TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of ecosystem-based adaptation measures for sediment yield in a tropical watershed in Thailand
AU - Babel, Mukand S.
AU - Gunathilake, Miyuru B.
AU - Jha, Manoj K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/10/1
Y1 - 2021/10/1
N2 - Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) can potentially mitigate watershed degradation prob-lems. In this study, various EbA measures were evaluated using a bio-physical model called the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), in a small, forested watershed named Hui Ta Poe, in the northeastern region of Thailand. The developed watershed model was first used to investigate the effect of various degraded watersheds due to land-use changes on the sediment yield in the study area. The most degraded watershed produced an annual average sediment yield of 13.5 tons/ha. This degraded watershed was then used to evaluate the effectiveness of various EbA measures such as reforestation, contouring, filter strips, and grassed waterways in reducing the sediment yield. Under all individual and combined EbA scenarios analyzed, there was a significant reduction in sediment yield; however, the maximum reduction of 88% was achieved with a combined scenario of refor-estation, grassed waterways, and filter strips. Reforestation alone was found to be the second-best option, which could reduce the sediment yield by 84%. Contouring alone was the least effective, with a reduction in sediment yield of only 23%. This study demonstrates the usefulness of imple-menting EbA measures for sediment management strategies to address watershed degradation, which is a severe problem across the globe.
AB - Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) can potentially mitigate watershed degradation prob-lems. In this study, various EbA measures were evaluated using a bio-physical model called the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), in a small, forested watershed named Hui Ta Poe, in the northeastern region of Thailand. The developed watershed model was first used to investigate the effect of various degraded watersheds due to land-use changes on the sediment yield in the study area. The most degraded watershed produced an annual average sediment yield of 13.5 tons/ha. This degraded watershed was then used to evaluate the effectiveness of various EbA measures such as reforestation, contouring, filter strips, and grassed waterways in reducing the sediment yield. Under all individual and combined EbA scenarios analyzed, there was a significant reduction in sediment yield; however, the maximum reduction of 88% was achieved with a combined scenario of refor-estation, grassed waterways, and filter strips. Reforestation alone was found to be the second-best option, which could reduce the sediment yield by 84%. Contouring alone was the least effective, with a reduction in sediment yield of only 23%. This study demonstrates the usefulness of imple-menting EbA measures for sediment management strategies to address watershed degradation, which is a severe problem across the globe.
KW - Ecosystem-based adaptation
KW - SWAT
KW - Sediment yield
KW - Watershed degradation
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85117133372
U2 - 10.3390/w13192767
DO - 10.3390/w13192767
M3 - Article
SN - 2073-4441
VL - 13
JO - Water (Switzerland)
JF - Water (Switzerland)
IS - 19
M1 - 2767
ER -
