UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN

DEPARTMENT :

modeling of sediment yield for asa reservoir

Name:
Matriculation No:

JUNE 2018
1. Introduction

A basin sediment yield refers to the amount of sediment exported by a basin over a period of
time, which is also the amount that will enter a reservoir located at the downstream limit of the
basin (Morris & Fan, 1998). The subject of sediment yield modeling has attracted the attention of
many scientists but lack of resources and compelling methods to predict sediment yields are some
of the bottlenecks towards this direction (Silva et al., 2007; Ndomba & Neveen, 2004; Ndomba et
al., 2005, 2007a, b). Collecting sediment flow data over a decade and periodic reservoir survey
information are some resources demanding methods for estimating sediment yield rates at a
catchment level (Silva et al., 2007). Besides, other workers such as Wasson (2002) have noted the
transferability problem of plot or micro scale studies results to larger catchments. Others have
also cautioned that long term sediment monitoring of suspended sediment loads does not
necessarily give better results (Summer et al., 1992). Some workers have suggested that an
excellent sediment-rating curve could be constructed from detailed sediment flow data of short
period of sampling programme (Summer et al., 1992; Ndomba, 2007). However, Ferguson (1986)
indicated that most of the sediment-rating curves underestimate the actual loads. Besides, other
researchers such as Bogen & Bønsnes (2003) have cautioned that such relationships should be
used on catchment where no significant landforms, land use and sediment supply source changes
are expected.

In this study, the authors believe that the lumping nature, stationarity and linearity problems of
the rating curve could be avoided by replacing it by distributed and process based sediment yield
models. This category of models has particular advantages for the study of basin change impacts
and applications to basins with limited records (Bathurst, 2002). Their parameters have a physical
meaning and can be measured in the field and therefore model validation can be concluded on the
basis of a short field survey and a short time series of meteorological and hydrological data
(Bathurst, 2002).

The sediment yield model that is used in this study is the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT).
The SWAT model was originally developed to predict the impact of land management practices on
water, sediment, and agricultural chemical yields in large ungauged basins (Arnold et al., 1995).
SWAT model has a long time modeling experience since it incorporates features of several (ARS)
models (Neitsch et al., 2005). Erosion and sediment yield are estimated for each Hydrologic
Response Unit (HRU) with the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) (Williams, 1975). The
runoff component of the SWAT model supplies estimates of runoff volume and peak runoff rate,
which, with the sub basin area, are used to calculate the runoff erosive energy variable. The crop
management factor is recalculated every day that runoff occurs. It is a function of above ground
biomass, residue on the soil surface, and the minimum C factor for the plant. Other factors of the
erosion equation are evaluated as described by Neitsch et al. (2005). The current version of SWAT
model uses simplified stream power equation of Bagnold’s (1977) to route sediment in the
channel. The maximum amount of sediment that can be transported from a reach segment is a
function of the peak channel velocity. Sediment transport in the channel network is a function of
two processes, degradation and aggradations (i.e. deposition), operating simultaneously in the
reach (Neitsch et al., 2005).
SWAT model includes an automated calibration procedure that was implemented by Van
Griensven of Belgium (Van Griensven & Srinivasan, 2005). The calibration procedure is based on
the Shuffled Complex Evolution-University of Arizona algorithm (SCE-UA) as proposed by Duan et
al., (1992). Autocalibration option in SWAT provides a powerful, labour saving tool that can be
used to substantially reduce the frustration and uncertainty that often characterizes manual
calibration (Van Liew et al, 2005, Santos et al., 2003).

In addition to the capability of the model as discussed above, several workers as reported in
Ndomba & Birhanu (2008) have satisfactorily applied SWAT model for sediment yield modeling in
poorly gauged catchments in Tanzania and the region at large. In order to apply the model
operationally, Ndomba et al. (2005) recommended SWAT model validation and/or customization
in the tropical region. The previous applications pre-assumed sheet or inter-rill erosion as
dominant erosion type. This paper reports on the application of SWAT model in a well-studied
catchment, i.e. with intensive data on sediment flow in fluvial system and sediment accumulation
information at the downstream reservoir, the Nyumba Ya Mungu (NYM). In this study, SWAT
model application was guided by results of analysis of high temporal resolution of sediment flow
data and hydro-meteorological data. Furthermore, the suitability of short-term sediment flow data
for calibrating parameter intensive sediment yield models was investigated.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Description of Study Area

The upstream watershed of Asa river is located in North Central Nigeria between longitude 4035’E
and latitude 8030’N and has an estimated area of 6,203km2. Major rivers and tributaries within the
watershed are River Oyun, Imaru River and River Awon. The range of elevation of the watershed is
between 304m and 430m above sea level. The selection of the area to test the applicability of
SWAT model is based on the availability of model input data at Global weather data
(www.globalweather.tamu.edu).

