Abstract
A distributed hillslope model is presented for the computation of seasonal sediment loads flowing into the rain-fed irrigation reservoirs (tanks) from the mountainous catchments in Sri Lanka. The model is based on the subdivision of the catchment into hillslopes and application of a sediment transport capacity equation at hillslope scale and computation of sediment loads transported to the tanks. Coarse and fine sediment loads due to hourly excess rainfall during a season are separately estimated. The model depends on fewer parameters and can be easily calibrated for a tank. The model calibration only requires measurements of coarse and fine sediment loads transported into the tank due to several rainfalls of different intensities from a representative subcatchment of the tank. Coarse sediment loads are measured by using a sediment trap installed across an ephemeral stream draining the subcatchment. Fine sediment loads are obtained by measuring the discharge and accompanied sediment concentrations over the sediment trap. The model is calibrated, verified and applied for an irrigation tank in Sri Lanka to estimate the seasonal sedimentation loads.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bouraoui, F. and Dillaha T. A., 1996, ANSWERS-2000: Runoff and Sediment Transport Model.Journal of Environmental Engineering, ASCE122(6): 493–502.
DHIwp. 2001.http://www.dhi.dk.
ESCAPwp. 2001.Integrating Environmental Considerations into the Economic Decision-Making Process. DRPAD publications. ST/ESCAP/1990.http://www.unescap/drpad/publication
Dharmasena, P.B., 1994. Conservation Farming Practices for Small Reservoir Watersheds: A Case Study from Sri Lanka.Agroforestry Systems 28: 203–212.
Dharmasena, P. B., 1992. Magnitude of Sedimentation in Village Tanks. Department of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.Tropical Agriculture 148: 23–36.
Julien, P.Y. and Simons D. B. 1985. Sediment Transport Capacity of Overland Flow.Transaction of American Society of Agricultural Engineering 28: 755–762.
Lane, J. L., Nichols, M. H. and Paige, G. B., 1995. Modelling erosion on hillslopes: Concepts, theory, and data. In: Binning P., H. Bridgman and B. Williams, (eds.), Nov. 27–30.Proc. International Conf. on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM’95). Univ. of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia, Uniprint, Perth, Australia. Pp. 1–7.
Meyer, L. D. and Wischmeier, W. H., 1969. Mathematical Simulation of the Process of Soil Erosion by Water.Transaction of American Society of Agricultural Engineering 12: 754–762.
Mitasova, H., L. Mitas, Brown W. M., and Johnson D. M. 1999.Terrain Modelling and Soil Erosion Simulations for Fort Hood and Fort Polk Test Areas. USA-CERL, University of Urban Champaign. Pp.24.
NSERLwp 2001. (National Soil Erosion Laboratory of USA)http://topsoil.nserl.purdue.edu/nserlweb/weppmain/wepp.html.
Ogden, F. L. and Jullien P. Y., 2001. CASC2D: A two-dimensional, physically-based, Hortonian hydrologic model. In: Singh V.P., Frevert D. and Meyer (eds.),Mathematical Models in Small Watershed Hydrology. Water Resources Publications, Colorado, USA, Pp. 972.
USDA (US Department of Agriculture). 2001.http://www.sedlab.olemiss.edu/agnps.html.
Weerakoon, S. B., 1998.Assessment of Tank Bed Siltation, Research Report. Irrigation Research Management Unit, Department of Irrigation, Sri Lanka. Pp. 118.
Weerakoon, S. B., Herath S. and Tamai N., 2001. River Basin Based Paddy Extent Estimation Considering the Irrigation Systems in Sri Lanka. International symposium. LUCC Contribution to Asian Environmental Problems, Tokyo, CD-ROM, IGU.
Williams, J. R., Jones C. A. and Dyke P. T. 1984. A Modelling Approach to Determining the Relationship between Erosion and Soil Productivity, Transactions of American Society of Agricultural Engineering27: 129–144.
WRSRUwp. 2001.http://www.ncl.ac.uk/wrgi/wrsrl/papers/index.html
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weerakoon, S.B. Assessment of seasonal sedimentation in rain-fed irrigation reservoirs by a hillslope erosion modeling approach. J. Mt. Sci. 2, 225–232 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02973196
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02973196