This ecohydrological observatory is located partly within the Cajas National Park in the Quinuas river basin (94.1 km2), approximately 30 km northwest of the city of Cuenca. The observatory covers the páramo ecosystem and extends between 3100 and 4300 m a.s.l. For hydrometeorological studies, the monitoring systems extends downstream up to a 300 km2 basin, at the outskirts of Cuenca (2500 m a.s.l).
In this observatory, the following equipment is available:
- An X-band meteorological radar located on the Paragüillas hilltop, at an elevation of 4450 m a.s.l.
- Four Campbell Sci. Weather stations in which measurements of temperature and relative humidity of air, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, wind speed, solar radiation and net radiation are available.
- Five discharge-stage stations composed of Campbell Sci. Ultrasonic sensors, pressure transducers, and radars.
- Soil moisture dynamics monitoring in soils through three transects on slopes on different vegetation cover (pajonal or tussock grass, montane forest, pine forest and pasture). Each transect has three monitoring profiles with DECAGON TDRs sensors placed at several depths.
- One Thies laser disdrometer for high-resolution precipitation measurements. Currently we have a vertically-pointing rain radar collocated next to the disdrometer.
- A water quality monitoring system based on isotopic and biogeochemical tracers. Samples from rainfall, rivers, springs, trout farms, lakes, and soils are taken. Samples are analysed for water physical and chemical parameters by a SCAN spectrometer. A Picarro water vapour isotope analyser is used to measure the isotopic signal. Two automatic (5 minutes resolution) water quality stations are installed in the field.
- During experimental periods a network for monitoring temperature and relative air humidity composed of eleven sensors along the altitudinal transect was installed.