Estrategia de gestión ambiental para la conservación de zonas potenciales de recarga de acuíferos en la vereda Barandillas, Zipaquirá / Environmental Management Strategy for the Conservation of Potential Aquifer Recharge Zones in Barandillas, Zipaquirá

Abstract

The present study formulated an environmental management strategy for the conservation of potential aquifer recharge zones in the Barandillas village, municipality of Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca. The study was developed using secondary information, thematic cartography, and spatial analysis in Geographic Information Systems. The identification of potential recharge zones was carried out based on the methodology adopted by Resolution 0017 of 2026 and the Methodological Guide for the Identification of Potential Aquifer Recharge Zones, integrating variables such as lithology, land cover, soils, faults, lineament density, drainage density, connectivity, and the Topographic Wetness Index (MinAmbiente et al., 2025). The criteria were normalized on a scale from 0 to 1 and weighted through the combination of the CRITIC and AHP methods. The final index presented values between 0.0638 and 0.7371; therefore, very low, low, medium, and high potential recharge categories were identified, with no presence of the very high category. Subsequently, the anthropogenic activities present in the area were analyzed, and their potential impacts were assessed using the Arboleda matrix (2008). The results made it possible to prioritize impacts associated with impermeabilization, soil compaction, vegetation cover degradation, diffuse pollution, and alteration of infiltration processes. Finally, management, conservation, restoration, and environmental monitoring guidelines were proposed to protect the areas with the highest recharge potential and the greatest anthropogenic pressure.