River dynamics studies

Since 2022, GOTTA Engineering has been conducting river dynamics studies for ISAGEN, focusing on the minor power plants Popal, Molinos, San Miguel, and Barroso, as well as the major power plants Calderas, Miel, and Sogamoso.

The analyses aim to identify the temporal evolution in the morphodynamics of the river channels downstream from the intake or dam area to the confluence sites with larger rivers or specific points of interest. To achieve this goal, we utilize satellite images and orthophotomosaics (purchased and/or acquired with our own drones and RGB/LiDAR sensors), with different spectral characteristics. We employ supervised and unsupervised methodologies (algorithms) to quantify qualitative and quantitative changes in the morphology of the river system. Subsequently, we analyze the morphological trends in conjunction with the hydrological regime and operation of the power plants to understand the coupled effect of different forcings on river dynamics. In several power plants, we complement the analysis by identifying changes in land cover and their historical trends, as well as rates of occupation growth, among other factors.