COMPARISON OF THREE MODELS TO PREDICT ANNUAL SEDIMENT YIELD IN CARONI RIVER BASIN, VENEZUELA <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4090/juee.2007.v1n1.010017" target="blank">(doi: 10.4090/juee.2007.v1n1.010017)</a>

Abstract

Caroní River Basin is located in the south-eastern part of Venezuela; with an area of 92.000 Km2, 40% of which belongs to the main affluent, the Paragua River. Caroní basin is the main source of energy of the country 66%; about 85 % of the hydro electrical energy is generated in Guri reservoir located in the lower part of the watershed. To take provisions to avoid the reservoir silting it is very important the study of sediment yield of the basin. In this research results of three empirical sediment yield models: Langbein-Schumm, Universal Soil Loss Equation-USLE and Poesen, are compared with observed data from five sub basins with records of twenty to thirhy years. Sediment mean yield of low, middle and upper Caroní and low and upper Paragua sub basins are 27, 76, 17, 46 and 78 ton/km2-year, respectively. Standard errors of estimates vary between 13 and 29 for Langbein-Schumm model; 8 and 32 for USLE model; and 9 and 79, for Poesen model. Langbein- Schumm model seems to predict better sediment yield of the basin.