Monitoring and modelling of hydrological processes in the semiarid region of Brazil: The Cariri experimental basins

• Published in: Hydrological processes Vol. 35; no. 5
• Main Authors: Srinivasan, Vajapeyam S, de Alcântara, Hugo M, de O Galvão, Carlos, Bezerra, Ulisses A, John E de Brito Leite Cunha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.05.2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Arid regions; Arid zones; Basins; Caatinga; Catchment area; Catchment hydrology; Catchment scale; Catchments; Environmental monitoring; experimental basin; Experimental basins; Hydrologic data; hydrologic modelling; Hydrologic models; Hydrologic processes; Hydrology; Land use; micro‐catchments; Parameters; Rain; Rainfall; Runoff; Scale effect; Sediment; Sediment yield; Sediments; Semi arid areas; Semiarid lands; semiarid region; Semiarid zones; Soil erosion; Surface runoff; Brazil
• ISSN: 0885-6087; 1099-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.14194

Catchments have highly variable yields of runoff and soil erosion. The size, land use and the surface cover play a significant role and influence the catchment response and parameter values of simulation models. Two experimental basins—the Cariri basins—were equipped in a semi‐arid region of Brazil, for obtaining runoff and sediment yield at different catchment scales, as well as, to evaluate the influence of the land use and surface cover. In the first basin, located in the municipality of Sumé, the field studies were carried out at two different scales: four micro‐catchments with an area of around 0.5 ha and nine standard Wischmeier‐type erosion plots of 100 m2. The experimental units had varied vegetation and management. They were subjected only to natural rainfall events, and were monitored from 1982 to 1991. The total runoff and total sediment yield were determined for each of the events. The installations in the second basin, in the municipality of São João do Cariri, from 1999, include two erosion plots, three micro‐catchments, and two sub‐catchments of a small basin. These basins are still being monitored for runoff and sediment production. Among the micro‐catchments two are nested to detect any scale effect at the micro‐catchment level. Nearly 600 events of precipitation, that produced runoff in at least one of the experimental units, have been registered. These data have been used to evaluate the influence of various factors, including cultivation practices and to calibrate hydrological models for plots and micro‐catchments. Parameters have been tested by means of cross validations among micro‐catchments and sub‐catchments. The data sets are made available to all the catchment hydrology researchers and others at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4690886. Two experimental basins were equipped in a semi‐arid region of Brazil, for obtaining runoff and sediment yield in three catchment scales to evaluate the influence of the land use and surface cover. These data have been used to evaluate the influence of various factors including cultivation practices and to calibrate hydrological models for plots and micro‐catchments.