This paper DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4275613

Soil Loss Estimation and Change of Storage Volume Using GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques: A Case of Lom Pangar Hydroelectric Dam Watershed, Cameroon

Andrew Ako Ako^1*, Osmanou Njoya ²

¹ Hydrological Research Centre, Yaoundé, Cameroon

² Department of Rural Engineering, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon

* Corresponding author Email: akoandrewako@yahoo.com

Abstract: For many purposes of hydropower production, many reservoirs are built throughout the planet. Because of the processes of erosion and sedimentation, these infrastructures are facing a big problem of progressive reduction of their storage capacity. Consequently, a good knowledge of the change of storage for proper planning and management is very important. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was used to evaluate the gross erosion in the Lom Pangar catchment and the quantity of sediment that effectively reach the outlet of the catchment.

The gross erosion was evaluated to be 47.2 million tons of soil per year with an average of 6.61 million tons per year that effectively reach the outlet. On the quantity that reaches the outlet, the Brune’s sediment trap efficiency was applied and 0.1% of  Lom Pangar reservoir decreases per year, an amount smaller than the 1% of annual worldwide reduction of water reservoirs.

Keywords: Erosion, storage volume, reservoir, Lom Pangar Dam, Cameroon.