Abstract

RIVERA, Juan; LAURO, Carolina  and  OTTA, Sebastián Alfredo. Quantification of the recent hydrological deficit in the Cuyo region from low flow indicators. Bol. estud. geogr. [online]. 2021, n.116, pp.23-44.  Epub June 20, 2023. ISSN 2525-1813.  http://dx.doi.org/10.48162/rev.40.006.

This study quantifies the deficit in the streamflows of the main rivers in the Cuyo region, associated with the extraordinary hydrological drought recorded since 2010. These deficits show record-breaking values in the context of the last 50 years, particularly during the 2019/20 hydrological year. Regional differences in cumulative deficit values allow us to establish that the greatest severity was observed in the Atuel and Colorado river basins, which on average recorded streamflows below the 80% excedance percentile (Q80) during the 2010/11-2019/20 period. By standardising the cumulative deficit by the volume of the region's reservoirs, we obtained a measure that is easy to interpret and to apply for monitoring and decision-making regarding the impact of hydrological drought on regional freshwater availability.

Keywords : hydrological drought; reservoirs; Central Andes; Cuyo; water management.

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