Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Runoff and sediment yield modeling by means of WEPP in the Bautzen dam catchment, Germany

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Soil erosion by water is one of the most widespread forms of soil degradation in Europe. There are many undesirable consequences of soil erosion due to water such as loss of water storage capacity in reservoirs and transfer of pollutants from farmland to water bodies. The objectives of this study were to calibrate and validate the Water Erosion Prediction Project watershed model (WEPP 2012.8) in the Bautzen dam catchment area with monthly and daily single events for runoff and sediment yield. This is to our knowledge the first study using WEPP in Germany. The catchment (310 km2) was subdivided into small sub-catchments with an area of <260 ha as recommended in WEPP. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the runoff is highly sensitive to the effective hydraulic conductivity in Bautzen, whereas the sediment yield is highly sensitive to rill erodibility, critical shear stress, and to the effective hydraulic conductivity as well. All these parameters were initially calculated using WEPP’s built-in equations and parameters, which, however, produced very poor results for both runoff and sediment yield. Therefore, the model was calibrated for 2 years (2005–2007) and validated for another 2 years (2008–2009) against monthly measurements, in addition to 14 daily single events from the calibration period and 2010. The monthly results were compared with the monthly measurements on the basis of a continuous simulation. Results of calibration and validation periods show a satisfactory performance of WEPP with a determination coefficient R 2 above 0.6 and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients above 0.50 for runoff and sediment yield. Thus, the model could be used to simulate runoff and sediment yield, and used in scenario studies in the Bautzen dam catchment area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alberts EE, Nearing MA, Weltz MA, Risse LM, Pierson FB, Zhang XC, Simanton JR (1995) Soil components. In: Flanagan DC, Nearing MA (Eds.) USDA-Water Erosion Prediction Project: Hillslope profile and watershed model documentation. NSERL report no. 10. July 1995, National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, West Laffayette, In (chapter 7)

  • Amore E, Modica C, Nearing MA, Santoro VC (2004) Scale effect in USLE and WEPP application for soil erosion computation from three Sicilian basins. J Hydrol 293(1–4):100–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold J, Allen P (1999) Automated methods for estimating baseflow and ground water recharge from stream flow records 1. JAWRA J Am Water Resour Assoc 35(2):411–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold J, Allen P, Muttiah R, Bernhardt G (1995) Automated base flow separation and recession analysis techniques. Ground Water 33(6):1010–1018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold JG, Srinivasan R, Muttiah RS, Williams JR (1998) Large area hydrologic modeling and assessment, part 1: model development. J Am Water Resour Assoc 34:73–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ascough JC, Baffaut C, Nearing MA, Flanagan DC (1995) Watershed model channel hydrology and erosion processes. In: Flanagan DC, Nearing MA (eds.) USDA-Water Erosion Prediction Project: Hillslope profile and watershed model documentation. NSERL report no. 10. July 1995, National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, West Laffayette, In (chapter 13)

  • Baffaut C, Nearing MA, Ascough JC II, Liu BY (1997) The WEPP watershed model: II. Sensitivity analysis and discretization on small watersheds. Trans ASAE 40(4):935–943

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahadur KCK (2011) Spatio-temporal patterns of agricultural expansion and its effect on watershed degradation: a case from the mountains of Nepal. Environ Earth Sci 65(7):2063–2077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basaran M, Erpul G, Ozcan AU, Saygin DS, Kibar M, Bayramin I, Yilman FE (2010) Spatial information of soil hydraulic conductivity and performance of cokriging over kriging in a semi-arid basin scale. Environ Earth Sci 63(4):827–838

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baskan O, Cebel H, Akgul S, Erpul G (2009) Conditional simulation of USLE/RUSLE soil erodibility factor by geostatistics in a Mediterranean Catchment, Turkey. Environ Earth Sci 60(6):1179–1187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beasley DB, Huggins LF, Monke EJ (1982) Modeling sediment yield from agricultural watersheds. Soil Water Conserv 37:113–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Boden AG (2005) Bodenkundliche Kartieranleitung, 5. Auflage. Herausgeber: Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Hannover

  • Defersha MB, Melesse AM, McClain ME (2012) Watershed scale application of WEPP and EROSION 3D models for assessment of potential sediment source areas and runoff flux in the Mara River Basin, Kenya. Catena 95:63–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demirci A, Karaburun A (2011) Estimation of soil erosion using RUSLE in a GIS framework: a case study in the Buyukcekmece Lake watershed, northwest Turkey. Environ Earth Sci 66(3):903–913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diodato N, Grauso S (2009) An improved correlation model for sediment delivery ratio assessment. Environ Earth Sci 59(1):223–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elmer M, Gerwin W, Schaaf W, Zaplata MK, Hohberg K, Nenov R, Hüttl RF (2013) Dynamics of initial ecosystem development at the artificial catchment Chicken Creek, Lusatia, Germany. Environ Earth Sci 69(2):491–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ewen J, Parkin G, Enda OP (2000). SHETRAN: distributed river basin flow and transport modeling system (July)

  • Fang H, Li Q, Cai Q, Liao Y (2010) Spatial scale dependence of sediment dynamics in a gullied rolling loess region on the Loess Plateau in China. Environ Earth Sci 64(3):693–705

