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23 pages, 4850 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Process-Based, Fully Distributed Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport Model for WRF-Hydro

by Dongxiao Yin, Z. George Xue, David J. Gochis, Wei Yu, Mirce Morales and Arezoo Rafieeinasab

Water 2020, 12(6), 1840; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12061840 - 26 Jun 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5386

A soil erosion and sediment transport model (WRF-Hydro-Sed) is introduced to WRF-Hydro. As a process-based, fully distributed soil erosion model, WRF-Hydro-Sed accounts for both overland and channel processes. Model performance is evaluated using observed rain gauge, streamflow, and sediment concentration data during rainfall [...] Read more.

A soil erosion and sediment transport model (WRF-Hydro-Sed) is introduced to WRF-Hydro. As a process-based, fully distributed soil erosion model, WRF-Hydro-Sed accounts for both overland and channel processes. Model performance is evaluated using observed rain gauge, streamflow, and sediment concentration data during rainfall events in the Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed in Mississippi, USA. Both streamflow and sediment yield can be calibrated and validated successfully at a watershed scale during rainfall events. Further discussion reveals the model’s uncertainty and the applicability of calibrated hydro- and sediment parameters to different events. While an intensive calibration over multiple events can improve the model’s performance to a certain degree compared with single event-based calibration, it might not be an optimal strategy to carry out considering the tremendous computational resources needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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25 pages, 6997 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Micro-Watershed Management for Erosion Control Using Soil and Water Conservation Structures and SWAT Modeling

by Ghulam Nabi, Fiaz Hussain, Ray-Shyan Wu, Vinay Nangia and Riffat Bibi

Water 2020, 12(5), 1439; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12051439 - 19 May 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7282

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of soil and water conservation structures for soil erosion control by applying a semi-distributed Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model in various small watersheds of the Chakwal and Attock districts of Pothwar, Pakistan. The validated model without [...] Read more.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of soil and water conservation structures for soil erosion control by applying a semi-distributed Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model in various small watersheds of the Chakwal and Attock districts of Pothwar, Pakistan. The validated model without soil conservation structures was applied to various ungauged small watershed sites with soil conservation stone structures. The stone bund-type structure intervention was used in the model through the modification of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) to support the practice factor (P-factor), the curve number, and the average slope length for the sub-basin (SLSUBBSN). The structures had significant effects, and the average sediment yield reduction caused by the soil conservation stone structures at these sites varied from 40% to 90%. The sediment yield and erosion reductions were also compared under conditions involving vegetation cover change. Agricultural land with winter wheat crops had a higher sediment yield than fallow land with crop residue. The fallow land facilitated sediment yield reduction, along with soil conservation structures. The slope classification analysis indicated that 60% of the agricultural area of the Chakwal and Attock districts lie in a slope range of 0–4%, where considerable potential exists for implementing soil conservation measures by installing soil conservation stone structures. The slope analysis measured the suitability of conservation structures in the semi-mountainous Pothwar area in accordance with agriculture practice on land having a slope of less than 5%. The SWAT model provides reliable performance for erosion control and watershed management in soil erosion-prone areas with steep slopes and heavy rainfall. These findings can serve as references for policymakers and planners. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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15 pages, 7381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Validation of the EROSION-3D Model through Measured Bathymetric Sediments

by Zuzana Németová, David Honek, Silvia Kohnová, Kamila Hlavčová, Monika Šulc Michalková, Valentín Sočuvka and Yvetta Velísková

Water 2020, 12(4), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12041082 - 10 Apr 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4424

Abstract

The testing of a model performance is important and is also a challenging part of scientific work. In this paper, the results of the physically-based EROSION-3D (Jürgen Schmidt, Berlin, Germany) model were compared with trapped sediments in a small reservoir. The model was [...] Read more.

