The Ecuadorian Amazon is considered a biodiverse region, and at the same time contains the largest number of oil blocks and oilfields in the country. Oil exploitation requires the implementation of oil facilities and related infrastructure, such as roads, water, and energy supply, for operation. These large engineering works can alter the dynamics of the Amazonian natural ecosystems. This paper analyzes the land use and land cover (LULC) change and relates spatial patterns within an oil block located in the province of Orellana, Ecuador. The study was processed in two phases, the first corresponding to the collection and classification of LULC classes within the oil block. The second phase concerned the calculation of landscape metrics, with the purpose of quantitatively characterizing each class. This analysis was carried out for the pre-concession, post-concession scenarios of the oil block and the current scenario of the region. The results revealed that the low predominance of forest cover within the study region is not directly associated with the beginning of the Block 47 concession. On the other hand, a significant reduction of the Coca River was evidenced for the 2018 scenario.

Hydroelectric energy is known for being renewable, clean, efficient and harmless in comparison to other nonrenewable energy sources. Nonetheless, the installation of a hydroelectric power complex (HC) in places, such as the Amazon, have proven to cause land cover changes, and alter local population dynamics. Issues like migration and city expansion can cause economic, social and cultural impacts locally, while the benefits are seen in other regions. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the socioeconomic indicators of the municipalities directly affected by the Tucuruí HPC. The study took into consideration three scenarios: the post-inauguration of the HC in 1988 (phase I), the beginning of construction in 2000 (phase II), and the completion of the Tucuruí HC in 2010 (phase III). Two types of multivariate analysis were conducted: the principal component analysis and cluster analysis, in order to identify the variables related to quality of life, and to be able to group the municipalities which have a similar quality of life. During the three scenarios studied, Tucuruí remained the only municipality with the highest quality of life index in the entire region, revealing the inequality present in the study area, which is something to be considered during the development of public policies.

The Sacachún commune in Ecuador currently faces a lack of water for its agricultural development; this reduces its possibilities of socio-economic development and causes migration to urban areas. This research proposes a presa colinar (hill dam) design that uses ancestral knowledge and classic engineering techniques to promote water use during the dry season in semi-arid regions. The methodology consisted of: (i) a systematic compilation of the ancestral structures used for water planting and harvesting in Ibero-American; (ii) selecting an appropriate place to build the hill dam; (iii) the dam’s body design; (iv) and creating a proposal for agricultural water use. The results helped define a good location for the hill dam implementation. In addition, a 10 m high and 40 m wide earthen dam was designed, with a storage capacity of 114,341 m³, extending agriculture to 7.5 ha through a polyculture system of six different plants. The embankment has a cofferdam located downstream, which provides stability in static and pseudo-static conditions. In addition, the dam slopes have a 2:1 ratio, and a spillway channel and filter drain were dimensioned to protect the dam.