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G E O 3 2 8 0 A s s i g n m e n t # 1 P a g e | 1

1 University of FloridaDepartment of Geography

GEO 3280 Assignment 1

Getting to Know the Basin and the Data

INTRODUCTION: The global, regional and national setting of the small (302.4 km2) drainage basin of the Río Tiribí in the Central Valley of Costa Rica is examined. Use of the EXCEL worksheets to represent the basin and investigate the nature of the hydrologic cycle at the basin scale, particularly the variability in the annual fluxes of water are explored. The assignment is intended to:

1) Introduce the drainage basin, its physical setting, hydrologic variables and the types of data employed throughout the exercises.

2) Provide familiarity with the manipulation and graphical representation of data on the EXCEL worksheets.

3) Illustrate the assimilation of information from, and writing of reports based on, these manipulations and graphs.

No prior knowledge of EXCEL is assumed, thus this assignment particularly long, as each new EXCEL command is explained in turn.

MAJOR OBJECTIVES.

To highlight the significance of water resources to developing nations and the significance in particular of this study basin to Costa Rica.

To ensure students possess a basic knowledge of Costa Rica’s geographic location with regard to global features which will influence its climate and hydrology.

To introduce a familiarity with Costa Rican topography and the location of the Tiribí basin which will affect its annual pattern (regime) of rainfall and stream flow (runoff).

To ensure that all students have a basic acquaintance with the access, manipulation and display of data on spreadsheets that will be used throughout the class.

To furnish an initial grasp of the complexity of the interrelationship between the amount of precipitation entering a drainage basin and the amount of runoff leaving it.


To introduce the rudiments of writing short, but fully supported, responses based on the numerical and graphical exercises that you have been asked to complete. These require analytical thinking and interpretation on your part. Remember to always support your contentions by reference to at least one of the following; 1) theory, 2) literature, 3) analytical results.

1. What is the National Significance of the Study Basin?

Read the translation (provided at the end of the lab) of articles which appeared in the November 12, 2000 issue of La Nación, one of Costa Rica’s leading national newspapers, related to water supply in the Tiribí and other basins around San José. Provide brief answers to the following questions. (8 Marks)

A) Which two months represent the height of the dry season in this area?B) As the region entered the 2001-2002 El Niño, what percentage reduction was noted in winter

rainfall between 1999 and 2000?C) More severe reductions had already been noted in another region of the country. Which

region and what percentage reduction?D) What variable does the Costa Rican Meteorological Institute use as its primary forecaster of

a likely El Niño?E) Which parts of Costa Rica experience drought during an El Niño?F) From which 3 locations does the principle water supply to San José, the Metropolitan

Aqueduct, extract its water?G) On average how much water is extracted by the Metropolitan Aqueduct, and what percentage

reduction is anticipated in a drought?H) What percentage of Costa Rica’s national electric power is supplied by hydroelectricity?I) Give the name and location of the hydroelectric power plant which opened in December 2000.J) What alternative sources of electricity available to Costa Rica are mentioned and what are

their disadvantages?K) The reservoirs constructed for hydroelectric power generation can store sufficient water for

approximately what period of sustained drought?L) Approximately how many people are supplied by water from the Metropolitan Aqueduct?M) Which two crops suffered particularly during the 1997-98 El Niño?N) What unusual (by North American standards) alternate cattle food is available to ranchers in

Costa Rica?O) What effect does El Niño have on coastal fisheries?P) What steps can the Costa Rican government take to help farmers and fishermen recover from

the effects of El Niño?

2. What is Costa Rica's Regional and Global Setting?


Some “Old School” Geography to ensure that we all know the global setting of the study area. On the map of the Americas (Figure 1.1), identify and clearly mark the following features (use a ruler or straight-edge and exact position in questions 6 and 7) (5.5 Marks)

1) Florida2) Costa Rica3) Colombia4) Panama5) Nicaragua6) The Equator7) The Tropic of Cancer8) The Gulf of Mexico9) The Caribbean Sea10) The Atlantic Ocean11) The Pacific Ocean

3. What are the Important Features of National Geography?Locate and mark the following features on appropriate maps of Costa Rica (Figure(s) 1.2a and b). A separate map has been produced for each set of features. (5.5 Marks)

Topographic features (Figure 1.2a):Cordillera Tilarán, Cordillera Guancaste, Cordillera Central, Cordillera Talamanca, Volcan Irazú, Central Valley, Gulf of Nicoya.

