Analysis of the effect of land use changes on hydrology characteristics. Case study: the catchment area of Koto Panjang Hydroelectric Power

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the hydrological characteristics as a result of changes in land use with the help of the SWAT hydrological model and can provide recommendations on the best land use in the Koto Panjang Electric Power catchment area. Based on the results of the analysis using the SWAT hydrological model, it was seen that there were effects of land use changes in 2011 and 2014 on hydrological characteristics; yield of water (WATER YLD) of 2,413.38 mm, and 1.008, 65 mm, runoff coefficient (C) of 0.19 and 0.063 respectively, and river regime coefficient (KRS) of 11.449 and 12.212, respectively. The best land use to be developed in agricultural cultivation areas as a recommendation to maintain water stability in the Koto Panjang hydropower catchment area is a simple and complex agroforestry pattern in scenario III, which is run together with hydrological characteristics in the form; water yield (WATER YLD) of 1,038.41, surface runoff coefficient (C) of 0.023, and river regime coefficient (KRS) of 11.13. The hydrological characteristics in scenario III are far better than 2014 land use characteristics (existing).