Evaluation of Hydrology, Suspended Sediment and Nickel Loads in a Small Watershed in Basque Country (Northern Spain) Using Eco-Hydrological SWAT Model
Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim. 51 (2015) 59–70 Available online at: Ó EDP Sciences, 2015 www.limnology-journal.org DOI: 10.1051/limn/2015006 Evaluation of hydrology, suspended sediment and Nickel loads in a small watershed in Basque Country (Northern Spain) using eco-hydrological SWAT model M. Peraza-Castro1,2*, E. Ruiz-Romera1, L.H. Montoya-Armenta1, J.M. Sa´nchez-Pe´rez3,4 and S. Sauvage3,4 1 Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of Bilbao, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), Alameda de Urquijo s/n, E-48013 Bilbao, Spain 2 School of Health Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Facio Campus, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San Jose´, Costa Rica 3 University of Toulouse, INPT, UPS, Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (Ecolab), Avenue de l’Agrobiopole, 31326 Castanet Tolosan Cedex, France 4 CNRS, Ecolab, 31326 Castanet Tolosan Cedex, France Received 29 October 2013; Accepted 13 January 2015 Abstract – Suspended sediment transportation and associated pollutants from catchment to stream networks are responsible for aquatic habitat degradation, reservoir sedimentation and the transportation of sediment bound pollutants. Quantifying suspended sediment loads from lands to watercourses is essential in controlling soil erosion and in implementing appropriate mitigation practices to reduce stream sediment and associated pollutant loads, and hence improve surface water quality downstream.The main objective of this study is to evaluate the temporal variability of hydrology, sediment and nickel loads using Soil and Water Assessment Tool in Oka watershed located in north Spain. Model simulation was completed using 11 years historical records (2001–2009 for validation and 2009–2012 for calibration) of streamflow and suspended sediment con- centration (SSC).
[Show full text]