Suitability of MUSLT for storm sediment yield prediction in Chehelgazi watershed, Iran

Abstract

The Chehelgazi watershed of Gheshlagh Dam in western Iran was selected to check the capability of the MUSLT (Theoretical Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation) model for estimating sediment yield during storms. The efficiency of MUSLT for sediment yield prediction was assessed using observed sediment data recorded for 11 storm events between October 2006 and April 2007. The results showed that MUSLT overestimated sediment yield with a high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.636 and p < 0.05), and it was then calibrated by examining regression models. The developed calibrated model (C-MUSLT) performed well, with a coefficient of determination of 0.739 (p < 0.05) and relative estimation and verification errors of 49.36 and 25.18%, respectively. The results of comparison between observed and estimated values, obtained by applying the calibrated model, confirmed that the difference was significant with a t value of 1.453 (p = 0.05). © 2013 Copyright 2013 IAHS Press.