Nieto-Cañarte et al. (2026) Estimation of the water balance in the Vinces river watershed office automation and geomatic tools

Identification

• Journal: STUDIES IN ENGINEERING AND EXACT SCIENCES
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-09
• Authors: Carlos Alberto Nieto-Cañarte, Wilmer Omar Pilaloa-David, Evelyn Elizabeth Flores-Bazurto, Alfredo José Cañas-Suárez, Jeannie Maritza Rosero-Lozano, Edgard Joffre Avilés-Camacho, Wilmer Mario Domínguez-Zúñiga
• DOI: 10.54021/seesv7n1-002

Research Groups

• Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo (UTEQ), Ecuador.
• Universidad Agraria del Ecuador (UAE), Ecuador.
• Universidad de Guayaquil (UG), Ecuador.

Short Summary

This study estimates the water balance of the Vinces River basin in Ecuador using office automation and geomatic tools to identify water surplus and deficit patterns. The research reveals a significant annual water surplus of 1,322.97 mm and an irrigation potential of over 422,000 hectares, highlighting a major opportunity for optimized agricultural water management.

Objective

• To estimate the water balance of the Vinces River basin using the Thornthwaite method and geomatic tools to evaluate water dynamics and identify vulnerable areas for sustainable resource management.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Vinces River basin, Ecuador, covering approximately 4,716.94 km² across the provinces of Cotopaxi, Los Ríos, and Guayas.
• Temporal Scale: Analysis based on historical meteorological yearbooks and climate data processed to represent average annual hydrological cycles.

Methodology and Data

• Models used:
  • PETP: Software for calculating Potential Evapotranspiration (ETP) via the Thornthwaite method.
  • InnerSoft ISBH: Tool for water balance estimation and climate categorization.
  • HYDROGNOMON: Used for hydroclimatic analysis and cross-validation of indices.
  • QGIS: Geographic Information System used for spatial analysis, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) processing, and thematic mapping.
• Data sources: Meteorological data (temperature and precipitation) obtained from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI) yearbooks.

Main Results

• Evapotranspiration: The average potential evapotranspiration (ETP) was estimated at 1,307.63 mm/year.
• Water Balance: The basin presents an average annual water surplus of 1,322.97 mm/year.
• Water Generation: The basin generates approximately 6,240.37 Hm³/year (6.24 × 10⁹ m³/year).
• Irrigation Potential: After accounting for ecological flows (10%) and non-consumptive uses (40%), the available water (3,120.19 Hm³/year) could potentially irrigate 422,927.73 ha/year.
• Current Utilization: Only 0.28% (approximately 1,200 ha) of the potential irrigation area is currently utilized.
• Climate Classification: The region varies between "Wet" (B3) and "Super Humid" (A) according to the Thornthwaite classification, with moderate water deficiencies during specific seasonal transitions.

Contributions

• Provides a high-resolution spatial and temporal characterization of the Vinces River basin's hydrology using accessible office and geomatic tools.
• Identifies a massive gap between current water use and the technical irrigation potential of the region.
• Establishes a replicable methodological framework for integrated water resource management (IWRM) in tropical basins with limited specialized hydrological monitoring infrastructure.
• Aligns local water management strategies with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Funding

• Research supported by the Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo (UTEQ), Universidad Agraria del Ecuador (UAE), and Universidad de Guayaquil (UG). No specific project reference codes were provided.

Citation

@article{NietoCañarte2026Estimation,
  author = {Nieto-Cañarte, Carlos Alberto and Pilaloa-David, Wilmer Omar and Flores-Bazurto, Evelyn Elizabeth and Cañas-Suárez, Alfredo José and Rosero-Lozano, Jeannie Maritza and Avilés-Camacho, Edgard Joffre and Domínguez-Zúñiga, Wilmer Mario},
  title = {Estimation of the water balance in the Vinces river watershed office automation and geomatic tools},
  journal = {STUDIES IN ENGINEERING AND EXACT SCIENCES},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.54021/seesv7n1-002},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.54021/seesv7n1-002}
}

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