2.2 Model Selection Model Selection Model Selection

The physically based model used in this study is the Soil and Water Assessment Tool
(SWAT) and the justification is the data availability and good documentation. Its efficacy in
prediction of different hydrological processes has been reported in many studies (Omani et
al., 2007; Ndomba and Griensven; Birhanu, 2009 and Ayana et al.,2012). The presence of several
user group such as SWAT Africa, SWAT world and Water base Google group where users from
different part of the world share their research problems and modeling experience with SWAT
is an appealing incentive tool among researchers in this area of study.

2.2.1 Description of SWAT Model

SWAT was originally developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to predict
the impact of land management practices on water, sediment and agricultural chemical yields in
large ungauged basins (Arnold et al., 2011). The SWAT model is a catchment-scale continuous
time model that operates on a daily time step with up to monthly/annual output frequency.
The major components of the model include weather, hydrology, erosion, soil temperature, plant
growth, nutrients, pesticides, land management, channel and reservoir routing. It divides a
catchment into sub-catchments. Each sub-catchment is connected through a stream channel and
further divided into a Hydrologic Response Unit (HRU). The HRU is a unique combination of a soil
and vegetation types within the sub-catchment. The model calculations are performed on a HRU
basis and flow and water quality variables are routed from HRU to sub-basin and subsequently to
the watershed outlet. The estimation of surface runoff can be performed by the model using two
methods. These are the SCS curve number procedure of USDA Soil Conservation Service and the
Green and Ampt infiltration method (Arnold et al., 2011).

2.3 Model Inputs

One of the major issues encountered in the application of hydrologic models in developing
countries is the lack of required data for model input. In order to overcome these challenges,
hybrid data was used in the creation of database in this study. This involves using global data
obtained from organizations or global database.

2.3.1 Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

The 90m resolution topography data (see Figure 1) used for this study was extracted from the
Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) final version developed by CGIAR (2012). The CGIAR-CSI
GeoPortal is able to provide SRTM 90m Digital Elevation Data for major part of the entire world.
The SRTM digital elevation data provided has been processed to fill data voids and to facilitate its
ease of use by a wide group of potential users. This data is provided in an effort to promote the
use of geospatial science and applications for sustainable development and resource conservation
in the developing world CGIAR (2012). The DEM provides the basis for watershed delineation into
sub-basins. Also, topographic parameters such as terrain slope, channel slope and reach length are
derived from the DEM.

2.3.2 Land Use and Land Cover (LULC)

Land use map needed to run SWAT was extracted from the Global Land Cover Characterization
(GLCC) database and used to estimate vegetation and other parameters representing the
watershed area. The GLCC database was developed by United State Geological Survey and has a
spatial resolution of 1Km and 24 classes of land use representation GLCC (2012). The reprojected
land use map of the watershed is shown in Figure 2 below:
 Fig.1: Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the watershed area

Fig.2: Land use map of the watershed

2.3.3 Soil Data

Digital soil data for the study was extracted from harmonized digital soil map of the world
produced by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Nachtergaele et al., 2013).
The digitized soil map was completed in January 2003 and the database provides data for 16,000
different soil mapping units containing two layers (0-30 cm and 30-100 cm depth). Seven soil units
are then extracted from the database and 16 soil samples were collected from two different layers
(0-30 cm and 30-100 cm depth). The samples were analyzed and used to update the model
parameters. Parameters in the weather generator file and how they are estimated can be found in
(Schuol and Abbaspour, 2007). The reprojected soil map of the watershed is shown in Figure 3
below:

Fig.3: Soil map of the watershed

2.4 Methods

The SWAT 2009 model integrated with geographic information system (GIS) techniques was used
to simulate sediment yield in this study. SWAT is a physically-based and computationally efficient
hydrological model, which uses readily available inputs. It was developed to predict the impact of
land management practices on water, sediment and agricultural chemical yields in large complex
watersheds with varying soils, land use and management conditions over long periods of time
(Neitsch et al. 2005).

Digital Evaluation Model (DEM) data, polygon coverage of soils and land use, and point coverage
of weather stations were used as basic input to the model. Other inputs include daily rainfall,
minimum and maximum temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and wind speed.
Watershed was delineated using a 90m X 90m resolution digitised stream networks for the study
area. After watershed delineation, it was partitioned into hydrologic response units (HRU), which
have unique soil and land use combinations within the watershed to be modeled. Accordingly,
multiple HRU with a 10% land use threshold and 5% soil threshold were adopted.
For modeling sediment yield, the soil conservation service curve number method (SCS 1972) and
the modified universal soil loss equation were used respectively. In order to identify the most
important or sensitive model parameters before calibration, model sensitivity analysis was carried
out using a built-in SWAT sensitivity analysis tool that uses the Latin Hypercube one-factor-At-a-
Time (LH-OAT) procedure (Van Griensvei, 2005).