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan DC, Nearing MA (1995) USDA-Water Erosion Prediction Project:Hillslope profile and watershed model documentation. NSERL report no. 10. USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Laffayette, IN, USA, 47097–1196

  • Flanagan DC, Ascough II JC, Nicks AD, Nearing MA, Laflen JM (1995) Overview of the WEPP erosion prediction model. Water erosion prediction project: hillslope profile and watershed model documentation. West Lafayette: United States Department of Agriculture/National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory

  • Flanagan DC, Gilley JE, Franti TG (2007) Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP): development History, Model Capabilities, and Future Enhancements. Trans Am Soc Agric Biol Eng 50(5):1603–1612

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster GR, Lane LJ (1987) User requirements:USDA-Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP).NSERL Report 1, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Laffayette, IN, USA

  • Gasim MB, Abd Rahim S, Toriman ME, Idris WMR, Lihan T, Rahman ZA, Hadib N (2012) Flux of nutrients and heavy metals from the Melai River sub-catchment into Lake Chini, Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia. Environ Earth Sci 68(3):889–897

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grønsten HA, Lundekvam H (2006) Prediction of surface runoff and soil loss in southeastern Norway using the WEPP Hillslope model. Soil Tillage Res 85(1–2):186–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartwig M, Theuring P, Rode M, Borchardt D (2011) Suspended sediments in the Kharaa River catchment (Mongolia) and its impact on hyporheic zone functions. Environ Earth Sci 65(5):1535–1546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heppner CS, Ran Q, VanderKwaak JE, Loague K (2006) Adding sediment transport to the integrated hydrology model (InHM): development and testing. Adv Water Resour 29(6):930–943. doi:10.1016/j.advwatres.2005.08.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knisel WG (1980) CREAMS: a field scale model for chemicals, runoff and erosion from agricultural management systems. Conservation Research Report No 26 USDA. Washington

  • Kothyari UC, Jain MK, Ranga Raju KG (2002) Estimation of soil erosion and sediment yield using GIS. Hydrol Sci J 47(5):693–706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krause P, Boyle DP, Bäse F (2005) Advances in geosciences comparison of different efficiency criteria for hydrological model assessment. Adv Geosci 5(89):89–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lal R (1997) Degradation and resilience of soils. Philos Trans Royal Soc Lond 352:997–1010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lal R (2001) Soil degradation by erosion. Land Degrad Dev 12(6):519–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee G, Yu W, Jung K (2012) Catchment-scale soil erosion and sediment yield simulation using a spatially distributed erosion model. Environ Earth Sci 70(1):33–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu D, Li B, Liu X, Warrington DN (2011) Monitoring land use change at a small watershed scale on the Loess Plateau, China: applications of landscape metrics, remote sensing and GIS. Environ Earth Sci 64(8):2229–2239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • López-Vicente M, Navas A (2009) Relating soil erosion and sediment yield to geomorphic features and erosion processes at the catchment scale in the Spanish Pre-Pyrenees. Environ Earth Sci 61(1):143–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magliulo P (2012) Assessing the susceptibility to water-induced soil erosion using a geomorphological, bivariate statistics-based approach. Environ Earth Sci 67(6):1801–1820

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mays LW (2005) Water resources engineering, 2005 Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York

  • McCuen RH (1973) The role of sensitivity analysis in hydrologic modeling. J Hydrol 18:37–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melegy A, Slaninka I, Pačes T, Rapant S (2010) Weathering fluxes of arsenic from a small catchment in Slovak Republic. Environ Earth Sci 64(2):549–555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mhangara P, Kakembo V, Lim KJ (2011) Soil erosion risk assessment of the Keiskamma catchment, South Africa using GIS and remote sensing. Environ Earth Sci 65(7):2087–2102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan RPC, Quinton JN, Smith RE, Govers G, Poesen JWA, Chisci G, Torri D (1998) The EUROSEM model. In: Boardman J, Favis-Mortlock (Ed.) Model in soil erosion by water. NATO-ASI Series I–55. Springer, Berlin, pp 389–398

  • Moriasi DN, Arnold JG, Van Liew MV, Binger RL, Harmel RD, Veith TL (2007) Model evaluation guidelines for systematic quantification of accuracy in watershed simulations. Trans Am Soc Agric Biol Eng 50(3):885–900

    Google Scholar 

  • Nash JE, Sutcliffe JV (1970) River flow forecasting through conceptual models part1-A discussion of principles. J Hydrol 10(3):282–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nearing MA, Deer-Ascough L, Lafeln JM (1990) Sensitivity analysis of the WEPP hillslope profile erosion model. Trans Am Soc Agric Eng 33(3):839–849

