Water quality impacts on water bodies such as reservoirs are strongly influenced by the hydrodynamics of the system. Although multiple models might be applied, they are limited by the simplification of the variables. In this study, a two-dimensional public domain model, CE-QUAL-W2, was adapted to test whether it would generate an accurate hydrodynamic simulation of the URRÁ Reservoir in Córdoba, Colombia, to understand water quality. The variables to be modeled were temperature and dissolved oxygen due to their importance in ecological terms. Thus, trial and error techniques were used to calibrate and validate the model, varying different parameters such as the wind shelter coefficient (WSC). Although the model accurately predicted the hydrodynamic part by having daily flow information, significant modifications to the eddy diffusivity coefficient were required to simulate acceptable longitudinal currents. This research shows that the CE-QUAL-W2 model fits adequately to tropical lentic systems. However, it is recommended that, for future studies, the modeling be adjusted using hourly data, especially in areas where inflow and boundary conditions are unstable.

La calidad del aire en la región del Alto San Jorge está siendo afectada por la minería, cuyos impactos ambientales se asocian a afectaciones en la salud humana. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar la fragilidad ambiental de los ecosistemas para identificar y relacionar las afectaciones a la salud ambiental como consecuencia de la emisión de contaminantes atmosféricos. La metodología inició con la caracterización física y geoespacial del área y la atribución de pesos ponderados mediante el proceso analítico jerárquico. La suma ponderada de las capas de datos se realizó a través de Sistemas de Información Geográfica definiendo clases de fragilidad del ecosistema basados en Ross (1994). De esta manera, se determinó la amenaza y el riesgo por contaminación atmosférica para SO2, NO2, PM2,5 y PM10. Los resultados mostraron la existencia de riesgo de medio a alto y alto por SO2 en las zonas aledañas a los cascos urbanos. Para NO2, el riesgo fue homogéneo en un nivel intermedio para toda la zona. Para el material particulado (2,5 µm y 10 µm), de medio a alto y alto debido a la influencia de minería de ferroníquel y carbón. Este estudio denota la necesidad de aplicar oportunamente medidas de prevención, mitigación o control de este riesgo.

Determining the optimal dose of coagulant required to perform flocculation is critical in most water treatment plants’ planning and operation. This study implemented a 2^k–p fractional factorial design of experiments to identify the factors influencing the color decrease of wastewater from a slaughterhouse. The variables assessed were the velocity gradient, residence time, primary coagulant dosage, chlorine dosage, and coagulation adjuvant dosage. The results indicate that the primary coagulant dose and the velocity gradient significantly affect the samples’ color and that the other factors can be run at a low technical-economic level to start up the water treatment plant. The fractional factorial design allowed reducing the number of experimental points without affecting the minimum information required to identify which factors are significant in reducing the color of a wastewater sample.

Tropical mid-size cities on alluvial floodplains face compounded flood challenges combining pluvial accumulation from intense convective storms, regulated river overflow, and aging drainage networks. This study presents an integrated framework for Monteria, Colombia (~450,000 inhabitants; Sinu River, Caribbean lowlands), within Colombian Decree 1807/2014 and structured in four phases. (1) Hazard: A Rain-on-Grid 2D HEC-RAS 6.6 model covering 4090 ha, calibrated against four gauged events, identifies three dominant pluvial mechanisms (poor hydraulic connectivity, limited evacuation capacity, downstream channel overflow), plus 17 critical fluvial erosion points affecting ~289 properties at 100-year return period. (2) Vulnerability: Depth-damage functions from 1465 household surveys yield 36.36% of 3015 assets in high risk and 57.77% in medium risk. (3) Measures: Scenario M2 (channel widening plus dikes, land-raising, retention lagoons) removes 80 ha of flooding while displacing 28 ha at COP 845 million pre-design cost. Non-structural measures include a Sustainable Urban Drainage Master Plan, IoT-based Early Warning System, minimum construction-elevation map, and land-management instruments. A Monte Carlo residual-risk model reduces baseline risk to 19.9% under full implementation. (4) Emergency: A February 2026 cold-front event was addressed with a 4300 m perimeter dike and six pump stations deployed jointly by the Regional Environmental Authority (CVS) and Municipal Administration.

This study compares the spatial and temporal dynamics of environmental noise in two Colombian municipalities with contrasting urban typologies: Soledad (Atlántico, >600,000 inhabitants; traffic and airport dominated) and Montelíbano (Córdoba, ~86,647 inhabitants; ferronickel mining and heavy transport dominated). A two-tier methodology integrated field monitoring under Resolution 627 of 2006 at 80 points (Soledad) and 30 points (Montelíbano), with calibrated SoundPLAN 6.0 dispersion models implementing ISO 9613-2 propagation. The central finding is that urban typology produces fundamentally different acoustic fingerprints: Soledad exhibits a strong day–night gradient (working-day mean LAeq diurnal = 73.2 dB(A), nocturnal = 68.1 dB(A); mean ΔLAeq = −5.1 dB(A)), while Montelíbano displays a near-flat profile (diurnal = 67.1 dB(A), nocturnal = 67.0 dB(A); ΔLAeq = −0.1 dB(A)), reflecting continuous mining-industrial operations. Non-compliance rates reach 83.8% (Soledad day), 96.2% (Soledad night), 60.0% (Montelíbano day) and 100% (Montelíbano night). Model validation meets international ISO 9613-2 benchmarks for Montelíbano (75% of residuals within ±5 dB(A); mean residuals −2.72/−2.92 dB(A) diurnal/nocturnal); Soledad shows higher scatter (mean residuals +5.78/+1.43 dB(A)), consistent with the greater acoustic heterogeneity of a large metropolitan environment. These results demonstrate that typology-differentiated noise management policies are needed for effective implementation of Colombia’s Anti-Noise Law (Law 2450 of 2025).