Daily precipitation, maximum and minimum temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity and
wind speed data collected from three weather stations were used as an input for the model. The
missing metrological data from these weather stations were filled by a weather generator model
embedded in SWAT. The weather generator input file contains the statistical data needed to
generate representative daily climate data for the sub basins (Arnold et Al., 2011). The modeling
software, MapWindowSWAT (MWSWAT) supports the use of one weather generator file, which is
then used for all sub basins, or a weather generator table, which contains the parameters for a
number of weather stations each represented by one line in the table. Details of the parameters
in the weather generator file and how they are estimated can be found in (Schuol and Abbaspour,
2007). Daily discharge data were collected and the gap of daily suspended sediment was
estimated using sediment rating curve with correlation coefficient of 0.9.

2.5 Model Configuration and Setup

The configuration and setting up of MWSWAT modeling starts with the projection of all required
spatial datasets to the same projection called UTM Zone 31N Northern Hemisphere, which is the
Universal Transverse Mercator projection parameters for the selected watershed area in Nigeria
using GIS interface of the modeling tool. Other steps involved in the configuration and setting up
of model are explained as follows:

2.5.1 Watershed Delineation

To start the delineation process, the Automatic Watershed Delineation (AWD) dialogue box was
launched from the model interface and the base DEM selected by browsing to the file location.
The elevation unit was set to meters and this should be applicable to the base DEM. Focusing
mask which encapsulates the watershed were drawn and saved as a shape file. The threshold size
of the subbasins was set for the model and this can be set by area, in various units (sq km,
hectare) or by number of cells. For this study, a threshold value of 149.7Km2 was used.

In other to complete the settings for watershed delineation, an outlet point, which should be in
the form of a shape file need to be created and selected. For the selected watershed, a total
number of 17 sub-basins were delineated after running the AWD and this is subsequently divided
into 27 HRUs each with unique combination of land-use, slope and soil. Figure 4 shows the result
of the delineation of the watershed into sub basins.
 Figure 4: Showing the GIS interface of the delineation of study area into sub-basin

2.4.2 SWAT Setup and Run

This step involves the settings of the simulation period (start and finish date) and the selection of
the weather sources from the SWAT data base. The option to choose the methods for the
estimation of surface runoff (Curve Number or Green and Ampt method), channel water routing
(variable or Muskingum method), potential evapo-transpiration (Priestley, Penman-Monteith,
Hargreaves) are available. SWAT was executed using the Runoff Curve Number method for
estimating surface runoff from precipitation, the Hargreaves method for estimating potential
evapo-transpiration generation, and the Variable-storage method to simulate channel water
routing. The simulation period is from 01 January 1980 to Dec 31 2009. All the necessary files
needed to run SWAT were written and the appropriate selection of weather sources done before
running the SWAT executables.
Fig. 5: The spatial distribution SWAT simulated annual sediment yield classes by sub-basin (t ha-1
yr-1). Numbers 1-17 indicate a sub-basin number.

3. Results and Discussion

The table shown below shows the summary of the volume of sediments yield in the 17 sub-basins
2, 8, 11 and 15 generates more sediment yield which fall between 1042.702-1332.689 t ha-1 yr-1.
Subbasin 5 which covers an area of 0.79549km2 produces sediment yield of 329.112t ha-1yr-1 and
Subbasin 8 covers an area of 345.46km2 and produces sediment yield of 1332.689 t ha-1yr-1. Below
is the attribute editor table of the model which shows area covered and sediment yield produced
by the subbasins.
Table 1: Attribute Editor Table of the Subbasins

4. Conclusion and Recommendation

Results indicate that SWAT can be used to simulate the sedimentation of Asa river catchment area
to produce reasonable estimates of the annual sediment yields. The model based on literatures
had shown good performance of SWAT to simulate Asa river watershed. Inputs and outputs of the
model indicate that the western parts of the study area receive greater amounts of rainfall,
generate larger runoff volume to streams, are more susceptible to soil erosion and yield greater
water and sediment to Asa dam reservoir management and conservation particles are
recommended to be applied for these parts of the catchment area, several particles can be
suggested comprising land contouring, terracing in the hilly regions and planting certain kinds of
fruits. The study revealed that the model, with its corresponding optimum sets of parameters is
able to predict sediment yield values which might be beneficial for future planning and
management. The built SWAT model can be utilized to simulate different scenarios to examine the
effect of different types of management practices and land-cover/user in mitigating the problems
of soil erosion and sedimentation in cooperation with the concerned agencies.
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