Streamflow Simulation and Environmental Flow Assessment in the Umba River, Kenya Ermias Gebrekrstos Tesfamariam Master of Scienc
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STREAMFLOW SIMULATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW ASSESSMENT IN THE UMBA RIVER, KENYA ERMIAS GEBREKRSTOS TESFAMARIAM MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING (Environmental and ASAL Option) PAN AFRICAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR BASIC SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION 2018 Streamflow Simulation and Environmental Flow Assessment in the Umba River, Kenya Ermias Gebrekrstos Tesfamariam CE 300 - 0009/17 A Thesis submitted to the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Environmental and ASAL Option) 2018 DECLARATION This Thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in this or any other University. Signature …...................................... Date ….…….............................. Ermias Gebrekrstos Tesfamariam CE 300 - 0009/17 This Thesis has been submitted with our approval as University Supervisors. Signature …......................................... Date ….…….............................. Prof. Patrick G. Home JKUAT, Kenya Signature …......................................... Date ….…….............................. Prof. John M. Gathenya JKUAT, Kenya ii DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this Thesis to my Parents for their unlimited supports during my studies. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to praise the Almighty God for enabling me to complete this Thesis. My special thanks go to my supervisors Prof. Patrick G. Home and Prof. John M. Gathenya for their technical supports and guidance. I am very grateful to Dr. Kahsay Negusse Zeraebruk for his assistance and cordial cooperation. I would like to convey my gratitude to all my lecturers for shaping me with skills and knowledge. The African Union (AU) is highly acknowledged for funding the research and covering my master’s study expenses with the Pan African University Scholarships. I would like to thank the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for providing the Seed Research Fund at the beginning of the study. I would like to thank the Survey of Kenya, Water Resources Authority (WRA), Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), Vanga Fisheries Department, and Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) for their assistance during data collection. My sincere gratitude goes to my family for their unlimited supports and encouragements during my studies. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to my friends, colleagues, and all the people who provided valuable suggestions and contributions to this research. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ......................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... x LIST OF PLATES ..................................................................................................... xii LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................... xiii ABBREVIATIONS AND NOTATIONS ................................................................. xiv ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................. xvii CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background to the Study ................................................................................ 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem ............................................................................... 3 1.3. Objectives ...................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1. General objective ................................................................................... 4 1.3.2. Specific objectives ................................................................................. 5 1.4. Research Questions ........................................................................................ 5 1.5. Significance of the Study ............................................................................... 6 1.6. Justification .................................................................................................... 8 1.7. Scope of the Study ....................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................... 11 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................ 11 2.1. Riverine Ecosystems .................................................................................... 11 v 2.2. Water Resources Management .................................................................... 12 2.2.1. Sustainable Water Resources Management ......................................... 12 2.2.2. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) ............................ 13 2.3. Streamflow Characteristics .......................................................................... 13 2.3.1. Flow Regime ........................................................................................ 14 2.3.2. Flow Duration Curve ........................................................................... 15 2.4. Environmental Flow Assessment (EFA) ..................................................... 17 2.4.1. Methods of Environmental Flow Assessment...................................... 18 2.5. Hydrological Modelling ............................................................................... 24 2.5.1. Rainfall-runoff modelling .................................................................... 25 2.5.2. Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC-HMS) ....................................... 27 2.5.3. HEC-GeoHMS ..................................................................................... 28 2.6. Ecosystem Functions Model (EFM) ............................................................ 29 2.6.1. Applications of HEC-EFM .................................................................. 30 2.7. Hydraulic Modelling .................................................................................... 32 2.7.1. River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) .................................................... 32 2.7.2. HEC-GeoRAS ...................................................................................... 33 2.8. Ecosystems of the Umba River .................................................................... 34 2.8.1. Estuarine Ecosystem ............................................................................ 34 2.8.2. Aquatic Ecosystem ............................................................................... 36 2.8.3. Mangrove Forests ................................................................................. 37 2.8.4. Riparian Vegetation ............................................................................. 39 2.8.5. Macroinvertebrates ............................................................................... 40 2.8.6. Wetlands ............................................................................................... 40 2.9. Conceptual Framework ................................................................................ 42 vi 2.10. Research Gaps .............................................................................................. 45 CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................... 47 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................. 47 3.1. Introduction to Materials and Methods ........................................................ 47 3.2. Description of the Study Area ...................................................................... 47 3.2.1. Topography .......................................................................................... 48 3.2.2. Climate ................................................................................................. 49 3.2.3. Land Cover and Land Use.................................................................... 50 3.2.4. Geology and Geomorphology .............................................................. 51 3.2.5. Socio-Economic Conditions ................................................................ 54 3.3. Rainfall-Runoff Modelling using HEC-HMS Hydrologic Model ............... 55 3.3.1. Data Collection Procedure ................................................................... 55 3.3.2. Data Processing and Analysis .............................................................. 56 3.4. Analysis of Relationships between Flow Regime and Riverine Ecosystems using HEC-EFM ...................................................................... 61 3.4.1. Data Collection Procedure ................................................................... 61 3.4.2.