Sedimentation study in a reservoir using remote sensing technique

Abstract

Reservoir sedimentation is a severe problem faced by dams caused due to soil erosion which is almost immeasurable at source and occurs in the catchment areas of the reservoirs. The present study describes the evaluation of sedimentation carried out for Vaigai reservoir situated in Tamil Nadu, India. Vaigai reservoir nourishes the inhabitants through water storage and supply for irrigation and water power. Nowadays, capacity loss occurs in the reservoir due to sedimentation. As it is highly tedious and uneconomical to do hydrographic surveys, the frequentness in finding the sediment yield becomes impossible. But the recent application of remote sensing and GIS technologies in the field of Civil Engineering make it possible. The Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) method for prediction of reservoir sedimentation uses directly the water-spread area of the reservoir at a particular elevation on the date of pass of the satellite. With known area and the difference in level of water, the capacity and thereby the loss in capacity of the reservoir due to sedimentation can also be estimated. This paper illustrates the prediction of sedimentation at Vaigai reservoir using remote sensing and ArcGIS.