Water Practice and Technology (Sep 2023)

Geomorphometric based catchment runoff characterization and assessment of temporal landuse change impact on runoff inflow to an ungauged reservoir under different climatic scenarios using geospatial techniques and SWAT model

  • Vishnu Prasad,
  • Anil Bhardwaj

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2023.128
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 9
pp. 2003 – 2022

Abstract

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A morphometric analysis was carried out to study runoff characteristics of the Saleran reservoir catchment. Further, the impact of catchment landuse change on runoff generation and inflow to the Saleran reservoir has been assessed using geospatial techniques and SWAT. The geomorphometric analysis shows that the catchment is less elongated in shape, having fourth-order stream network, high stream frequency (9.36 no./km2), drainage density (4.55 km/km2) and high relief (220 m), which indicates that catchment would generate a moderate amount of runoff. The SWAT (ArcSWAT) model was used for the simulation of runoff and the average annual runoff inflow was simulated to be 14.2 mm (1995–1999), 13.2 mm (2000–2009) and 11.8 mm (2010–2019) per 100 mm of rainfall under the landuse 1999, 2009 and 2019, respectively. The results indicated that the temporal change in catchment landuse has significantly increased the runoff generation and its inflow to the reservoir but there is a decrease in the volume of runoff inflow which may be due to the decreasing trend in monsoon rainfall. Hence, an appropriate conservation strategy needs to be developed and adopted in the Shivalik foot-hills for managing the catchment landuse for sustainable water supply through reservoirs. HIGHLIGHTS Geomorphometric analysis to understand runoff characteristics of Saleran catchment using a simple approach.; Analysis of landuse change (1999–2019) to understand runoff inflow to the reservoir under different scenarios.; Training and testing of SWAT model for hydrological studies in the region. Estimation of runoff inflow to the reservoir under different landuse and climate scenarios to understand water supply through reservoir.;

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