A simple waterbalance of a subcatchment to the Kapuas River
(2014) VVRL01 20132Division of Water Resources Engineering
- Abstract
- In developing countries across the world people are depending on rivers as a source of water for drinking, cooking and bathing. This is also the case in the Indonesian part of the island Borneo where this study was made. The largest river is the river Kapuas which, together with its tributaries, supplies the area with water. The hydrology of these rivers is changing and the quality of the water in them is deteriorating. This is due to mining industries, logging, and oil palm plantations as well as the large amounts of waste that is deposited in the water. These changes can be hard to observe since they are gradual and little to no data exists on the previous condition of these rivers.
This study was conducted to make a simple water... (More) - In developing countries across the world people are depending on rivers as a source of water for drinking, cooking and bathing. This is also the case in the Indonesian part of the island Borneo where this study was made. The largest river is the river Kapuas which, together with its tributaries, supplies the area with water. The hydrology of these rivers is changing and the quality of the water in them is deteriorating. This is due to mining industries, logging, and oil palm plantations as well as the large amounts of waste that is deposited in the water. These changes can be hard to observe since they are gradual and little to no data exists on the previous condition of these rivers.
This study was conducted to make a simple water balance model using simple methods to begin to establish an understanding of a tropical rainforest catchment. Very basic methods are a necessity when carrying out work in the region since almost no equipment is available.
The fieldwork was conducted on a sub-catchment to the Kapuas River in the village of Sosok. For five days in December from the 17th to the 21st, which is the rainy season, fieldwork was carried out. Measurements were taken of flow, depth, amount of rain, and sediment transport in the rivers in the area of investigation. Two rivers, which flow together to form one, were used as the site of this study. Three stations were established, one in each river, were measurements were taken several times a day.
This data was then put into a simple water balance model to see if the model would yield the same results as those that were observed during field work. Many assumptions had to be made regarding surface runoff, groundwater infiltration, evaporation as well as other factors. To use the water balance model one needs a basic understanding of hydrology to know which assumptions are realistic and which are not. The results of the study show that the model can yield results similar to those in the field. The accuracy is high enough that one can gain a basic understanding of the hydrological situation in a catchment by only using very simple methods. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/4587376
- author
- Rodin Holst, Sarha LU and Persson, Johan LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- VVRL01 20132
- year
- 2014
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Kapuas River, Sosok, water balance, simple methods
- language
- English
- id
- 4587376
- date added to LUP
- 2014-10-24 14:04:54
- date last changed
- 2014-10-24 14:04:54
@misc{4587376,
abstract = {{In developing countries across the world people are depending on rivers as a source of water for drinking, cooking and bathing. This is also the case in the Indonesian part of the island Borneo where this study was made. The largest river is the river Kapuas which, together with its tributaries, supplies the area with water. The hydrology of these rivers is changing and the quality of the water in them is deteriorating. This is due to mining industries, logging, and oil palm plantations as well as the large amounts of waste that is deposited in the water. These changes can be hard to observe since they are gradual and little to no data exists on the previous condition of these rivers.
This study was conducted to make a simple water balance model using simple methods to begin to establish an understanding of a tropical rainforest catchment. Very basic methods are a necessity when carrying out work in the region since almost no equipment is available.
The fieldwork was conducted on a sub-catchment to the Kapuas River in the village of Sosok. For five days in December from the 17th to the 21st, which is the rainy season, fieldwork was carried out. Measurements were taken of flow, depth, amount of rain, and sediment transport in the rivers in the area of investigation. Two rivers, which flow together to form one, were used as the site of this study. Three stations were established, one in each river, were measurements were taken several times a day.
This data was then put into a simple water balance model to see if the model would yield the same results as those that were observed during field work. Many assumptions had to be made regarding surface runoff, groundwater infiltration, evaporation as well as other factors. To use the water balance model one needs a basic understanding of hydrology to know which assumptions are realistic and which are not. The results of the study show that the model can yield results similar to those in the field. The accuracy is high enough that one can gain a basic understanding of the hydrological situation in a catchment by only using very simple methods.}},
author = {{Rodin Holst, Sarha and Persson, Johan}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{A simple waterbalance of a subcatchment to the Kapuas River}},
year = {{2014}},
}