Application of Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) Tool to Evaluate the Sediment Yield in a Semi-arid Region: Case Study, Kufranja Basin-Jordan

Abstract

Prediction of sediment yield from catchments is essential in the investigation of reservoir sedimentation and other hydrological and geological studies. Many methods have been used in the prediction of sediment yield. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a newly developed model that can be applied to rural watershed. SWAT model has used Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) in sediment calculation. The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool (AGWA) is a GIS based watershed modeling tool. This paper improved a hydrological modeling using modeling environment AGWA and SWAT model to evaluate the sediment yield in Kufranja basin in Jordan. The sediment yield has been calculated at three proposed dam sites in the basin. The calibration process depended on the most sensitive parameters in SWAT model. Long term rainfall series were used in the modeling process. AGWA studies the change in the most sensitive parameter in the SWAT model. The change in this parameter can be considered as different scenarios in Kufranja basin.