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Odhiambo BK, Ricker MC (2011) Spatial and isotopic analysis of watershed soil loss and reservoir sediment accumulation rates in Lake Anna, Virginia, USA. Environ Earth Sci 65(1):373–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey A, Chowdary VM, Mal BC, Billib M (2008) Runoff and sediment yield modeling from a small agricultural watershed in India using the WEPP model. J Hydrol 348(3–4):305–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey A, Mathur A, Mishra SK, Mal BC (2009) Soil erosion modeling of a Himalayan watershed using RS and GIS. Environ Earth Sci 59(2):399–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paola F, Ducci D, Giugni M (2013) Desertification and erosion sensitivity. A case study in southern Italy: the Tusciano River catchment. Environ Earth Sci 70(5):2179–2190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papanicolaou AN(Thanos), Abaci O (2008) Upland erosion modeling in a semihumid environment via the water erosion prediction project model. J Irrig Drain Eng 134(6):796–806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasannakumar V, Shiny R, Geetha N, Vijith H (2011) Spatial prediction of soil erosion risk by remote sensing, GIS and RUSLE approach: a case study of Siruvani river watershed in Attapady valley, Kerala, India. Environ Earth Sci 64(4):965–972

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raclot D, Albergel J (2006) Runoff and water erosion modelling using WEPP on a Mediterranean cultivated catchment. Phys Chem Earth Parts A/B/C 31(17):1038–1047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman AKMM, Al Bakri D (2009) Contribution of diffuse sources to the sediment and phosphorus budgets in Ben Chifley Catchment, Australia. Environ Earth Sci 60(3):463–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renard KG, Foster GR, Weesies GA, McCool DK, Yorder DC (1997) Predicting soil erosion by water: a guide to conservation planning with the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). Agriculture Handbook 703: 404

    Google Scholar 

  • Renschler CS (2003) Designing geo-spatial interfaces to scale process models: the GeoWEPP approach. Hydrol Process 17(5):1005–1017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renschler CS, Flanagan DC, Engel BA, Frankenberger JR (2002) GeoWEPP-The Geo-spatial interface for the Water Erosion Prediction Project. ASAE meeting

  • Romero CC, Stroosnijder L, Baigorria GA (2007) Interrill and rill erodibility in the northern Andean Highlands. Catena 70(2):105–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpley AN, Williams JR (1990) EPIC-erosion/productivity impact calculator:model documentation.USDA Technical Bull no. 1768

  • Shen ZY, Gong YW, Li YH, Hong Q, Xu L, Liu RM (2009) A comparison of WEPP and SWAT for modeling soil erosion of the Zhangjiachong Watershed in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. Agric Water Manag 96(10):1435–1442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh RK, Panda RK, Satapathy KK, Ngachan SV (2011) Runoff and sediment yield modelling for a treated hilly watershed in eastern Himalaya using the Water Erosion Prediction Project Model. Water Resour Manag 26(3):643–665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Yu J, Shrestha S, Ishidaira H, Takeuchi K (2009) Application of a distributed erosion model for the assessment of spatial erosion patterns in the Lushi catchment, China. Environ Earth Sci 61(4):787–797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Oguchi T, Ridd PV, Shen H (2013) Anthropogenic influence on sedimentation during the last 100 years inferred from magnetic properties in the Changjiang Estuary, China. Environ Earth Sci 70(4):1671–1680

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wichmeier WH, Smith DD (1978) Predicting rainfall erosion loss: a guide to conservation planning. USDA Handbook 537, Washington, pp 58

  • Williams JR (1975) Sediment-yield prediction with universal equation using runoff energy factor. Present Prospect Technol Predict Sediment Yields Sources 40:244–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu L, Long T, Liu X, Ma X (2013) Modeling impacts of sediment delivery ratio and land management on adsorbed non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus load in a mountainous basin of the Three Gorges reservoir area, China. Environ Earth Sci 70(3):1405–1422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xinxiao Y, Xiaoming Z, Lili N (2009) Simulated multi-scale watershed runoff and sediment production based on GeoWEPP model. Int J Sedim Res 24(4):465–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young RA, Onstad CA, Bosch DD, Anderson WP (1989) A non point source pollution model for evaluating agricultural watersheds. Soil Water Conserv 44:68–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeleke G, Winter T, Flanagan DC (1999) BPCDG: Breakpoint Climate Data Generator for WEPP using observed standard weather data sets. 1–17. https://afrsweb.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/ad_hoc/36021500WEPP/Bpcdg.pdf

  • Zhang B, Wu P, Zhao X, Wang Y, Gao X (2012) Changes in vegetation condition in areas with different gradients (1980–2010) on the Loess Plateau, China. Environ Earth Sci 68(8):2427–2438

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the DAAD (Deutscher Akademisher Austausch Dienst) for the financial support during this study. Also special thanks to Jim Frankenberger from the USDA-ARS for his constructive and valuable suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hydrogeologie Department, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Gustav Zeuner Str. 12, 09599, Freiberg, Germany

    Mustafa Al-Mukhtar, Volkmar Dunger & Broder Merkel

  2. Building and Construction Engineering Department, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq

    Mustafa Al-Mukhtar

Authors
  1. Mustafa Al-Mukhtar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Volkmar Dunger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Broder Merkel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mustafa Al-Mukhtar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Al-Mukhtar, M., Dunger, V. & Merkel, B. Runoff and sediment yield modeling by means of WEPP in the Bautzen dam catchment, Germany. Environ Earth Sci 72, 2051–2063 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3113-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3113-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation