TY - GEN
T1 - Assessment of soil erosion in the Cesar watershed, an initial step toward the restoration of the Cesar River
AU - Vega, Stefany P.
AU - Gutierrez, Ronald R.
AU - Maturana, Aymer Y.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 IEEE.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - The Magdalena River stands out as the largest contributors of sediment in South America. Although the Cesar River is one the main tributary of the Magdalena River, very few studies, if any, have focused on estimating soil erosion rates in the Cesar watershed. This contribution addresses this gap by presenting soil erosion rates calculated specifically for the Cesar watershed. It is based on the RUSLE-GGS (RUSLE-GIS-GLUE-SDR) erosion model at the watershed scale. The estimates cover a period from 1991 up to 2020, with a spatial resolution of 2.5 km. Different scenarios were modeled to assess and predict the variations in sediment yield and to fit the model to the sediment concentration data observed in local sediment gauging stations. By using the Getis-Ord statistical analysis, hotspots where soil erosion is most pronounced were identified. To the best of our knowledge, this contribution represents the first assessment of soil erosion in the Cesar watershed. In addition to providing a basis for future research, the results are expected to contribute to the formulation of appropriate scenarios to address the restoration of the Cesar River. Finally, the study triggers a discussion on the sustainable management of the basin to explore solutions aimed at preserving the integrity of this vital water resource.
AB - The Magdalena River stands out as the largest contributors of sediment in South America. Although the Cesar River is one the main tributary of the Magdalena River, very few studies, if any, have focused on estimating soil erosion rates in the Cesar watershed. This contribution addresses this gap by presenting soil erosion rates calculated specifically for the Cesar watershed. It is based on the RUSLE-GGS (RUSLE-GIS-GLUE-SDR) erosion model at the watershed scale. The estimates cover a period from 1991 up to 2020, with a spatial resolution of 2.5 km. Different scenarios were modeled to assess and predict the variations in sediment yield and to fit the model to the sediment concentration data observed in local sediment gauging stations. By using the Getis-Ord statistical analysis, hotspots where soil erosion is most pronounced were identified. To the best of our knowledge, this contribution represents the first assessment of soil erosion in the Cesar watershed. In addition to providing a basis for future research, the results are expected to contribute to the formulation of appropriate scenarios to address the restoration of the Cesar River. Finally, the study triggers a discussion on the sustainable management of the basin to explore solutions aimed at preserving the integrity of this vital water resource.
KW - Erosion
KW - ecosystem services
KW - river restoration
KW - rivers
KW - watersheds
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85186760031
U2 - 10.1109/C358072.2023.10436193
DO - 10.1109/C358072.2023.10436193
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85186760031
T3 - 1st IEEE Colombian Caribbean Conference, C3 2023
BT - 1st IEEE Colombian Caribbean Conference, C3 2023
A2 - Mendoza, Paul Sanmartin
A2 - Navarro, Andres
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 1st IEEE Colombian Caribbean Conference, C3 2023
Y2 - 22 November 2023 through 25 November 2023
ER -