Author(s): Maria Fernanda Riano Neira; Nestor Alonso Mancipe Munoz
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: GIS; Weighted overlay; Monitoring criteria; Watershed management
Abstract: A GIS-based methodological framework for the preliminary identification and optimization of hydrological monitoring points in urban watersheds is presented. The approach integrates multi-criteria spatial analysis using weighted environmental, socioeconomic, and technical criteria. The framework is applied to the Bogota campus of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. A digital elevation model, land cover, drainage networks, storm drains, and points of interest, are combined through weighted overlay analysis to generate monitoring suitability maps. The framework identified 86 potential monitoring points, primarily associated with drainage infrastructure, and excluded protected areas. Subsequent subwatershed screening reduced these to 13 priority areas, from which three optimal subwatershed monitoring locations are selected using an optimization process. Environmental factors had the strongest influence on spatial suitability. The framework effectively supports early-stage monitoring planning and reduces fieldwork demands.
Year: 2026