Rivers (Figure 1.2b):Tárcoles, Reventazón, San Juan, Terraba.


Figure 1.1 The Americas and surrounding oceans.

-85.5 -85.0 -84.5 -84.0 -83.5 -83.0

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Figure 1.2a. Outline and topography of Costa Rica, showing location of the Tiribí basin.

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Cordilleras


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Figure 1.2b. Outline and topography of Costa Rica, showing location of the Tiribí basin.

1000 meter increments (eg., 1000, 2000, etc.)

Rivers



Figure 1.3a Hillshading of topography of Costa Rica based on the original Digital Elevation Model. Dotted lines and letters correspond to cross-sections shown in figure 1.3b.

Y

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A


Figure 1.3b Approximate topographic cross sections running East-West through the basin (upper) and North-South (lower) to help conceptualize the geographic location of the basin in the context of the surrounding topography (figure 1.3a) which plays an important role in determining the spatial and temporal variability of hydroclimatological processes in the basin.

4. How can we Explore the Data Sets?i) Elevation information has been generalized from the original 100m resolution Digital

Elevation Model (DEM) (Figure 1.3a) to a scale of about 1 km (1.14 km2), to make it manageable for use in the course. The area in and around the Tiribí basin is represented by a matrix of elevations (meters) of size 25 rows (1-25) by 40 columns (A-AN). The data are stored, in an EXCEL spreadsheet, in the file TIRIBIELEV. Open this file. See EXCEL How-To #1

ii) Only a portion of 1000 (25 x 40) data points actually lie within the basin. The file BASINLIMITS contains the same cells, but each element is identified by a 0 (indicating


that the cell falls outside the basin) or a 1 (cell inside the basin). Open this file separately into another EXCEL window.

iii) Insert a new worksheet in the TIRIBELEV spreadsheet.See EXCEL How-Tos #2, 3, 4 and 5

At some point in this BASINLIMITS spreadsheet (perhaps cell A27) calculate and record the number of cells that fall within the basin.See EXCEL How-To #6

How many grid cells fall within the basin limits? (1 Mark)

iii) Create or “INSERT” a third “WORKSHEET”, name it BASINELEVS. To “blank out” those portions of TIRIBIELEV, which are beyond basin limits, multiply the one thousand values of elevation in the cells of the TIRIBIELEV worksheet with the corresponding cells in the BASINLIMITS worksheet, placing the answers in the newly created BASINELEVS. See EXCEL How-To #7

5. How Can Simple Images of the Basin Data be made to Improve Comprehension?

The Charts group is used to make graphs to help “view” the topography of the basin from different angles, as if flying into the basin. Figure 1.10 provides an interpretation of the four angles from which we would like to view the basin.

See EXCEL How-To #8 and #9

Print the view from 315° (Northwest) mark and identify the following features:Volcan IrazúSan José (elevation about 1200m)Tárcoles River basinCordillera CentralCordillera TalamancaCentral Valley (8 Marks)

Look at the check provided by Figure 1.5 to ensure that your rows and columns are not reversed. This is a common mistake.


Check: Setting the x to 225°, y to 30° and perspective to 15°, you should obtain an image like the one immediately below. If however you obtain one like the lower figure, you have switched your data and are getting a mirror image of reality. If this is the case, you can correct this quite simply by:

Right clicking on the frame of your diagram Select data Select switch row/column.

NOTE: These settings are only for you to check whether you have produced a mirror image. You need to submit a view from 315°, not 225°!


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Series1 Series2Series3 Series4Series5 Series6Series7 Series8Series9 Series10Series11 Series12Series13 Series14Series15 Series16

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Figure 1.5 Check to ensure that columns and rows are not being reversed in your charts. Remember that neither of these is the figure you have to produce. In both of the above figures the view settings are, x = 225°, y = 30° and perspective = 15°. You need to submit a graph/surface with x = 315°.