The testing of a model performance is important and is also a challenging part of scientific work. In this paper, the results of the physically-based EROSION-3D (Jürgen Schmidt, Berlin, Germany) model were compared with trapped sediments in a small reservoir. The model was applied to simulate runoff-erosion processes in the Svacenický Creek catchment in the western part of the Slovak Republic. The model is sufficient to identify the areas vulnerable to erosion and deposition within the catchment. The volume of sediments was measured by a bathymetric field survey during three terrain journeys (in 2015, 2016, and 2017). The results of the model point to an underestimation of the actual processes by 30% to 80%. The initial soil moisture played an important role, and the results also revealed that rainfall events are able to erode and contribute to a significant part of sediments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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15 pages, 2315 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Precipitation Variability and Gully Erosion in Southeastern USA

by Ingrid Luffman and Arpita Nandi

Water 2020, 12(4), 925; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12040925 - 25 Mar 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2961

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between gully erosion in channels, sidewalls, and interfluves, and precipitation parameters (duration, total accumulation, average intensity, and maximum intensity) annually and seasonally to determine seasonal drivers for precipitation-related erosion. Ordinary Least Square regression models of erosion using precipitation [...] Read more.

This study examines the relationship between gully erosion in channels, sidewalls, and interfluves, and precipitation parameters (duration, total accumulation, average intensity, and maximum intensity) annually and seasonally to determine seasonal drivers for precipitation-related erosion. Ordinary Least Square regression models of erosion using precipitation and antecedent precipitation at weekly lags of up to twelve weeks were developed for three erosion variables for each of three geomorphic areas: channels, interfluves, and sidewalls (nine models in total). Erosion was most pronounced in winter months, followed by spring, indicating the influence of high-intensity precipitation from frontal systems and repeated freeze-thaw cycles in winter; erosion in summer was driven by high-intensity precipitation from convectional storms. Annually, duration was the most important driver for erosion, however, during winter and summer months, precipitation intensity was dominant. Seasonal models retained average and maximum precipitation as drivers for erosion in winter months (dominated by frontal systems), and retained maximum precipitation intensity as a driver for erosion in summer months (dominated by convectional storms). In channels, precipitation duration was the dominant driver for erosion due to runoff-related erosion, while in sidewalls and interfluves intensity parameters were equally important as duration, likely related to rain splash erosion. These results show that the character of precipitation, which varies seasonally, is an important driver for gully erosion and that studies of precipitation-driven erosion should consider partitioning data by season to identify these drivers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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22 pages, 24492 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Mass-Conservative, Two-Dimensional, Semi-Implicit Numerical Scheme for the Solution of the Navier-Stokes Equations in Gravel Bed Rivers with Erodible Fine Sediments

by Maurizio Tavelli, Sebastiano Piccolroaz, Giulia Stradiotti, Giuseppe Roberto Pisaturo and Maurizio Righetti

Water 2020, 12(3), 690; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12030690 - 3 Mar 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3948

Abstract

The selective trapping and erosion of fine particles that occur in a gravel bed river have important consequences for its stream ecology, water quality, and overall sediment budgeting. This is particularly relevant in water bodies that experience periodic alternation between sediment supply-limited conditions [...] Read more.

The selective trapping and erosion of fine particles that occur in a gravel bed river have important consequences for its stream ecology, water quality, and overall sediment budgeting. This is particularly relevant in water bodies that experience periodic alternation between sediment supply-limited conditions and high sediment loads, such as downstream from a dam. While experimental efforts have been spent to investigate fine sediment erosion and transport in gravel bed rivers, a comprehensive overview of the leading processes is hampered by the difficulties in performing flow field measurements below the gravel crest level. In this work, a new two-dimensional, semi-implicit numerical scheme for the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations in the presence of deposited and erodible sediment is presented, and tested against analytical solutions and performing numerical tests. The scheme is mass-conservative, computationally efficient, and allows for a fine discretization of the computational domain. Overall, this makes the model suitable to appreciate small-scales phenomena such as inter-grain circulation cells, thus offering a valid alternative to evaluate the shear stress distribution, on which erosion and transport processes depend, compared to traditional experimental approaches. In this work, we present proof-of-concept of the proposed model, while future research will focus on its extension to a three-dimensional and parallelized version, and on its application to real case studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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22 pages, 2008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Fuzzy Transformation of the Classic Stream Sediment Transport Formula of Yang

by Konstantinos Kaffas, Matthaios Saridakis, Mike Spiliotis, Vlassios Hrissanthou and Maurizio Righetti

Water 2020, 12(1), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12010257 - 16 Jan 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2980

Abstract

The objective of this study is to transform the arithmetic coefficients of the total sediment transport rate formula of Yang into fuzzy numbers, and thus create a fuzzy relationship that will provide a fuzzy band of in-stream sediment concentration. A very large set [...] Read more.

