Abstract

AUMASSANNE, Carolina et al. Cobertura de nieve en las subcuencas de los ríos Grande y Barrancas (Argentina) y su relación con la morfometría. RIA. Rev. investig. agropecu. [online]. 2019, vol.45, n.3, pp.394-403. ISSN 1669-2314.

In snowmelt basins, temporal and spatial variations of snow cover significantly affect water availability. The morphological characteristics of the basin affect the distribution and permanence of the snow. A detailed analysis should contribute to understand the functioning of the hydrological system and in this way to carry out its planning and integral management. A product derived from satellite images provided by the MODIS sensor (MOD10A2) was used, with the objective of evaluating the area covered by snow and its spatio-temporal variation in the upper basin of the Colorado River, by means of a spatial analysis of the morphometric parameters (elevation, slope, aspect), from the year 2000 to 2015. The information derived from remote sensors allows the monitoring of large areas of territory in a permanent, objective, economic and real time, and complements that provided by traditional meteorological stations. Our results show a tendency of diminution of the extension of the cover of snow from the year 2005, which is reflected in the decrease of the annual spill of the hydrological cycles later. Areas with permanent snow cover were identified, which are located mainly in the Grande River basin and others with greater temporal variations (inter-annual and intra-annual) in the center and south of both basins.

Keywords : basin management; MOD10A2; remote sensing..