6. What is a Hypsometric Curve and how can it be used to Summarize Basin Elevation Information?

The hypsometric curve defines the proportion, or percentage, of a drainage basin that lies above (or below) particular elevations, as illustrated in Figure 1.11, for the Río Virilla, which lies immediately to the north of the Tiribí.

In order to create a similar description of the Tiribí using the newly created worksheet BASINELEVS, a count of the number of cells within the basin possessing various elevations must be completed.

1. The lowest value of elevation in the Tiribí is about 980m and the highest about 2700m. Create a series of “bins”, or ranges of elevations, into which the frequency count of the elevations within the basin can be put. To do this, move to cell A30 and type in the value “980”. Move one cell down to A31 and type “990”. Highlight these two cells and drag them down to cell A202. Immediately the computer will fill in this area with values, or BINS, which increment at 10m intervals.

Figure 1.6 Example of an hypsometric curve for the Río Virilla, above Linda Vista, Costa Rica. This basin lies immediately to the north of the Tiribí.


2. The computer can count how many of the values values in cells within a specified area of the worksheet(called an INPUT RANGE) fall in each BIN.

3. In the Data tab, Analysis group, click on Data Analysis.4. The Data Analysis dialog box will appear. Select HISTOGRAM.

5. An INPUT RANGE, BIN RANGE and OUTPUT RANGE are all requested. These may be specified by typing in the appropriate cell addresses, e.g. input range can be specified as A1.AN25, or by clicking on the small icon to the right of the input box (circled below). This will bring up the spread sheet again and you may highlight the area, in this case, corresponding to the INPUT RANGE

6. The BIN RANGE will be the area created in step 1, and the OUTPUT RANGE should be specified as a blank area of the worksheet because this is where the computer will output the information for the histogram.

7. The computer will return a count of the number of cells in the INPUT RANGE containing values less than the value immediately to the left in the OUTPUT, and greater


than the bin value to the left and up one cell. In the example below, which does not correspond to the correct answers, 6 cells (Frequency column), return values of between 1000 m (immediately to the left in the Bin column) and 990 m (to the left and above).

It can be seen that there is a very high frequency of cells (61) in the first category, this is the count of cells of values less than 980m. Having already blanked cells outside the basin limits to a value of “0”, this is the count of cells falling outside the basin, and not of interest to us in determining the hypsometric curve of the basin. This particular bin and its accompanying frequency can therefore be deleted.

In order to create an hypsometric graph, the percentage of the basin lying below the various elevations must be calculated.

Simply retype the first entry in the frequency column into the column immediately to its right.

To create a cumulative sum of cells having values of 1000m or less the 6 cells of between 990 and 1000m (to the left), must be summed with the 5 cells of between 990 and 980m (above), and the answer placed beneath the 5 that was just entered.


Having completed this equation once, it can be copied the entire length of the output range

Copy downwards

The very end of this new cumulative column contains a count of the total number of cells allocated to bins. In my example, 939.

Each of these cumulative counts can now be expressed as a percentage merely by dividing each cumulative count by the total (939) and multiplying by 100.

The equation in this cell can then be copied all the way down. Giving cumulative percentages as desired

! Warning : The count for the Tiribí basin will not be 939. Alsoget into the habit of using the brackets properly to ensure the correct sequence of mathematical operations.


6A. Submit a graph of the Hypsometric Curve for the Tiribí. This should resemble the line in figure 1.11, although you will not be able to reproduce the shading under the line.All graphs should have:

A clear and meaningful title, such as “Hypsometric Curve, Tiribí”, Percentage of basin on the x-axis and elevation (m) on the y-axis. Self-explanatory labels on each axis; e.g. “Elevation”, “Percentage of Basin”, Units of measurement wherever appropriate, e.g. “(mm)”, “(m)”.

See EXCEL How-To #10 (5 Marks)

6B. Using your Hypsometric Curve, answer the following questions:1. What percentage of the drainage basin area of the Tiribí basin lies below 1500m of

elevation?2. What percentage of the basin lies above 2000m of elevation?3. If a particular crop (like coffee) can only be grown between elevations of 1400 and

1600m what is the maximum possible surface area (km2) suitable for growing coffee?4. If the currently proposed increase in temperatures by 2050 were to drive these limits

(lower and upper) upwards by 100m, how much would the potential coffee growing area be reduced (km2)?

5. What percentage of potential coffee growing areas would be lost as a result of that temperature change?

(2.5 Marks)

At the end of the following section you will be asked to answer the following critical thinking question:

”Does the drainage basin convert a fixed proportion of theprecipitation entering it into runoff?”

Bear this question in mind while answering the other questions. To help you with this first critical thinking question, those questions and answers that are of special importance are marked.


7. How Can We Describe the Variability of Hydrologic Variables?Annual discharge figures at Electriona and precipitation at San José (1969-1986) are found on the file ANNUAL P SAN JOSE AND Q. Open the file.

iWrite out a simple mass balance equation for this basin at an annual scale. Can any terms be removed to simplify the equation? Why? (3 Marks)

ii. Tabulations and descriptive statistics of annual precipitation, runoff and the difference between precipitation and runoff.A) Covert the discharge records at Electriona to units of annual runoff (mm) (use only one

decimal place). See EXCEL How-Tos #11 and 12

B) Calculate the difference between Precipitation and Runoff (Precipitation-Runoff) in each year.

See EXCEL How-To #13

C) Calculate and record annual runoff as a percentage of annual precipitation and annual (precipitation - runoff) as a percentage of annual precipitation, in separate columns.


D) Calculate the mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation of, a) Precipitation, b) Runoff and c) (Precipitation - Runoff). Express long-run mean Runoff and (Precipitation - Runoff) as percentages of long-run mean Precipitation. Display the means, standard deviations and percentages to one decimal place. Display the coefficient of variation to 3 decimal places.


Note : Long-run mean Runoff as a percentage of long-run mean Precipitation will be used to answer question 7 iv B

Hint: Go to course notes dealing with continental-scale mass balance and the relevance of the concept of residence times of various hydrologic stores.

Check: The value for annual runoff in 1969 should be between 1615 and 1620mm


Produce a printout of: annual precipitation (P), runoff (R) and the difference between annual precipitation and

runoff (P-R) a tabulation of the descriptive statistics of each of these three variables calculations of mean runoff and mean (Precipitation - Runoff) as a percentage of mean

precipitation. (7 Marks)

iii. Time Series Plots: A) Construct a single time series plot showing the year on the x-axis and annual hydrologic fluxes (precipitation and runoff) on the y-axis, for the basin.


B) Using the calculated mean and standard deviation of each variable (Precipitation, Runoff and {Precipitation-Runoff}), calculate values corresponding to:

a) Mean precipitation + (0.5*standard deviation), “Rainy Year”b) Mean precipitation – (0.5*standard deviation), “Not Rainy Year”c) Mean runoff + (0.5*standard deviation), “High Flow Year”d) Mean runoff – (0.5*standard deviation), “Low Flow Year”.

Draw horizontal lines on your graphs equivalent to these four levels.See EXCEL How-To #17

C) Identify only those years in which BOTH precipitation and runoff are less than their respective {mean - 0.5 standard deviation} levels as DRY YEARS. Calculate the mean value of Precipitation and {Precipitation - Runoff} in these DRY YEARS. Express the mean value of (Precipitation - Runoff) in DRY years as a percentage of the mean Precipitation in DRY years.

D) Repeat step C) using only those years in which BOTH precipitation and runoff are in excess of levels equivalent to their respective {mean + 0.5 standard deviation} - WET YEARS, and calculate an equivalent percentage for (Precipitation – Runoff) in WET years.

Produce and submit a copy of the complete time series graph, and mean values of the differences between precipitation and runoff, and those differences expressed as a percentage of mean precipitation during each set of conditions.

i Only DRY yearsii Only WET years

(8 Marks)

! Warning: Make sure that you print out these results before embarking on question 7ivB, which has the potential to produce errors in the summary statistics if you are not careful

Check: There should be 4 WET years and 4 DRY years.


iv. Scattergrams:A) Construct a simple scattergram (X Y plot with no connecting lines) of annual precipitation (x-axis) against annual runoff (y-axis). Ensure that both axes range from 0 to 2400mm.


B) 1. Add a 0 (zero) to the top or bottom of your list of observed annual rainfalls.

