Remote sensing applied to the morphodynamics of the meandering Usumacinta River in the period 1986-2019

Abstract

The Usumacinta River (UR), known for its great length and flow, is currently a free-flowing river without anthropic control. However, it is subject to changes derived from fluvial dynamics and interaction with the environment, whose processes depend on hydraulic, morphological, and sedimentary conditions that vary over time. Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are increasingly used to analyze historical morphological changes in river, they accelerate the obtaining of results and allow predictive analysis. Herein, we use RS and GIS techniques to analyze the morphodynamics of the UR in the period 1986-2019. Morphological changes with the following variables were evaluated: channel migration, channel width, sinuosity, and slope. Between 1986 and 2019, 91% of the 1,458 transects analyzed in the UR (1,400 m each) presented low migration (<50 m) and 0.61% presented high migration (>200 m). The UR is highly sinuous (S= 2.01) with meandering riverbeds and slopes ranging from 0º to 84º. The results obtained will support managers and politicians in proposing strategies for the protection, conservation and sustainable management of water resources in the UR basin.