Optimizing Micro Watershed Management for Runoff Harvesting, Natural Resource Conservation at Variou s Slope Gradients and Vegetative Covers using SWAT Modeling Approach

Abstract

Report on application of SWAT model for soil conservation planning. A study was undertaken to evaluate the soil erosion parameters using semi-distributed basin scale SWAT model in different watersheds of Chakwal and Attock districts. The model was calibrated and validated for a small watershed without any soil conservation structures. For this purpose four sub-catchments of Dhrabi watershed were selected and model setup was done using Arc SWAT interface for each sub-catchment independently. SWAT Manual Calibration helper tool was used for calibration of the model parameters using time series (monthly) sediment load data from 2009-2010 and then validation of simulated sediment yield was done for the year 2011 for each sub-catchment separately. The performance of the model was evaluated using statistical and graphical methods to assess the capability of the model in simulating the sediment yield for the study area. The correlation coefficient value was 0.78 between simulated and observed sediment yield data for combined sub-catchments and the coefficient of determination (R2) and NSE values obtained were above 0.80 and 0.70, respectively for the calibration period and 0.70 and 0.65, respectively for the validation period for each sub-catchments.