2. Assume that Runoff accounts for 100% of Annual Precipitation (and therefore Evaporation [or P-R] is zero or 0%). Calculate theoretical Runoff for the historical annual precipitation data (and the recently added zero) in a new column.

3. Repeat this process assuming that Runoff constitutes a) 0%, b) 25%, c) 50% d) 75% and e) the percentage calculated in 7i, of Annual Precipitation, placing the answers in separate columns.


C) Add these data calculated in B, which show theoretical runoff as various percentages of observed precipitation, to the scattergram as straight lines without symbols.


D) To this graph add, by hand if you wish, an “enveloping line”, which is a straight line that most efficiently delimits the upper range of the observed relationship between precipitation and runoff (i.e., a straight line which best approximates the upper left side of the dots on the scattergram). As shown in the example below, this line need not necessarily pass through the origin (0, 0) of the graph.

! Warning: Make sure that you have not included this new zero in any of your calculations of means, standard deviations or coefficients of variations in answering question 7i.


Figure 1.7. Example of an enveloping line on a scattergram.

Produce a copy of the complete scattergram including theoretical lines and the enveloping line. This diagram should include:

5 lines, one each for runoff equals 0% to 100% of precipitation 1 line using the mean annual percentage of precipitation that goes to runoff from question

8i. The observed data (as points) An enveloping line

(9 Marks)

Save this graph for the critical thinking question as Figure 1.


E) Create a second simple scattergram of annual precipitation (x-axis) and annual runoff (y-axis) Add a simple scattergram of annual precipitation (x-axis) against annual (P-R) (y-axis), to this graph. Use different symbol types for runoff and {P-R}. Add a trend line to each of the separate plots by right clickingon the appropriate symbol on the chart and selecting “trendline” from the menu. (3 Marks)

F) Create a scattergram of annual precipitation (x-axis), while the y-axis shows i) annual runoff as a percentage of annual precipitation and ii) annual (P-R) as a percentage of annual precipitation. Use different symbol types for runoff and {P-R} as percentages.Add trendlines to each set of points (3 Marks)

iv. What is the Nature of the Relationship between Hydrologic Fluxes in the Basin?Referencing the tables (precipitation, runoff, P-R and definitions of wet and dry years), statistics (means, standard deviations and coefficients of variations) and graphs (particularly the scattergrams) to support your arguments, provide a summary of no more than one type-written side, of the nature of the relationship between annual values of Precipitation, Runoff and (Precipitation – Runoff) in the basin. Specifically:

“Does the drainage basin convert a fixed proportion of theprecipitation entering it, into runoff?”

Support all arguments, “for” and “against”, by reference to pertinent data, figures and graphs that were produced in this assignment.




As a rough aid to your critical thinking, go back to each of the following items you produced in question 7

Table 1.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Explicitly state how it would behave if your answer to the overarching question was incorrect. For example:”

“If the proportion of annual precipitation going to runoff was (was not) fixed, then one would expect values in this table to be (…..,) instead they are (…..).”

“If the proportion of annual precipitation going to runoff was (was not) fixed, the lines (dots) on this graph would behave in such and such a fashion, however we can see that they behave in this fashion.”

(10 Marks)


Article from La Nación, San José, November 2000. Translated by Sergio Alvarez, Geo3280, 2004.

El Niño could produce a drought in 2001 There Will Be Less Water in the Coming SummerAyA will ration the supplyICE discounts blackouts

March and April: Two months that bring the image of heat and drought… now, imagine them without water.

This is the glimpse that the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) is giving for several communities of the metropolitan area of San José during the next dry season.

The measurements of the National Meteorological Institute support that forecast, since during this year’s winter—which is almost over—the amount of rain decreased between 10 and 20 percent in the Central Valley, in comparison to 1999.

The situation was still worse in the Northern Pacific region, where meteorologists estimate that it rained about 25 percent less than average.

Besides the reduction in precipitation, the El Nino phenomenon—an abnormal warming of the Pacific Ocean’s surface waters—threatens to further complicate next year’s situation. However, the Meteorological Institute expects to get more data during the next months to determine if this phenomenon will really reoccur.

