In this project an assessment of the soil erosion and sediment loads in Upper Tana Catchment areas was undertaken and the impact of sediment deposition on the reservoir capacities of the principal dams was estimated. A physiographical baseline was established through an intensive monitoring campaign of flow and sediment loads throughout the basin, bathymetric surveys of the reservoirs and soil erosion modeling.

This project will undertake an assessment of the soil erosion and sediment loads in Upper Tana Catchment areas and estimate the impact of sediment deposition on the reservoir capacities of the principal dams. A physiographical baseline will be established through an intensive monitoring campaign of flow and sediment loads throughout the basin, bathymetric surveys of the reservoirs and soil erosion modeling to assess the current situation. FutureWater will be responsible for the modeling assessment.

An extensive monitoring campaign is conducted measuring sediment load through water sampling at key stations throughout the basin on a biweekly basis as well as major flood events. Besides, long-term siltation data will be obtained from the bathymetric surveys of the principle reservoirs. These project datasets will be used to simulate the current level of soil erosion for each sub catchment based on slope, rainfall intensity, soil type, land use, crop patterns and land use practices. For the calibration of the sediment flows in the basin, the strategy is to calibrate first with the long-term siltation rates calculated from the bathymetric surveys and secondly with the flow and sediment data from the current measurement campaign.

Related publications

  • 2013 - Hydrological Sciences JournalHunink, J.E., I.A. Niadas, P. Antonaropoulos, P. Droogers, J. de Vente. 2013. Targeting of intervention areas to reduce reservoir sedimentation in the Tana catchment (Kenya) using SWAT. Hydrological Sciences Journal 58: 600-614X

    Targeting of intervention areas to reduce reservoir sedimentation in the Tana catchment (Kenya) using SWAT

    Hunink, J.E., I.A. Niadas, P. Antonaropoulos, P. Droogers, J. de Vente

  • 2011 - FutureWater Report 112Hunink, J.E., P. Droogers. 2011. Physiographical baseline survey for the Upper Tana catchment: erosion and sediment yield assessment. FutureWater Report 112X

    Physiographical baseline survey for the Upper Tana catchment: erosion and sediment yield assessment

    Hunink, J.E., P. Droogers