Identification of hydrometeorological processes that trigger extreme floods in the city of Cuenca from the information provided by a precipitation radar

At present it is a priority to increase knowledge about the main hydrological and meteorological processes of flow generation in Andean basins. The strong drought recorded in Ecuador in 2009, as well as the various flood events that the city of Cuenca has suffered in the last decade, have demonstrated the lack of knowledge about the functioning of the moor in these unusual events. The economic impacts of these natural phenomena are enormous and can bring other social problems. One of the problems that limits the development of knowledge is the lack of an appropriate monitoring system in complex basins, in which there is a high variability in hydrological, meteorological processes (especially precipitation) and in biophysical characteristics. To overcome this problem there are precipitation radars that can capture precipitation fields to a high spatial and temporal resolution. However, its application is not easy and needs a strong adjustment process and the development of numerical tools for data pre-process, simulation and data post-process. The present project aims to identify the hydrometeorological processes that trigger extreme events in the city of Cuenca, based on the information provided by a precipitation radar. As part of the project, the historical flood events registered in the last 10 years will be analyzed to rescue the information generated by the RHUP. Likewise, a rain -based rain monitoring system and a laser dysdrometer will be installed and operated to understand the structure of rainfall and rainfall fields along an altitudinal transect. Finally, the calibration of a precipitation radar will be carried out with this information to feed a real -time hydrological prognosis model that allows timely decisions about flood threats.

OUTSIDE THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS EXTERNAL FUNDS