Meteorologist Werner Stolz commented that currently, the sea surface temperatures are normal, and could stay that way during the dry season of 2001.

For Eric Alfaro, physical oceanographer of the University of Costa Rica, there still exists a great controversy about the possibilities of another El Niño developing, an event that would cause drought throughout the Pacific slope and the Central Valley.

Costa Rican authorities are already working on the issue. AyA announced rationing, but the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) dismissed the possibility

of problems in the hydroelectric dams.

Concerning the agricultural sector, its representatives expect to be prepared to face the possible consequences, since the drought conditions not only affect plants, they also affect coastal fishing.

Scarcity Being Felt

If the numbers from the IMN don’t convince you, then take note of the following: Aqueducts and Sewers already feels “the steps of a big animal”.

The executive president of the institution, Rafael Villalta, asserted that for the past months they have suffered from the reduction of surface waters sources. “During this winter I’ve been worried by the atypical condition, strong rains for two or three days combined with the long drought”.

At the end, this condition caused a reduction in the normal quantities of water in water intake sites such as the ones located in the Tiribí River, Tres Ríos, and La Unión.

There, in October, 609 liters of water per second were recorded, representing a decrease of 16 liters per second from the average.

At the moment the reduction is not significant, but as the summer comes the quantity of water will diminish even more, explained Guillermo Montero, the manager of the water plant in Tres Ríos.

As he further explained, the plant receives an average of 700 liters per second, but during the dry season that could go to as little as 300 liters per second.

All these reductions will provoke shortage problems in the communities further up the metropolitan aqueduct, like Desamparados and Moravia.


The director of the System of Operations of the metropolitan aqueduct, Isidro Solis, estimated that the water supply system receives around 6,000 liters of water per second. With the shortage of liquid during the summer, this flow would be reduced by 21 percent, or about 1,100 liters per second.

For Rafael Villalta, the eventual drought should not provoke panic among those served by the aqueduct, but they already must take the necessary preventative measures. “It is not exaggerated if they start saving water”, he said.

Furthermore, during next March and April there will probably be nighttime rationing in the metropolitan area.

There Will Not Be Electricity Shortages

Unlike what is expected for the water supply, the country will not have to suffer power blackouts during the summer, even if there is less water available.

The Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) dismissed any type of problem in the generation of hydroelectric energy.

The importance of water is, according to the Report on the State of the Nation, due to the fact that hydroelectric energy represents 82 percent of the total electricity generated.

The assistant manager of ICE, Armando Balma, assured that the institution is ready for next summer. “We know that 2001 will be a really dry year, but we are prepared”, he insisted.

The inauguration of La Angostura, the new hydroelectric plant at Turrialba (in the Reventazón basin)—next December 5th—will contribute 180 megawatts more to the national grid, which will further reduce the national dependence on the generation of energy from fossil fuels (thermal), which are much more expensive for the country.

The chief of plants from the Administrative Board of Electrical Service of Cartago (JA-SEC), Carlos Quiros, also discounted any shortage. “We are ready to face drought periods up to three months long, longer periods would force us into buying energy from the ICE”, he added.

Attempts to Minimize EffectsAgriculture gets ready

Vanessa Loaiza

The agricultural production of the nation depends greatly on irrigation. However, during the warmest months—April and May principally—rural aqueducts dry out and producers are left defenseless, praying to the heavens for at least one shower to freshen the fields.

During the last El Niño event, in the 1997-1998 season, the important production of citrus and grain were negatively affected by the lack of water. The regions of Chorotega (Guanacaste) and Huetar Norte (North zone) were the most adversely affected.

This time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) does not want the same thing to happen. If a climatic event of such magnitude as that period’s were to occur again, MAG is already working on prevention and contingency plans to minimize as much as possible the effects of the drought.

Carlos Ramírez, ministry spokesman, confirmed that the agency will work in coordination with the National Service of Groundwater, Irrigation, and Drainage (SENARA), to identify those areas of Guanacaste Province that would require assistance.

In those communities wells would be installed or regular periodic visits of water tanks would be scheduled from the National Council of Production, so that they can irrigate the most arid fields.

Furthermore, agriculturalists are not the only ones adversely affected. Cattle farms also consume water and the grass dries out and disappears. Ramírez did not discount the idea that banana pulp could be used to feed cattle.

