In this article some reflections are presented about hydrologic design related to extreme events, with some considerations regarding stationarity, and implications of the nonstationarity on hydrologic design. Some analyses are shown to illustrate hydrologic variations in the Bogotá river basin, using statistical tests for trends and step jumps in the mean, changes in soil uses and urbanization processes, sedimentation of streams in some reaches, and inclusion of macroclimatic phenomena in frequency analysis of maximum flows. Finally, some remarks are presented regarding the different natural and anthropogenic influences that affect hydrologic systems. Likewise, it presents the need of historical data analysis with contextual supporting information, and the importance of incrementing hydrologic measurements, analysis and modeling in the Bogotá river basin.