Paleochannels and their correspondence with floods in the 21st century. Case study of Ibarra city, Imbabura, Ecuador.

Floods constantly occur in San Miguel de Ibarra's urban setting each year. Situated on the slopes of the Imbabura volcano, an integral component of the UNESCO Global Geopark Imbabura, this Ecuadorian city boasts an invaluable cultural and natural heritage. However, it has experienced multiple adverse impacts due to the overflow of rivers and streams. In 2022, an inventory of floods was compiled for the Geopark, revealing the persistent recurrence of this phenomenon within the city. Consequently, it became imperative to gather historical and contemporary data from diverse sources such as public institutions (GAD Ibarra 2023), digital newspapers, social networks, and aerial imagery (IGM 2014) to discern patterns and establish correlations related to these occurrences (SNGRE 2023).

In this way, the acquired information spanning the period from 1965 to the present, insights were gained into the distribution of flood-prone zones and their correlation with paleochannels. Additionally, discernment was achieved regarding alterations in land-use planning attributable to urban expansion in the city, which, in turn, contributes to the heightened susceptibility to floods. This meticulous analysis unveiled specific areas within the city consistently affected by such hazards, elucidating these events' characteristics and the ensuing damage to both public and private properties. The current publication presents preliminary findings utilized in the estimation of flood risk.

Keywords: Paleochannels, floods, Ibarra, Imbabura, Imbabura UNESCO Geopark

References:

GAD Ibarra (2023) Cartography of Ibarra canton at several scales

IGM (2014) Cartography of Ibarra canton 1:5.000

IGM (2023) Historical imagery of flights in Ecuador at several scales

SNGRE (2023) Data Base Events SNGRE. Period 2010 to 2023