The objective of this study is to transform the arithmetic coefficients of the total sediment transport rate formula of Yang into fuzzy numbers, and thus create a fuzzy relationship that will provide a fuzzy band of in-stream sediment concentration. A very large set of experimental data, in flumes, was used for the fuzzy regression analysis. In a first stage, the arithmetic coefficients of the original equation were recalculated, by means of multiple regression, in an effort to verify the quality of data, by testing the closeness between the original and the calculated coefficients. Subsequently, the fuzzy relationship was built up, utilizing the fuzzy linear regression model of Tanaka. According to Tanaka’s fuzzy regression model, all the data must be included within the produced fuzzy band and the non-linear regression can be concluded to a linear regression problem when auxiliary variables are used. The results were deemed satisfactory for both the classic and fuzzy regression-derived equations. In addition, the linear dependence between the logarithmized total sediment concentration and the logarithmized subtraction of the critical unit stream power from the exerted unit stream power is presented. Ultimately, a fuzzy counterpart of Yang’s stream sediment transport formula is constructed and made available to the readership. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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10 pages, 1872 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Residue Cover on Infiltration Process of the Black Soil Under Rainfall Simulations

by Yan Xin, Yun Xie and Yuxin Liu

Water 2019, 11(12), 2593; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11122593 - 9 Dec 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2317

Abstract

Residue cover is widely used for soil conservation after crop harvesting in the black soil region of the Northeastern China, which influences infiltration. It is necessary to optimize infiltration models for accurate predictions under bare and residue cover slope conditions. Rainfall simulation experiments [...] Read more.

Residue cover is widely used for soil conservation after crop harvesting in the black soil region of the Northeastern China, which influences infiltration. It is necessary to optimize infiltration models for accurate predictions under bare and residue cover slope conditions. Rainfall simulation experiments were conducted to quantify the infiltration for the black soil under four rainfall intensities (30, 60, 90, and 120 mm/h), five residue coverage controls (15%, 35%, 55%, 75%, and bare slope), and two soil moisture (8% and approximately 30%) conditions. The observed data were used to fit and compare four infiltration models by Kostiakov, Mein and Larson (short for GAML, a modification of GreenAmpt model made by Mein and Larson), Horton, and Philip under the bare slope conditions. The residue cover infiltration factor (RCF_i) was derived to predict the infiltration under the residue cover slopes, which was defined as the ratio of infiltration from residue-covered soil to that from bare soil. The results showed that the newly derived equation coupling the Philip model with the RCF_i was the most accurate way of predicting the cumulative infiltration of black soil under various residue covers, and could be applied to the black soil region for residue cover infiltration predictions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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21 pages, 5030 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Assessing the Impact of Man–Made Ponds on Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Limnological Basins

by Mario J. Al Sayah, Rachid Nedjai, Konstantinos Kaffas, Chadi Abdallah and Michel Khouri

Water 2019, 11(12), 2526; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11122526 - 29 Nov 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4493

Abstract

The impact of ponds on basins has recently started to receive its well-deserved scientific attention. In this study, pond-induced impacts on soil erosion and sediment transport were investigated at the scale of the French Claise basin. In order to determine erosion and sediment [...] Read more.

