Erosion index formulation with respect to reservoir life in the upper Citarum watershed

Abstract

This study aimed to formulate erosion index in the upper Citarum watershed with respect to the Saguling reservoir life. Soil and Water Assessment Tool model was incorporated to simulate hydrological processes in the catchment. From the calibration and validation results, the model is considerably of good performance. The simulated sediment inflow at Nanjung outlet was then extrapolated to determine the sediment inflow into the reservoir. The study revealed that the average value of sediment inflow into the reservoir is 29.24 tonnes/ha/year just below the tolerable erosion limit of 30 tonnes/ha/year assumed by Hammer (1981). It was also found that the relationship between sediment yield and sediment inflow is non linear. Erosion index is formulated as the ratio between the mean annual sediment yield generated in the watershed and the mean annual sediment yield that leads dead storage to be full in the designated life of the reservoir. Erosion index equals to 1.0 indicates that the dead storage will be full in the designated life of the reservoir. A classification of erosion index can be subsequently be made based on erosion index and reservoir life relationship.