Assessment of the geomorphometric parameters using Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools forms an important part in routing the runoff and other hydrological processes. The current study uses a geospatial model based on geomorphometric parameters for the categorization of surface runoff and identification of the erosion-prone areas in the watershed of the Kuttiyadi River. The 4th order Kuttiyadi river is dominated by a dendritic to semi-dendritic drainage pattern in the subwatersheds. The linear aspect of the subwatersheds indicates towards the presence of permeable surface and subsurface materials with uniform lithology. The aerial and relief aspects of the subwatersheds shows fine drainage texture, gentle slopes, delayed peak flow, flatter hydrograph, and large concentration time which shows that subwatersheds are quite capable of managing flash floods during storm events. The estimated values of surface runoff (Q) and sediment production rate (SPR) are range from 2.13 to 32.88 km2-cm/km2 and 0.0004–0.017 Ha-m/100km2/year respectively and suggest that Subwatershed 1 (SW1) will generate more surface runoff and is prone to soil erosion followed by subwatershed 2 (SW2) in comparison to other subwatersheds. This paper aims to fill the knowledge gap regarding categorization of flow and erosion dynamics in a coastal river watershed. We believe that our work may work help in providing the crucial information for decision-makers and policymakers responsible for establishing suitable policies and sustainable land use practices for the watershed.
10 June 2022 in International Journal of Environmental Research
The estimation of stream discharge is an essential component of planning and decision-making. It is highly correlated with many development activities involving water resources. The study of transportation of sediments in the rivers will help us to develop policies and plans for soil conservation, flood control, irrigation, navigation, and aquatic biodiversity problems. Using data-driven models such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), modeling of streamflow and sediment transport is frequently adopted due to their applicability and problem-solving ability. This study has used three training algorithms such as Scaled Conjugate Gradient (SCG), Bayesian Regularization (BR), and Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) to simulate the streamflow and Suspended Sediments Concentration (SSC). After optimizing the best training algorithm based on the model efficiency parameters, L-M based-ANN model has been used to predict streamflow for two years and the modeling of suspended sediments was validated with the help of observed data. The result shows that the simulated results tracked the streamflow as well as SSC with the desired accuracy based on the model efficiency parameters such as coefficient of Determination (R2), Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD). The study's outcomes reveal that in the streamflow the concentration of suspended sediments is significantly affected by the base rock material, glaciers covered by debris, and moraine-laden ice. The transportation of the sediments is high in the Alaknanda basin as compared to the other basins and the previous studies. This might happen due to the severe anthropogenic activities in the surrounding basin.