The impact of ponds on basins has recently started to receive its well-deserved scientific attention. In this study, pond-induced impacts on soil erosion and sediment transport were investigated at the scale of the French Claise basin. In order to determine erosion and sediment transport patterns of the Claise, the Coordination of Information on the Environment (CORINE) erosion and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) models were used. The impact of ponds on the studied processes was revealed by means of land cover change scenarios, using ponded versus pondless inputs. Results show that under current conditions (pond presence), 12.48% of the basin corresponds to no-erosion risk zones (attributed to the dense pond network), while 65.66% corresponds to low-erosion risk, 21.68% to moderate-erosion risk, and only 0.18% to high-erosion risk zones. The SWAT model revealed that ponded sub-basins correspond to low sediment yields areas, in contrast to the pondless sub-basins, which yield appreciably higher erosion rates. Under the alternative pondless scenario, erosion risks shifted to 1.12%, 0.52%, 76.8%, and 21.56% for no, low, moderate, and high-erosion risks, respectively, while the sediment transport pattern completely shifted to higher sediment yield zones. This approach solidifies ponds as powerful human-induced modifications to hydro/sedimentary processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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13 pages, 23080 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution Pattern of Tailings Flow from Dam Failure and the Buffering Effect of Debris Blocking Dams

by Guangjin Wang, Sen Tian, Bin Hu, Zhifa Xu, Jie Chen and Xiangyun Kong

Water 2019, 11(11), 2388; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11112388 - 14 Nov 2019

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3512

Abstract

Tailings ponds are the indispensable facilities in the mine production and operation. Once the dam is destabilized and damaged, it will pose a serious threat on the life and property of the downstream population and could also potentially cause an environmental disaster. With [...] Read more.

Tailings ponds are the indispensable facilities in the mine production and operation. Once the dam is destabilized and damaged, it will pose a serious threat on the life and property of the downstream population and could also potentially cause an environmental disaster. With an engineering background, this paper dynamically and numerically simulates the evolution process of tailings flow from dam failure and the influence scope of any resulting disaster in context. The evolution characteristics of leaked tailings flow are analyzed at various downstream riverbed slopes and debris blocking dam settings. In addition, parameters such as flow rate, impact force and deposition range of leaked tailings flow at downstream arrival are studied, as well as their correlations. The results indicate that the flat terrains upstream and downstream of passage zone show a relatively larger area of inundation by tailings flow. Both the maximum and final downstream inundated ranges increase with the elevating slope of downstream riverbed, and the leaked tailings are deposited mainly in the nearby villages in front of the dam and the flat terrains of the downstream passage zone. Additionally, rational establishment of debris blocking dams on the downstream side is effective in diminishing the damage of tailings flow to the downstream section. This study can also provide an important basis for the quantitative evaluation of post-disaster influence scope for tailings pond as well as for the design of dam body. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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23 pages, 4138 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Sediment Transport Functions with the Modified SWAT-Twn Model for a Taiwanese Small Mountainous Watershed

by Chih-Mei Lu and Li-Chi Chiang

Water 2019, 11(9), 1749; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11091749 - 22 Aug 2019

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5499

Abstract

In Taiwan, the steep landscape and highly vulnerable geology make it difficult to predict soil erosion and sediment transportation via variable transport conditions. In this study, we integrated the Taiwan universal soil loss equation (TUSLE) and slope stability conditions in the soil and [...] Read more.

In Taiwan, the steep landscape and highly vulnerable geology make it difficult to predict soil erosion and sediment transportation via variable transport conditions. In this study, we integrated the Taiwan universal soil loss equation (TUSLE) and slope stability conditions in the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) as the SWAT-Twn model to improve sediment simulation and assess the sediment transport functions in the Chenyulan watershed, a small mountainous catchment. The results showed that the simulation of streamflow was satisfactory for calibration and validation. Before model calibration and validation for sediment, SWAT-Twn with default sediment transport method performed better in sediment simulation than the official SWAT model (version 664). The SWAT-Twn model coupled with the simplified Bagnold equation could estimate sediment export more accurately and significantly reduce the overestimated sediment yield by 65.7%, especially in highly steep areas. Furthermore, five different sediment transport methods (simplified Bagnold equation with/without routing by particle size, Kodoatie equation, Molinas and Wu equation, and Yang sand and gravel equation) were evaluated. It is suggested that modelers who conduct sediment studies in the mountainous watersheds with extreme rainfall conditions should adjust the modified universal soil loss equation (MUSLE) factors and carefully evaluate the sediment transportation equations in SWAT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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20 pages, 2278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Sediment Load Boundary Conditions in Predicting Sediment Delta of Tarbela Reservoir in Pakistan

by Zeeshan Riaz Tarar, Sajid Rashid Ahmad, Iftikhar Ahmad, Shabeh ul Hasson, Zahid Mahmood Khan, Rana Muhammad Ali Washakh, Sardar Ateeq-Ur-Rehman and Minh Duc Bui

