Deforestation Effect to the Runoff Hydrograph at Sungai Padas Catchment
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2nd International Conference on Managing Rivers in the 21st Century: Solutions Towards Sustainable River Basins Deforestation Effect to the Runoff Hydrograph at Sungai Padas Catchment JOSEPH DINOR, Master Student (M.Sc.), River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC), Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia. NOR AZAZI ZAKARIA, Professor & Director of REDAC, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang Malaysia.Email: [email protected] ROZI ABDULLAH, Assoc. Prof. & Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected] AMINUDDIN AB GHANI, Assoc. Prof. & Deputy Director, REDAC Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang Malaysia. Email: [email protected] Keywords: Deforestation, HEC-HMS, SCS-CN, Hydrograph estimation, Design rainfall ABSTRACT Deforestation activities have been widely known as one of the devastating factors to the river system and ecological system in a catchment. Severe destructions of forest always brings about a number of interferences to the natural catchment such as increase the surface runoff in the stream and rivers, soil erosions, sedimentation in the rivers or streams, degradation of water quality, elimination of the flora and fauna, and destruction of the wild life habitat in the jungle. The present study is intending to develop a hydrologic model for the Sungai Padas catchment and to investigate the effect of land cover changes to the runoff hydrograph from the catchment using HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Engineering Center-Hydrologic Modeling System), which has been established by USACE (United State of America Corps of Engineers). Sungai Padas catchment experienced several deforestation activities particularly of commercial loggings and agriculture at some areas such as at the upstream of Tambunan catchment, Sook catchment, and Sipitang catchment. The analyses cover from the determination of the land cover from the topographic maps, and hydrologic analysis such as rainfall and discharge data. The design rainfall data from the HP-26 manual (Hydrologic Procedure no.26 for Sabah dan Sarawak) was applied to predict the runoff hydrograph for 2 year ARI (Average Recurrence Interval) within 72 hours rainfall duration. The average rainfall distribution of this catchment was estimated using the Thiessen Polygon Method, whereas, the loss model, transform model (catchment routing), baseflow model, and channel routing were analyzed by applying the SCS curve number, Clark Unit Hydrograph, recession method, and Muskingum method, respectively. The evaluation of the future runoff hydrograph due to the conversion of the disturbed area into large scale agriculture such as rubber and oil palm plantation was also carried out The results of the study that employed 2 year ARI for 72 hours duration indicated that the simulated runoff hydrograph at JPS Beaufort discharge station increased by 5% due to the increased of deforested area (none-cultivated) by 11%. In the case that the deforested areas (11%) are assumed to be cultivated with large scale agriculture such as rubber and oil palm plantation, the runoff hydrograph would increase by 25%. The results imply that the higher surface runoff resulted from the conversion of deforested area into large scale agriculture compared to the none-cultivated deforested area. Keywords: Deforestation, HEC-HMS, SCS-CN, Hydrograph peak estimation, Design rainfall 1 Introduction catchment which has less altered landuses. Deforestation activities will also lead to the decrease of catchment average In general, land cover or land use changes usually result in the rainfall intensity and increase temperature due to the decrease of changes of the catchment hydrologic responses to the rainfall. evapotranpiration and the radiative effect of CO2 (Costa and Also, land use disruption such as deforestation activities causes Foley, 1998). The effect of deforestation to the runoff peak is many adverse impacts to the water quality and quantity as many also depending on the catchment profile. A study carried out by bared areas at the upstream are exposed to the rainfall. The Stednick (1996) in the United States indicated that the runoff cleared areas will no longer capable to absorb and retain some peak was effected by smaller percentage of land use changes at amount of moisture from the rainfall, which play as an the steeper or mountainous area compared to the plain area. important role to reduce the surface runoff and to maximize the This implies that the deforestation activities have greater impact soil retention capacity within the subsoil surface. This factor on the runoff and water yield when practiced at the steeper will result to the shorter time of concentration of the