Morphometry of the Páez River hydrographic sub-basin, Cartago, Costa Rica
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15359/rgac.67-2.5Keywords:
Páez River sub-basin, MorphometryAbstract
Morphometric studies provide information on the hydrological functioning in a basin. The objective of the present study was to determine morphometric parameters in the sub-basin of the Páez
River, located in the province of Cartago, Costa Rica, necessary for land use planning within the
basin and its proper management. Morphometric construction was based on the 1:10,000 scale contour lines available for the Gran Area Metropolitana (translated as the Greater Metropolitan Area)
and geographic information systems utilized to digitalize contour lines, drainages and watershed.
Resulting from the morphometric analysis, a sub-basin area of 28.34 km2 and perimeter distance
of 47.4270 km were estimated. The sub-basin is comprised of 22 micro-basins and overall exhibits
a form factor value of 0.1171, thus indicating an elongated sub-basin. A compactness coefficient
value of 2.4942 indicates an elongated basin. The sub-basin exhibits a concave hypsometric curve,
where the peak of its altimetry distribution corresponds to altitudes between 3315 m and 980 m.
The slope parameter has an average value of 29.3% slope. It is evident the role played by the Páez
River sub-basin for the development of productive activities and water supply of some localities in
the province of Cartago.
Author Biographies
María Alvarez Jiménez, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Pablo Ramírez-Granados, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Académico, Pablo Ramírez-Granados. Laboratorio de Hidrogeología y Manejo de Recursos Hídricos. Escuela de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Correo electrónico: pablo.ramirez.granados@una.ac.cr. 
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5082-445X
Kevin Alfaro-Jiménez, Consultor
Consultor, Kevin Alfaro-Jiménez. Correo electrónico: kevin15aj@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7405-4509
Ligia Dina Solís-Torres, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Académica Ligia Dina Solís-Torres. Laboratorio de Hidrogeología y Manejo de Recursos Hídricos. Escuela de Química, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Correo electrónico: ligia.solis.torres@una.cr https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8156-2168
José Castro-Solís, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Consultor, MSc. José Castro-Solís. Laboratorio de Hidrogeología y Manejo de Recursos Hídricos. Escuela de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Correo electrónico: jose.castro.solis@una.cr https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3393-6951
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