Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands

Land degradation due to soil erosion is a major issue in the Ethiopian Highlands. Deforestation leads to ongoing gully erosion during the rainy season (June to September) and thus the hydrology of a watershed changes as dense gully networks cause direct drainage of rain water. To better understand w...

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Autores principales: Zehetbauer I, Strohmeier S, Ziadat, Feras M., Klik, Andreas
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2013
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52205
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author Zehetbauer I
Strohmeier S
Ziadat, Feras M.
Klik, Andreas
author_browse Klik, Andreas
Strohmeier S
Zehetbauer I
Ziadat, Feras M.
author_facet Zehetbauer I
Strohmeier S
Ziadat, Feras M.
Klik, Andreas
author_sort Zehetbauer I
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Land degradation due to soil erosion is a major issue in the Ethiopian Highlands. Deforestation leads to ongoing gully erosion during the rainy season (June to September) and thus the hydrology of a watershed changes as dense gully networks cause direct drainage of rain water. To better understand watershed scale gully processes in the Ethiopian Highlands, three gauging stations were installed in the 56 km2 large Gumara-Maksegnit catchment in the northern Amhara region, to monitor discharge and sediment load in the gullies during rainy season. Various weirs respectively a fixed cross section was installed: Two v-notched weirs were built in two approximately 30 ha large sub catchments. Discharge was determined based on continuously logged water level data (ultrasonic sensor respectively pressure sensor) and using a calibrated weir equation. Sediment concentration was estimated based on continuously logged turbidity sensor data. In the main outlet discharge was calculated based on water level data (pressure sensor) and by using a calibrated rating curve which was derived by means of spatial distributed flow velocity measurements within the fixed and rectangular shaped cross section. Sediment concentration was estimated by turbidity sensor equipment. To validate the continuously logged turbidity sensors data additional manually taken runoff samples were used. Additionally, rainfall data was logged at three gauging stations distributed in the watershed. Observed data from the rainy season 2012 showed that the runoff in the sub catchments as well as in the main outlet was mainly controlled by heavy single storm events. Although baseflow and interflow was observed in the main outlet, the portion of surface runoff dominated the runoff in the gully. As a consequence of the surface runoff driven regime in the gullies, huge amounts of sediment were observed during heavy rainfall events. The hydrological study at Gumara-Maksegnit watershed is part of an entire watershed monitoring program and provides local runoff and sediment yield data as a basis for regional soil conservation planning. Moreover watershed specific relations between precipitation, runoff and sediment concentration in the channels can support predictions of future event scenarios.
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spelling CGSpace522052023-06-12T09:14:03Z Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands Zehetbauer I Strohmeier S Ziadat, Feras M. Klik, Andreas climate agriculture watersheds land degradation erosion Land degradation due to soil erosion is a major issue in the Ethiopian Highlands. Deforestation leads to ongoing gully erosion during the rainy season (June to September) and thus the hydrology of a watershed changes as dense gully networks cause direct drainage of rain water. To better understand watershed scale gully processes in the Ethiopian Highlands, three gauging stations were installed in the 56 km2 large Gumara-Maksegnit catchment in the northern Amhara region, to monitor discharge and sediment load in the gullies during rainy season. Various weirs respectively a fixed cross section was installed: Two v-notched weirs were built in two approximately 30 ha large sub catchments. Discharge was determined based on continuously logged water level data (ultrasonic sensor respectively pressure sensor) and using a calibrated weir equation. Sediment concentration was estimated based on continuously logged turbidity sensor data. In the main outlet discharge was calculated based on water level data (pressure sensor) and by using a calibrated rating curve which was derived by means of spatial distributed flow velocity measurements within the fixed and rectangular shaped cross section. Sediment concentration was estimated by turbidity sensor equipment. To validate the continuously logged turbidity sensors data additional manually taken runoff samples were used. Additionally, rainfall data was logged at three gauging stations distributed in the watershed. Observed data from the rainy season 2012 showed that the runoff in the sub catchments as well as in the main outlet was mainly controlled by heavy single storm events. Although baseflow and interflow was observed in the main outlet, the portion of surface runoff dominated the runoff in the gully. As a consequence of the surface runoff driven regime in the gullies, huge amounts of sediment were observed during heavy rainfall events. The hydrological study at Gumara-Maksegnit watershed is part of an entire watershed monitoring program and provides local runoff and sediment yield data as a basis for regional soil conservation planning. Moreover watershed specific relations between precipitation, runoff and sediment concentration in the channels can support predictions of future event scenarios. 2013 2014-12-16T06:37:40Z 2014-12-16T06:37:40Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52205 en Open Access Zehetbauer I, Strohmeier S, Ziadat F, Klik A. 2013. Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands. Geophysical Research Abstracts 15. EGU2013-5640-3.
spellingShingle climate
agriculture
watersheds
land degradation
erosion
Zehetbauer I
Strohmeier S
Ziadat, Feras M.
Klik, Andreas
Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands
title Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands
title_full Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands
title_fullStr Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands
title_full_unstemmed Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands
title_short Runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the Ethiopian Highlands
title_sort runoff and sediment monitoring in an agricultural watershed in the ethiopian highlands
topic climate
agriculture
watersheds
land degradation
erosion
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52205
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