catchment. upstream area. Deforestation effect on the annual water yield is A study conducted by Costa et.al (2002) at the Tocantins River, also influenced by several factors such as the type of vegetation Porto National with the area of study around 175, 360 sq.km., cover, climate and catchment sizes (Sun and Li, 2005). The indicates that in large river basin, the two most likely drivers of study carried out by Sun and Li in China implies that the long-term discharge modification are precipitation variability differences of impact on catchment annual water yield among and changes in landuse in the upstream catchment. It has also different forest types were somewhat different with those from indicated that the hydrograph peak from the catchment which other countries; there is a higher water yield changes in humid has more altered landuses occurs earlier than that from the regions compared to that of drier regions; and the water yield is 351 Rivers‘07 June 6-8, 2007, Riverside Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia consistent in both small and large catchment due to the the hydrologic modeling in Sungai Padas catchment using the deforestation effect, but there is a large fluctuation in HEC-HMS 2.2.2. Several model most sensitive parameters have streamflow responses to forest cover changes in smaller been analyzed by performing some sensitivity analyses such as catchments. Bruijnzeel (1990) pointed out that the changes initial loss, Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS CN) in infiltration associated with the land use changes overrides the value, the catchment storage coefficient (R), recession constant effect of reduced evaporation, then a shift in the streamflow of the baseflow, and Muskingum-K for the channel routing. The regime may be expected with increased peaks during the rainy time of concentration (tc) values of the catchment were selected season and lowered flows during the dry season. Deforestation based on the comparison results from five (5) methods such as increases surface runoff and catchment response to rainfall is Izzard, Kerby, Kirpich, Kinematic wave, and Bransby William highly variable and unpredictable (Hibbert, 1965). The removal formulas. The model was calibrated using the rainfall and of forest almost invariably leads to higher streamflow and streamflow data of May 1991 and validated using the rainfall- reforestation of open land generally reduces the overall runoff event of June 1992. Both data used in the calibration and streamflow (Bosch and Hewlett, 1982). Studies about validation process were consisted of multiple rainfall events, deforestation effects to the runoff were leading to one general which have produced the annual highest runoff hydrograph conclusion that it causes the increase of runoff hydrograph. peak within the range of events. The rainfall temporal distribution calculation was performed based on the DID Hydrological Procedure No.1 (HP-1). The DID Hydrological 2 Methodology Procedure No.26 (HP-26) which has been designed for Sabah and Sarawak state was adopted as the design rainfall guideline The study process (Figure 1) started with the collection of within 72-hours duration. The deforestation analysis was then rainfall data, discharge data, topography maps, land-cover, and performed using the calibrated model, rainfall temporal soil map. The rainfall data, discharge data, catchment distribution and the design rainfall informations. The delineations, and land-cover map are derived from Sabah deforestation analysis has been carried out by applying at 2 year Department of Irrigation and Drainage (Sabah DID), whereas within the 72-hours duration period. the soil map was acquired from Sabah Department of Agriculture (Sabah DOA). These informations are applied for DATA COLLECTION DETERMINATION OF THE CATCHMENT PARAMETERS USING HEC-HMS MODEL SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF THE HEC-HMS MODEL PARAMETERS MODEL CALIBRATION MODEL VALIDATION ANALYZING THE CATCHMENT RAINFALL DETERMINE THE CATCHMENT DESIGN DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE HISTORICAL DATA TO DETERMINE THE RAINFALL TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTIONS RAINFALL DURATION (e.g. 24 and 72-hours) CATCHMENT RAINFALL TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTIONS USING THE HP.26 FOR ACCORDING TO THE ACCORDING TO THE HP-1 PROCEDURE 2, 5, 10, AND 20 YEARS ARI TIME OF CONCENTRATION VALUE CATCHMENT RESPONSE ANALYSIS ANALYSIS RESULTS CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS END Figure 1 Research Methodology 352 2nd International Conference on Managing Rivers in the 21st Century: Solutions Towards Sustainable River Basins 3 The Study Area Padas 3.1 Geographical Features U Catchment The research has been carried out for Sungai Padas catchment, located at the south-western part of Sabah, lies between latitude