Application of the SWAT Model and GIS to Assess the Impact of Land cover Change on Discharge and Sediment Load in the Srepok River Basin, Vietnam
Main Article Content
Abstract
The Srepok River Basin is part of the major river system in the Central Highlands, playing a crucial role in irrigation, hydropower generation, and sustaining cross-border flows to Cambodia. In recent years, the basin has been strongly affected by land cover changes and land use conversion, which have altered flow regimes and increased erosion and sedimentation. This study applied the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model in combination with a geographic information system (GIS) to simulate discharge and sediment in the Srepok River Basin, aiming to assess the impacts of land cover change on hydrological processes during 2010-2020. The results indicate that surface runoff in 2020 increased compared to 2010 (Ban Don station: +9.1%; Cau 14: +7.21%; Giang Son: +5.33%; Duc Xuyen: +6.67%). In contrast, baseflow decreased over the same period (Ban Don: -21.65%; Cau 14: -15.68%; Giang Son: -16.59%; Duc Xuyen: -17.69%). Sediment load also rose markedly in 2020 relative to 2010 (Ban Don: +8.5%; Giang Son: +4.65%). The main driver of these changes was the reduction in forest cover, which increased erosion and sediment load in the river. Overall, the results demonstrate that integrating the SWAT model with GIS is an effective approach for assessing the impacts of land cover change on discharge and sediment dynamics in the Srepok River Basin. The findings provide a scientific basis for basin management, land use planning, and sustainable utilization of natural resources, while supporting socio-economic development goals.
Keywords:
SWAT, GIS, land cover changes, discharge, Srepok River Basin.
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[3] P. Sun et al., Quantifying the Contributions of Climate Variation, Land Use Change, and Engineering Measures for Dramatic Reduction in Streamflow and Sediment in a Typical Loess Watershed, China, Ecological engineering,
Vol. 142, 2020, pp. 105611,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2019.105611.
[4] S. L. Neitsch et al., Soil and Water Assessment Tool: Theoretical Documentation: Version 2005, 2005, Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory; Blackland Research Center.
[5] N. K. Nguyen, Preliminary Study on the Transition of Land, Forest, and Water Resources Management in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, in International Conference of the Vietnam Studies Institute, 2015, Publishing House of the Vietnam Institute for Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences (in Vietnamese).
[6] Z. Liu, L. Rong, W. Wei, Impacts of Land Use/Cover Change on Water Balance by Using the SWAT Model in a Typical Loess Hilly Watershed of China. Geography and Sustainability, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2023, pp. 19-28,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geosus.2022.11.006.
[7] T. H. Nguyen et al., Effect of Land Use Change on Water Discharge in Vu Gia Watershed, Vietnam using GIS and SWAT, VNU Journal of Science, Vol. 30, No. 2S, 2014, p. 80-91 (in Vietnamese).
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advengsoft.2008.08.002.
[10] T. S. Nguyen, C. T. Ngo, T. V. Hoang, Simulation Study of Rainfall–Runoff Processes in Selected River Basins of Central Vietnam for Sustainable Use of Water and Land Resources, 2008 (in Vietnamese).
[11] L. Gudmundsson et al., Globally Observed Trends in Mean and Extreme River Flow Attributed to Climate Change. Science, Vol. 371, No. 6534, 2021, pp. 1159-1162, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba3996
[12] C. Li, H. Fang, Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow for the Mun River in the Mekong Basin, Southeast Asia: Using SWAT Model. Catena, Vol. 201, 2021, pp. 105199,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105199.
[13] W. Liu et al., Modeling the Effects of Land Use/Land Cover Changes on River Runoff Using SWAT Models: A Case Study of the Danjiang River Source Area, China. Environmental Research, Vol. 242, 2024, pp. 117810, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.117810.
[14] M. D. Luzio, R. Srinivasan, J. G. Arnold, Integration of Watershed Tools and SWAT Model into Basins, JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 38, No. 4, 2002, pp. 1127-1141,
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.17521688.2002.tb05551.x.
[15] X. P. Dang et al., Evaluation of Effects of Changes in Land use on Discharge in the Srepok River Basin. Journal of Water Resources Engineering and Environment, Vol. 70, No. 9, 2020, pp. 64-70 (in Vietnamese).
[16] C. B. Pham et al. Application of SWAT Model to Evaluate the Hydrological Regime at the Upper Area of Srepok River. in National Conference on GIS Applications, in Vietnamese, 2023.
[17] J. G. Arnold et al., Large Area Hydrologic Modeling and Assessment Part I: Model Development. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 34, No. 1, 1998, pp. 73-89,
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1998.tb05961.x.
[18] USDA-SCS, National Engineering Handbook, Hydrology Section 4, 1972, USDA–SCS
[19] W. H. Green, G. Ampt, Studies on Soil Phyics, The Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol. 4, No. 1, 1911, pp. 1-24.
[20] G. H. Hargreaves, Z. A. Samani, Reference Crop Evapotranspiration from Temperature, Applied Engineering in Agriculture, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1985,
pp. 96-99,
https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.26773.
[21] C. H. B. Priestley, R. J. Taylor, Assessment of Surface Heat Flux and Evaporation Using Large-Scale Parameters, Monthly Weather Review,
Vol. 100, No. 2, 1972, p. 81-92,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1972)100< 0081:OTAOSH>2.3.CO;2.
[22] J. L. Monteith, Evaporation and Environment. in Symposia of the Society for Experimental Biology, Cambridge University Press (CUP) Cambridge, 1965.
[23] J. G. Arnold, P. M. Allen, D. S. Morgan, Hydrologic Model for Design and Constructed Wetlands, Wetlands, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2001, pp. 167-178,
https://doi.org/10.1672/0277-5212(2001)021 [0167:HMFDAC]2.0.CO;2.
[24] J. Willams, Sediment-yield Prediction with Universal Equation Using Runoff Energy Factor, Present and Prospective Technology for Predicting Sediment Yields and Sources, 1975.
[25] T. T. Nguyen, Study on the Current Status of Rural Areas in the Central Highlands and Proposal of New Rural Development Models Based on Agro-Ecological Zones to Enhance Livelihoods, Adapt to Climate Change, and Promote Sustainable Agricultural Development, in Final Synthesis Report of a National-Level Research Project under the Science and Technology Program for New Rural Development (2016–2020), Contract No. 05/HD-KHCN-NTM, 2020 (in Vietnamese).
[26] L. D. Nguyen, Study on the Scientific Basis for Integrated Solutions to Resolve Conflicts of Interest in the Exploitation and Utilization of Water Resources in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, in Final Synthesis Report of a National-Level Research Project under the Central Highlands Program III, Project Code TN3/T02, 2015 (in Vietnamese).
[27] A. T. Vu, Study on the Improvement and Management of Natural Grasslands and the Processing of Feed from Locally Available Materials to Support the Development of Large Livestock (Buffaloes, Cattle, and Elephants) under Both Centralized and Smallholder Production Systems, Aimed at Creating Sustainable Livelihoods for People in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, in Final Synthesis Report of a National-Level Research Project under the Central Highlands Program (2016–2020), Project Code TN17/T05, 2020 (in Vietnamese).