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Groundwater Recharge Patterns Using Precipitation Isoscapes in the Bogotá River Basin
Patrones de recarga de aguas subterráneas usando isoscapes de la precipitación en la cuenca del río Bogotá
Keywords:
groundwater recharge, isoscape, stable isotopes, precipitation, hydrological connectivity, Bogotá River basin (en)recarga de acuı́feros, isoscape, isótopos estables, precipitación, conectividad hidrológica, cuenca del rı́o Bogotá (es)
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Understanding groundwater recharge patterns is essential for managing water resources in regions facing climate variability and increasing water use pressure. In this study, stable isotopes of Deuterium (2H) and Oxygen-18 (18O) are used as tracers to explore recharge dynamics and surface groundwater interactions in the Bogotá River basin. Using meteorological, geospatial, and isotopic data, the Isocompy library was applied to model the spatial distribution of the isotopic composition of precipitation, resulting in the first local-scale isoscape developed for the basin. The precipitation isoscape revealed a clear spatial variability associated with precipitation levels, recycled moisture, and topographic effects. By comparing this isoscape against the isotopic composition of groundwater, distinct recharge patterns and degrees of aquifer exploitation were identified across the basin. These findings highlight the value of isotopic tools and precipitation isoscapes in identifying recharge zones, understanding hydrological connectivity, and informing sustainable groundwater management. Continuous sampling and improved spatial resolution in isotopic models are recommended to better capture the complexity of recharge processes in heterogeneous basins such as that of the Bogotá River.
Comprender los patrones de recarga de aguas subterráneas es fundamental para la gestión de los recursos hı́dricos, especialmente en regiones sometidas a gran variabilidad climpatica y una creciente presión por el uso del agua. En este estudio se utilizan isótopos estables de Deuterio (2H) y Oxı́geno-18 (18O) como trazadores para analizar la dinámica de recarga y las interacciones entre el agua superficial y subterránea en la cuenca del rı́o Bogotá. A partir de datos meteorológicos, geoespaciales y isotópicos, se aplicó la librerı́a Isocompy para modelar la distribución espacial de la composición isotópica de la precipitación, generando ası́ el primer paisaje isotópico a escala local para la cuenca. El isoscape de precipitación mostró una clara variabilidad espacial asociada a la cantidad de precipitación, la humedad reciclada y los efectos topográficos. Al comparar este isoscape con la composición isotópica del agua subterránea, se identificaron patrones diferenciados de recarga y niveles variables de explotación de acuı́feros. Estos resultados destacan el valor de las herramientas isotópicas y de los paisajes isotópicos de precipitación para identificar zonas de
recarga, comprender la conectividad hidrológica y apoyar una gestión sostenible del agua subterránea. Se recomienda el muestreo continuo y una mayor resolución espacial en los modelos isotópicos para capturar mejor la complejidad de los procesos de recarga en cuencas heterogéneas como la del rı́o Bogotá.
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