Chapters authored
Semiarid Riparian Vegetation Water Demand and Its Influence to Compute the Sonora River Basin Water Availability
Part of the book: Evapotranspiration
Correlation between TDR and FDR Soil Moisture Measurements at Different Scales to Establish Water Availability at the South of the Yucatan Peninsula
The advantages that offer new techniques such as remote sensing to estimate soil moisture require local accurate measurements of this variable since these values are key to validate the estimated ones. The chapter analyses the performance to measure soil moisture using different sensors that correspond to different scales at the field. Sensors used were based on reflectometry, time and frequency, which were calibrated with gravimetric measurements. Additionally to have accurate soil moisture values, the idea is to have an operational system in a very complex ecosystem in order to see its influence to maintain the aguadas (small natural lagoons) at the south of the Yucatan Peninsula. These aguadas represent an important source of water in the region because the area presents shortage associated not only with the climate variation but also with high influence due to the type of soils (karst). Results demonstrated that the sensors tested were accurate particularly in the rainy season with some differences in the dry period, and also, the sensitivity of each device was determinant. Results will cover different areas from point to small regions (<4 km), since soil moisture data obtained could be extrapolated to different scales based on the climate, vegetation and type of soil, to compute the real water availability for the communities in the zone.
Part of the book: Soil Moisture
Flood Risk Assessment in Housing under an Urban Development Scheme Simulating Water Flow in Plains
Floods are increasingly occurring around the world more often, this implies analysing the risks connected to both human health and the environment, and to infrastructure and properties. The objective is to establish areas susceptible to flooding and their impact on the population through the effects on the unit of analysis “housing”. To simulate the floods and map the affected areas, the FluBiDi 2D model was used. Two conditions for one urban zone analysed within the Mexico Valley were compared: (a) with the current hydraulic infrastructure and (b) with the application of rectification of channels. The available information was the discharge getting into the catchment and the total of homes in 2015. Projections for 20-year and 50-year planning horizon were considered, and for the 50 years, an evaluation of a non-structural measure was applied. Results show that under the current infrastructure, the flood simulated had a flow depth of 20 cm, decreasing to 5 cm average with rectification of channels, and a decrement of 45% of the cost of housing risk. Applying the both structural and non-structural measures, the cost of vulnerable housing was reduced until 94%, thus, this a trustworthy tool for decision-making in urban developments.
Part of the book: Recent Advances in Flood Risk Management
Interconnection among River Flow Levels, Sediments Loads and Tides Conditions and Its Effect on the Coastal Wetlands Reduction
When the river supplies water to vulnerable environments, such as marshlands, it is vital to establish the expected impact mostly under a changing climate, and moreover, if a dam is being projected to solve energy demands. Soil characteristics, specifically sediment composition, are exposed to changes that modify this type of ecosystem and are rarely investigated. For this, a discharge period for an average historical year was analyzed to evaluate the magnitudes of the flows, with or without a dam. Also, it helped to identify the modification of the hydrodynamic regime between the sea and the lagoon system, particularly during the dry season but also checking the behavior in the rainy season. Results showed that the main problem with the construction of the dam on the San Pedro-Mezquital river would be the effect of a controlled flow that reaches the wetlands of the alluvial plains, affecting the sediment load in the estuarine and coastal ecology. However, after a readjustment period, the dam neither significantly changes the previous flood conditions of the coastal plain nor the sediment load will be a problem. However, if an additional sediment load is required to maintain the coastal microhabitats, there are different ways to provide it.
Part of the book: Natural Hazards