Water 2019, 11(8), 1716; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11081716 - 18 Aug 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5372

Abstract

Setting precise sediment load boundary conditions plays a central role in robust modeling of sedimentation in reservoirs. In the presented study, we modeled sediment transport in Tarbela Reservoir using sediment rating curves (SRC) and wavelet artificial neural networks (WA-ANNs) for setting sediment load [...] Read more.

Setting precise sediment load boundary conditions plays a central role in robust modeling of sedimentation in reservoirs. In the presented study, we modeled sediment transport in Tarbela Reservoir using sediment rating curves (SRC) and wavelet artificial neural networks (WA-ANNs) for setting sediment load boundary conditions in the HEC-RAS 1D numerical model. The reconstruction performance of SRC for finding the missing sediment sampling data was at R² = 0.655 and NSE = 0.635. The same performance using WA-ANNs was at R² = 0.771 and NSE = 0.771. As the WA-ANNs have better ability to model non-linear sediment transport behavior in the Upper Indus River, the reconstructed missing suspended sediment load data were more accurate. Therefore, using more accurately-reconstructed sediment load boundary conditions in HEC-RAS, the model was better morphodynamically calibrated with R² = 0.980 and NSE = 0.979. Using SRC-based sediment load boundary conditions, the HEC-RAS model was calibrated with R² = 0.959 and NSE = 0.943. Both models validated the delta movement in the Tarbela Reservoir with R² = 0.968, NSE = 0.959 and R² = 0.950, NSE = 0.893 using WA-ANN and SRC estimates, respectively. Unlike SRC, WA-ANN-based boundary conditions provided stable simulations in HEC-RAS. In addition, WA-ANN-predicted sediment load also suggested a decrease in supply of sediment significantly to the Tarbela Reservoir in the future due to intra-annual shifting of flows from summer to pre- and post-winter. Therefore, our future predictions also suggested the stability of the sediment delta. As the WA-ANN-based sediment load boundary conditions precisely represented the physics of sediment transport, the modeling concept could very likely be used to study bed level changes in reservoirs/rivers elsewhere in the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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23 pages, 4718 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modelling Runoff and Sediment Loads in a Developing Coastal Watershed of the US-Mexico Border

by Napoleon Gudino-Elizondo, Trent W. Biggs, Ronald L. Bingner, Eddy J. Langendoen, Thomas Kretzschmar, Encarnación V. Taguas, Kristine T. Taniguchi-Quan, Douglas Liden and Yongping Yuan

Water 2019, 11(5), 1024; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11051024 - 16 May 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4781

Abstract

Urbanization can increase sheet, rill, gully, and channel erosion. We quantified the sediment budget of the Los Laureles Canyon watershed (LLCW), which is a mixed rural-urbanizing catchment in Northwestern Mexico, using the AnnAGNPS model and field measurements of channel geometry. The model was [...] Read more.

