Sediment transport problems in Nepal evaluated by the SETRIC model

Abstract

Abstract The SETRIC mathematical model has been developed to study the interrelationship between water flow and sediment transport in irrigation canals under changing flow conditions. The effects of flow control structures, water delivery schedules and maintenance plans on the overall response of the canal with respect to sediment transport can be studied with this model. The earlier model in QuickBasic has been transferred to a Visual Basic environment, which has resulted in an interactive and user‐friendly interface. The model has been used to evaluate the design of the Sunsari Morang irrigation system in Nepal for different operation and maintenance plans. With the model, a simultaneous simulation of a wide range of variables has been studied that affect the sediment transport performance of the canal. Even though it might be premature to present quantitative results without detailed calibration of the model, the qualitative results of the model are encouraging. The simulation results revealed some fundamental issues, which, if addressed properly during the design, will lead to a improved canal system in terms of operation and maintenance. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.