Hydrological models for the estimation of ecological flow

Abstract

Fixing the ecological flow in the world's rivers contributes to the preservation of river ecosystems and the management of water resources, related to the social and economic aspects; It is the volume of water necessary to maintain a healthy river ecosystem capable of providing goods and services. The hydrological method was the first proposed method to estimate the ecological flow, developed in the 60s and 70s of the 20th century. There are different methods to estimate the ecological flow, such as: hydrological, hydraulic, eco-hydraulic and holistic methods. In the present work, a review of seven hydrological methods was carried out, these are: Asturian, flow permanence curve, Ecuadorian or 5% of the annual average, referential-Peruvian regulations, Scottish or 3 critical months, Swiss and Tennant-Montana (1976). These hydrological methods use historical records of flows from hydrometric stations to quickly and cheaply obtain an easily interpreted result. Tennant-Montana (1976) is the most widely used method in river basins in 25 countries to determine ecological flow, and it is the second most widely used method in the US and Canada. These methods are applicable for an investigation in any river of the Peruvian territory.