Barranquilla, the capital of the Atlántico department in northwest Colombia, is featured in this image taken by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. (Click image for full view.) Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel information (2021 ), processed by ESA
Barranquilla, the capital of the Atlántico department in northwest Colombia, is included in this image taken by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.
Barranquilla, visible in grey at the top of the image, covers an area of around 155 sq km and is the fourth-most populous city in Colombia after Bogotá, Medellín and Cali. The city of Barranquilla serves as a significant trade centre for Colombia, housing the biggest port along the Caribbean Sea. Thanks to this well-known port, Barranquilla earned itself the label Colombias Golden Gate (or La Puerta de Oro de Colombia in Spanish).
The city lies strategically beside the delta of the Magdalena River, among the primary rivers in Colombia, flowing northwards for around 1500 km through the west half of the country before clearing into the Caribbean Sea.
Barranquilla, the capital of the Atlántico department in northwest Colombia, is featured in this image taken by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. Barranquilla, visible in grey at the top of the image, covers a location of around 155 sq km and is the fourth-most populous city in Colombia after Bogotá, Medellín and Cali. Other significant functions in the image include the El Guajaro Reservoir, around 50 km southwest of Barranquilla.
The image is likewise featured on the Earth From Space video program embedded above.
Owing to big quantities of sediment, as seen by the comprehensive sediment plume at its mouth and the brownish colour of its waters, the Magdalena needs frequent dredging of its main channel to enable access to Barranquillas port for oceangoing vessels. This image, captured in March 2021, was taken prior to the start of the rainy season, which begins in April.
The urban location of Barranquilla, with airport runways visible south of the city, contrasts with the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta swampy marshes to the east visible in dark green. Picked as a Ramsar Site of International Importance, the site is essential for its mangrove environment, which is the largest on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It likewise functions as habitat and winter season breeding place for numerous bird species.
Other significant features in the image include the El Guajaro Reservoir, around 50 km southwest of Barranquilla. The tank was produced by the union of 7 smaller swamps in the location to provide water for farming watering. In addition to sewage discharges, the tank receives farming overflow, especially during the rainy season, which results in states of eutrophication in the water that are accompanied by blooms of hazardous microorganisms, otherwise referred to as cyanobacteria.
These kinds of algae, which are typically present in freshwater and saline ecosystems, are more than likely why the lake appears in emerald green in todays image. Satellite information from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission can track the development and spread of damaging algae blossoms in order to reduce and signal versus harmful impacts for tourism and fishing markets.