Modelling water stress vulnerability in small Andean basins: case study of Campoalegre River basin, Colombia

The study focuses on the Campoalegre River basin in Colombia, where diverse water uses and inter-basin transfers—particularly from hydropower—have reduced downstream supply. The research aims to create a water balance and decision-making tool for regional authorities to manage water stress and governance challenges caused by fragmented planning units.

• Water management in the Campoalegre River basin is complicated by the diversion of water to other watersheds, including return flows from hydropower use that act as water transfers to the Chinchiná and Otún basins.
• The combination of water transfers and various human activities—including agriculture, livestock, industry, aquaculture, and recreation—has caused a permanent and drastic reduction in water supply for downstream areas.
• Existing governance structures hinder the implementation of water management policies because the Chinchiná and Otún basins are managed by separate authorities, meaning water transfers between them may not be accounted for within planning units.
• The study provides a new decision-making tool for regional environmental authorities in the area who previously lacked such a resource to identify water-use conflicts and the potential need for rationing.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2020). Modelling water stress vulnerability in small Andean basins: case study of Campoalegre River basin, Colombia. https://www.sei.org/publications/modelling-water-stress-vulnerability-in-small-andean-basins-case-study-of-campoalegre-river-basin-colombia/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Modelling water stress vulnerability in small Andean basins: case study of Campoalegre River basin, Colombia. 2020. https://www.sei.org/publications/modelling-water-stress-vulnerability-in-small-andean-basins-case-study-of-campoalegre-river-basin-colombia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Modelling water stress vulnerability in small Andean basins: case study of Campoalegre River basin, Colombia |date=13 January 2020 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/modelling-water-stress-vulnerability-in-small-andean-basins-case-study-of-campoalegre-river-basin-colombia/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2020modelling, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Modelling water stress vulnerability in small Andean basins: case study of Campoalegre River basin, Colombia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2020}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/modelling-water-stress-vulnerability-in-small-andean-basins-case-study-of-campoalegre-river-basin-colombia/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }