| Title: | The mitigation potential of buffer strips for reservoir sediment yields: The Itumbiara Hydroelectric Power Plant in Brazil |
| Authors: | Luz, M.P., L.C. Beevers, A.J.S. Cuthbertson, G.M. Medero, V.S. Dias and D.T.F. Nascimento |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Journal: | Water |
| Volume (Issue): | 8 |
| Pages: | |
| Article ID: | 489 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/w8110489 |
| URL (non-DOI journals): | |
| Model: | SWAT |
| Broad Application Category: | pollutant only |
| Primary Application Category: | BMP and/or cropping system assessment |
| Secondary Application Category: | sediment loss and transport |
| Watershed Description: | 5,685 km^2 drainage area to the Itumbiara Reservoir, located on the Paranaiba River in the state of Goiás in central Brazil. |
| Calibration Summary: | |
| Validation Summary: | |
| General Comments: | |
| Abstract: | Soil erosion and deposition mechanisms play a crucial role in the sustainability of both
existing reservoirs and newly planned projects. Soil erosion is one of the most important factors
influencing sediment transport yields, and, in the context of existing reservoirs, the surrounding
watersheds supply both runoff and sediment yield to the receiving water body. Therefore, appropriate
land management strategies are needed to minimize the influence of sediment yields on reservoir
volume and, hence, the capacity of power generation. In this context, soil erosion control measures
such as buffer strips may provide a practical and low-cost option for large reservoirs, but need to
be tested at the catchment scale. This paper represents a study case for the Itumbiara hydroelectric
power plant (HPP) in Brazil. Four different scenarios considering radially planted buffer strips
of Vetivergrass with widths of 20 m, 40 m, 100 m and 200 m are analyzed. A semi-distributed
hydrological model, SWAT, was used to perform the simulations. Results indicate a reduction of
sediments transported to the reservoir of between 0.2% and 1.0% per year is possible with buffer
strip provision, and that this reduction, over the life of Itumbiara HPP, may prove important for
lengthening the productivity of the plant. |
| Language: | English |
| Keywords: | sediments; Indian grass; reservoir; SWAT; Brazil |