Urbanization can increase sheet, rill, gully, and channel erosion. We quantified the sediment budget of the Los Laureles Canyon watershed (LLCW), which is a mixed rural-urbanizing catchment in Northwestern Mexico, using the AnnAGNPS model and field measurements of channel geometry. The model was calibrated with five years of observed runoff and sediment loads and used to evaluate sediment reduction under a mitigation scenario involving paving roads in hotspots of erosion. Calibrated runoff and sediment load had a mean-percent-bias of 28.4 and − 8.1, and root-mean-square errors of 85% and 41% of the mean, respectively. Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) collected at different locations during one storm-event correlated with modeled SSC at those locations, which suggests that the model represented spatial variation in sediment production. Simulated gully erosion represents 16%–37% of hillslope sediment production, and 50% of the hillslope sediment load is produced by only 23% of the watershed area. The model identifies priority locations for sediment control measures, and can be used to identify tradeoffs between sediment control and runoff production. Paving roads in priority areas would reduce total sediment yield by 30%, but may increase peak discharge moderately (1.6%–21%) at the outlet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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23 pages, 2909 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influences of Catchment and River Channel Characteristics on the Magnitude and Dynamics of Storage and Re-Suspension of Fine Sediments in River Beds

by Jungsu Park, Ramon J. Batalla, Francois Birgand, Michel Esteves, Francesco Gentile, Joseph R. Harrington, Oldrich Navratil, Jose Andres López-Tarazón and Damià Vericat

Water 2019, 11(5), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11050878 - 26 Apr 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4771

Abstract

Fine particles or sediments are one of the important variables that should be considered for the proper management of water quality and aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the effect of catchment characteristics on the performance of an already developed model for the [...] Read more.

Fine particles or sediments are one of the important variables that should be considered for the proper management of water quality and aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the effect of catchment characteristics on the performance of an already developed model for the estimation of fine sediments dynamics between the water column and sediment bed was tested, using 13 catchments distributed worldwide. The model was calibrated to determine two optimal model parameters. The first is the filtration parameter, which represents the filtration of fine sediments through pores of the stream bed during the recession period of a flood event. The second parameter is the bed erosion parameter that represents the active layer, directly related to the re-suspension of fine sediments during a flood event. A dependency of the filtration parameter with the catchment area was observed in catchments smaller than ~100 km², whereas no particular relationship was observed for larger catchments (>100 km²). In contrast, the bed erosion parameter does not show a noticeable dependency with the area or other environmental characteristics. The model estimated the mass of fine sediments released from the sediment bed to the water column during flood events in the 13 catchments within ~23% bias. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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20 pages, 8371 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Impact of Terraces and Vegetation on Runoff and Sediment Routing Using the Time-Area Method in the Chinese Loess Plateau

by Juan Bai, Shengtian Yang, Yichi Zhang, Xiaoyan Liu and Yabing Guan

Water 2019, 11(4), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11040803 - 18 Apr 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4724

Abstract

Terracing and vegetation are an effective practice for soil and water conservation on sloped terrain. They can significantly reduce the sediment yield from the surface area, as well as intercept the sediment yield from upstream. However, most hydrological models mainly simulate the effect [...] Read more.

Terracing and vegetation are an effective practice for soil and water conservation on sloped terrain. They can significantly reduce the sediment yield from the surface area, as well as intercept the sediment yield from upstream. However, most hydrological models mainly simulate the effect of the terraces and vegetation on water and sediment reduction from themselves, without considering their roles in the routing process, and thus likely underestimate their runoff and sediment reduction effect. This study added the impact of terraces and vegetation practice on water and sediment routing using the time-area method. The outflow in each travel time zone was revised in each time step by extracting the watershed of the terrace units and the vegetation units and calculating the water or sediment stored by the terraces or held by the vegetation. The revised time-area method was integrated into the Land change Model-Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (LCM-MUSLE) model. Pianguanhe Basin, in the Chinese Loess Plateau, was chosen as the study area and eight storms in the 1980s and 2010s were selected to calibrate and verify the original LCM-MUSLE model and its revised version. The results showed that the original model was not applicable in more recent years, since the surface was changed significantly as a result of revegetation and slope terracing, while the accuracy improved significantly when using the revised version. For the three events in the 2010s, the average runoff reduction rate in routing process was 51.02% for vegetation, 26.65% for terraces, and 71.86% for both terraces and vegetation. The average sediment reduction rate in routing process was 32.22% for vegetation, 24.52% for terraces, and 53.85% for both terraces and vegetation. This study provides a generalized method to quantitatively assess the impact of terraces and vegetation practice on runoff and sediment reduction at the catchment scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport)

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