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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 4s, (2020), pp. 2759 - 2774 Evolution of River Characteristics Impact on Post-Flood and Normal Season in Pinang River Basin, Malaysia Muhammad Hafiz Md Saad1, Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin1,2*, Ahmad Shakir Mohd Saudi3, Firdaus Mohamad Hamzah4, Marlia Mohd Hanafiah5, Noorjima Abd Wahab1 and Siti Nur Aisyah Md Bati1 1East Coast Environmental Research Institute (ESERI), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia 2Faculty of Applied Social Sciences (FSSG), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia 3Department of Environmental Health, Institute of Medical Science Technology, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia 4Department of Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia 5Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia *[email protected] Abstract Characterization of river outflow characteristics in the post-flood and normal seasons was carried out in the Pinang River Basin, Penang. Field sampling was performed twice in November 2017 (post-flood) and in March 2019 (normal season). Cross-sectional measurements involving the measurement of river width, river depth and velocity were performed at both sampling times. The objective of this study was to identify the pattern of river discharge in the Pinang River Basin and to assess the relationship between the occurrence of water discharge and other factors for both seasons. The results showed that the average discharge rate for each river after the rainy season was 0.85 m3/s for the Dondang River, 1.11 m3/s for the Ayer Itam River and 3.23 m3/s for the Sungai Pinang. For the normal season, the mean readings were 0.13 m3/s for the Dondang River, 0.38 m3/s for the Ayer Itam River and 0.69 m3/s for the Pinang River. Subsequent estimates of flood rates during floods were also estimated by estimating an increase in water depth by five meters. As a result of this estimate, the average drainage rate for the Dondang river is 8.58 m3/s, the Ayer Itam River at 8.12 m3/s while the Pinang River is 20.68 m3/s. The results from the correlation statistics analysis showed a very significant reading between river depths and outflow with R2 = 0.85. The relationship between velocity and water discharge shows a reading of R2 = 0.089 which is not significant. Whereas, the relationship between width and discharge shows a R2 = 0.495 which is significant. It is hoped that this study will provide as much information as possible before the proper steps are taken to prevent future flood events. Keywords: River characteristics, post-flood impact, normal season impact, river discharge, Pinang River Basin. 1. Introduction Water resources are one of the most important elements in all aspects of life in the world. Malaysia is one of a country who rich in natural water resources. Southwestern and northeasters monsoon that caused the country to average an average rainfall annually which is more than 2500 mm (Amran et al., 2018; Kamarudin et al., 2015a; Abdullah et al., 2013). The river is one of the primary sources of water and also provides fertility for lands. Due to favourable conditions, it also supports the development of highly populated ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST 2759 Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 4s, (2020), pp. 2759 - 2774 residential areas (Kamarudin et al., 2019a; Armas et al., 2013; Barasa et al., 2017). Water catchment areas such as dams will supply water to rivers. Several rivers in Malaysia have a Class 2 in Water Quality Index (WQI) such as Terengganu River. Lack of pollution and environmental awareness can be applied; many people will benefit from it. There are important to improve the knowledge and the practice of environmental management ability among communities about environmental issues. There are also important to achieve environmental awareness and ethics, values and attitudes, skills and behaviours (Syazni Jusoh et al., 2019; Amri Kamarudin et al., 2013). The river, which is also a reservoir and waterway, should always be prepared to accept the presence of water from various angles such as surface runoff, rainwater and high tide. Control in the event of extreme flows such as floods or drought. Therefore, river discharge characteristics are important depending on the water source, be it geomorphology, hydraulics, flood control, sailing, stabilization or development of water resources for municipal and industrial purposes (Jaafar et al., 2010a; Toriman et al., 2012; Simons, 1969). In many places, hilly areas that were supposed to be water catchment areas have begun to recharge to become populated areas due to the sudden increase in population. These conditions can have adverse effects in the future due to the lack of a water catchment area. Natural rivers will also find it difficult to sustain water capacity in the event of a sudden increase in water levels due to the loss of this catchment area. Little attention has been given to river-wide catchment dynamics on the spatial variance of river flow and human being interferences (Zhijun Dai et al., 2015; Jaafar et al., 2010b) Wahab et al. (2019) states that aspects of water quality are also being neglected while many reservoirs and rivers are being polluted due to human settlements and activities in the catchment area. Therefore, river discharge rates should be studied to facilitate the authorities to detect and evaluate the best measures to minimize the negative impacts such as floods, cliffs and so on. Due to human activities, river morphology is changing from its natural channel, such as agricultural activity, sand excavation from the bed, disposal of municipal waste and construction on the river. Human activities should not extremely disturb the environment of the river because they should be maintained (Kamarudin et al., 2015b; Samanta & Pal, 2012). In ongoing decades, the quantities of extreme climatic events like storms, flood, dry spells and heatwaves have expanded around the world (Kamarudin et al., 2019b; Sungip et al., 2018; Field et al., 2012; Toriman et al., 2009). Flood control and drought are also important ecologically as they affect populations and distribution of aquatic organisms. Hydrologists are more concerned with estimating the probability and magnitude of flood events. Floods affect the ecology of a river by destroying the habitat at the base of the river, eliminating aquatic and riparian vegetation, increasing the rate of evaporation of aquatic insects in the river (Kamarudin et al., 2015c; Gordon et al., 2004). The monitoring of river discharge is a fundamental frequency for the body of water resources direction, water residue rating at the basin scale and flood purpose as well as for the calibration and validation of hydrological models. Data on river flow usually consist of recorded water levels and river discharge rates over a given period of time. Most rivers also have a unique relationship between river water level and river flow at a given location. Despite the major impact of discharge data on many environmental management takings, their evolutional most always relies on the use of the so-called rating curves (Kamarudin et al., 2017a; Spada et al., 2017). There are three basic steps for obtaining data on river flow – water level measurement; river discharge calculations; defines the relationship between water level and river discharge (Bruce & Clark, 1966). Hydrologists focus on the flow rate or outflow characteristics of a river in cubic meters per second (m3s-1). In the study of open channel flow, complex cross-sectional sections are ready to be determined, the velocity of water in ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST 2760 Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 4s, (2020), pp. 2759 - 2774 meters per second (ms-1) is also an important feature. Generally, the river is composed of three parts, the upper, middle and lower. A river is a lotus ecosystem, a volatile ecosystem with varying depths (Kamarudin et al., 2017b; Chiras, 2001). In order to obtain the depth value of the river, the average value must be taken by measuring the vertical depth according to the cross-section. Ismail (1994) state that the river has a one-way movement and has a seasonal variation of water volume. One-way movement causes the riverbank and riverbank to be unstable and prone to erosion. This phenomenon is closely related to the frequency and intensity of rainfall at certain times in the area. The main objective of this study was to identify the pattern of river discharge in the Sungai Pinang Basin and to assess the relationship between the occurrence of water discharge and other factors. This is to see whether or not there is a correlation between these factors and seasonal discharge rates. 2. Methodology Penang has a relatively large drainage basin (Table 1). This drainage system that could be used to cater for the future water supply needs of the population is seen to be less isolated as the island has been a focus of industry development year after year after being recognized as Penang Cybercity by the Multimedia Super Corridor Malaysia (MSC Malaysia). As a result, there has been rapid development especially in the manufacturing industry which has had little impact on the rivers in Penang. In addition, many areas of the city have expanded and the hills have been cultivated for agriculture, settlements, administrative centres, industrial, tourism and so on. As a result, there is a shortage of wetlands in Penang and this has led developers to develop hilly land. This may slightly affect the condition of rainfall areas (Misnan & Rindam, 2012).