Return to HydroWeb Homepage
Electronic journal of the International Association
for Environmental Hydrology
On the World Wide Web at http://www.hydroweb.com
JEH Volume 10 (2002), Paper 9, December 2002
Posted December 28, 2002
ESTIMATING SEDIMENT YIELD OF A SMALL CATCHMENT IN A TROPICAL
REGION USING THE AGNPS MODEL: THE WATERFALL RIVER CATCHMENT, PENANG, MALAYSIA
Ruslan Rainis
Wan Ruslan Ismail
Geography Section, School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang,
Malaysia
Noresah Mohd Shariff
School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the result of our research in testing the applicability
and performance of the AGNPS (Agricultural Non-Point Source) model to estimate
sediment yield of a small tropical catchment. The results of the modelling
were compared with actual data collected in the field. Based upon limited
sampling data, AGNPS produced variable results. At the lower end, the model
underestimated the actual sediment yield by about 20 percent. On the other
hand, at the extreme, the model overestimated the actual sediment yield by
as high as 62 percent. The relatively high deviations between the actual
and predicted sediment yield might be due to high rainfall intensity and
its impact on the erosion index in the region. However, the results of this
study are comparable to similar studies using AGNPS in other parts of the
world.
Reference: Rainis, R., W.R. Ismail and N.M. Shariff; Estimating
Sediment Yield of a Small Catchment in a Tropical Region Using the AGNPS
Model: The Waterfall River Catchment, Penang, Malaysia, Journal of Environmental
Hydrology, Vol. 10, Paper 9, December 2002.
CONTACT:
Ruslan Rainis
School of Geography
University of Leeds
Woodhouse Lane
Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
Email: rruslan@usm.my