And the Fishing?

If El Niño was to affect our country once again, the fishing industry would also be affected. Such climatic change [variability] raises the tides and affects the submarine photosynthesis process, which has repercussions on the natural relationship between


fish and their environment, shrinking the normal populations.

The interim mayor of Puntarenas, Mario Ríos, assured that the municipality is looking for financial assistance from other public institutions and private enterprise, to aid fishermen, in case production is affected.

Javier López Vargas, executive of the Council of Paquera District, in the Nicoya peninsula, was also distressed and insisted on the need that the Costa Rican Institute of Fish and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA), train and counsel fishermen, so that they can identify the periods of greatest fish shortage.

All the solutions, however, are not in the hands of public institutions. “Once there are losses by flooding and drought the producers come for help. What happens is that they always believe the Ministry is the one who has to pay. The only thing we can do is evaluate and assess the damage and plead to the National Bank System, so the old debts are renegotiated or new loans are given”, declared Carlos Ramírez.

Water by Little BitsThe Metropolitan Area communities that would be affected next summer by the drought will have to get used to rationing.

The metropolitan aqueduct receives an average of 5,200 liters of water per second.

It is estimated that next summer the input will be reduced by 1,100 liters per second.

The most affected sites will be:Desamparados [which ironically means forsaken or abandoned] (San Juan de Dios, San Miguel, and San Rafael Arriba), San Jeronimo de Moravia and subdivisions south of Escazú, northern Coronado, and San Josecito de Alajuelita.

This situation will affect more than a million users,

since the water will be distributed evenly among all beneficiaries, even though not all the aqueduct experiences a reduction in flow.

The rationing will be enforced at night during the summer season, especially during the driest months: March and April.

Close the Faucet

From now you can start saving water. Take advantage of the advice:

When washing your vehicle, use a bucket and don’t leave the hose faucet open permanently.

If you are going to wash your teeth, use a cup as a measure of the water you are going to need and close the faucet while you brush your teeth.

Don’t water plants and green areas with drinking water; make use of rainwater. If you have to water them anyway, do it after 5p.m. so they absorb moisture more efficiently.

Check the water pipes in your home and repair any leaks.

Place a brick at the bottom of the toilet cistern to save water every time you flush it. Another good way is using a sealed bottle filled with sand.

When you wash the dishes or take a shower turn off the water, use it only when you need to get the soap off.

Report people who illegally tap into the aqueduct with the AyA.

Reuse the water from the washer [as in washer and dryer, not dish washer] to rinse the drains and sidewalks outside your house.Sources: Information and Documentation Center of La Nación and AyA.


Assignment #1 – Submission checklist:

1. Short answers based on reading of newspaper article.

2. 4 Figure 1.1 showing global and regional geographic features.

3. Figure(s) 1.2 with national geographic features.

4. Number of grid cells fall within the basin limits.

5. 3-D graph of basin elevation viewed from 315°, noting national geographic features.

6.A. Hypsometric graph of the Tiribí basin above Electriona.

6.B. Short interpretive answers relating to hypsometric graph.

7iA. Simple balance and discussion of variables to omit.

7iD. Printout of tabulations and descriptive statistics of annual precipitation, runoff and the difference between precipitation and runoff.

7iiD Time series graph (1) of annual precipitation and runoff values (year on x-axis, hydroclimatological variables on the y-axis). Horizontal lines defining mean +/- half a standard deviation for each variable.

7iiE Mean values of difference between precipitation and runoff in DRY years and in WET years.


7iiiD Scattergraph of annual precipitation (x-axis) and runoff (y-axis). Five (5) different straight lines representing runoff as various fixed percentages of precipitation. Enveloping line.

7iiiE Scattergraph of annual precipitation (x-axis) and annual runoff and annual (precipitation - runoff) (y-axis), with two trend lines.

7iiiF Scattergraph of annual precipitation (x-axis) and annual runoff as a percentage of precipitation and annual (precipitation - runoff) as a percentage of precipitation (y-axis) with two trend lines.

7iv Brief report, with reference to supporting material, to answer the question “Does the drainage basin convert a fixed proportion of precipitation to runoff?”

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