Model Development for Specific Degradation Using Data Mining and Geospatial Analysis of Erosion and Sedimentation Features

  • Kang, Woochul (Department of Land, Water and Environment Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology) ;
  • Kang, Joongu (Department of Land, Water and Environment Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology) ;
  • Jang, Eunkyung (Department of Land, Water and Environment Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology) ;
  • Julien, Piere Y. (Dept. of Civil and Earth Resources Engineering, Colorado State University)
  • Published : 2020.06.24

Abstract

South Korea experiences few large scale erosion and sedimentation problems, however, there are numerous local sedimentation problems. A reliable and consistent approach to modelling and management for sediment processes are desirable in the country. In this study, field measurements of sediment concentration from 34 alluvial river basins in South Korea were used with the Modified Einstein Procedure (MEP) to determine the total sediment load at the sampling locations. And then the Flow Duration-Sediment Rating Curve (FD-SRC) method was used to estimate the specific degradation for all gauging stations. The specific degradation of most rivers were found to be typically 50-300 tons/㎢·yr. A model tree data mining technique was applied to develop a model for the specific degradation based on various watershed characteristics of each watershed from GIS analysis. The meaningful parameters are: 1) elevation at the middle relative area of the hypsometric curve [m], 2) percentage of wetland and water [%], 3) percentage of urbanized area [%], and 4) Main stream length [km]. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of existing models is in excess of 1,250 tons/㎢·yr and the RMSE of the proposed model with 6 additional validations decreased to 65 tons/㎢·yr. Erosion loss maps from the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), satellite images, and aerial photographs were used to delineate the geospatial features affecting erosion and sedimentation. The results of the geospatial analysis clearly shows that the high risk erosion area (hill slopes and construction sites at urbanized area) and sedimentation features (wetlands and agricultural reservoirs). The result of physiographical analysis also indicates that the watershed morphometric characteristic well explain the sediment transport. Sustainable management with the data mining methodologies and geospatial analysis could be helpful to solve various erosion and sedimentation problems under different conditions.

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