Modelling streamflow and sediment yield from two small watersheds of Kashmir Himalayas, India

Abstract

ABSTRACT Wular lake plays a key role in water regulation by retaining the excess floodwaters during peak flows and discharging them in lean times. Ironically, the lake has shriveled significantly over the last century due to the excessive sediment load that enters the lake via its different inlet runoff sources. Although several investigations have been carried out to analyze the hydrological regime of Wular lake, a proper assessment of its surrounding watersheds, viz., Madhumati and Arin, have been entirely neglected. The current study employs the SWAT Model due to its computational efficiency in complex watersheds to analyze the spatial distribution of sediment yield, quantification of runoff, and identification of critical erosion-prone areas in Madhumati and Arin Watersheds. Model calibration and uncertainty analyses was performed using the SUFI-2 algorithm. Daily runoff and sediment data from 2003–2013 were used in this study; data from 2003–2008 were used for calibration and 2009–2013 for validation. The model performance was examined using various statistical tools, and the results revealed that it has outstanding potential for simulating streamflow and sediment yield at the sub-basin level. This study may be utilized as a decision-making tool by water managers to influence strategies in the management of watershed processes.