water storage. The study underscores the importance of ecosystem management and restoration in mitigating extreme hydrological events and improving water resilience. These findings provide a foundation for decision-making in urban planning and basin management, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and multidisciplinary approaches to develop effective public policies.

Keywords: land use change; hydrological modeling; HEC-HMS; urban sprawl; natural forest; mountain basins (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:11:p:1907-:d:1520423

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