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    The Tempisque-Bebedero catchment system: energy-water-food consensus in the seasonally dry tropics of northwestern Costa Rica
    (FSP Nexus Publication (Alemania), 2017) Birkel, Christian; Brenes, Alonso; Sanchez-Murillo, Ricardo
    Abstract. The Tempisque-Bebedero total catchment area is around 3400km2 (Map 1) with the Tempisque being the third longest river in Costa Rica (144km). The continental divide is denoted by the volcanoes (from NW to SE) Orosí, Cacao, Rincón de la Vieja (1916m a.s.l., highest elevation), and Miravalles and Tenorio form the catchment boundary in the east. However, water from the Caribbean slope is imported into the catchment for hydropower production and irrigation (Map 1). Lake Arenal would naturally contribute to the Caribbean lowlands, but was artificially enlarged to 85.5km2 (three times its original size) for greater storage in 1979. A relatively low mean elevation of 260m a.s.l. and a mean slope of around 6° characterize the catchment system. The drainage density (total stream length/total drainage area) is also relatively low compared to the rest of the country (0.5 at a scale of 1:200,000). The latter results in rivers with a low transport capacity, particularly in the lowlands, and the main channel of the Tempisque slowly meanders towards the Gulf of Nicoya. The Tempisque-Bebedero catchment system is characterized by a seasonal tropical climate (Aw – Köppen-Geiger updated world climate classification) with a marked dry and wet season cycle and small temperature variability over the year (Peel et al., 2007). The dry season typically lasts from December into April with virtually no rainfall. After a short transition period, rains reach a first maximum in May/June. This first maximum is followed by a dry period of 2-3 weeks in July, usually referred to as the mid-summer drought (Magaña et al., 1999). The rain maximum is reached in October, related to the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The river flows reflect the seasonal climate. Mean flows from 1973 to 2003 at Guardia, Tempisque and Bebedero, Tenorio gauging stations (see spatial reference in Map 1) were 24.6 and 9.3m3/s, respectively. However, the lowest dry season flows measured (late April) were as low as 2.6 and 2m3/s, respectively. The mean water yield of 5.3L/s per km2 at Guardia is among the lowest in the country. Such a marked seasonality with relatively low water yields has historically been a challenge for water resources management in the northwestern region of Costa Rica. The overall mean annual water balance for the catchment system is precipitation of around 1800mm/year; MODIS satellite derived actual evapotranspiration of around 1100mm/ year and a resulting runoff of 700mm/year.