• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.403-407
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• 2022

Grain size of material is important factor in evaluating mechanical properties. Methods for grain size determination are described in ASTM grain size standards. However, conventional method require pretreatment of the surface to clarify grain boundaries. In this study, the grain size from the surface image obtained from scanning electron microscope was measured using the watershed algorithm, which is a region-based method among image segmentation techniques. The shapes of the crystals are similar to each other, but the size and growth height are different. In addition, crystal grains are adjacent to each other, so it is very similar to the shape image of the topography. Therefore, grain boundaries can be efficiently detected using the Watershed algorithm.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2010

The increase of impervious cover (IC) in a watershed is known as an important factor causing alteration of water cycle, deterioration of water quality and biological communities of urban streams. The study objective was to assess the impact of IC changes on the surface runoff characteristics of Kap Stream basin located in Geum river basin (Korea) using the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). SWMM was calibrated and verified using the flow data observed at outlet of the watershed with 8 days interval in 2007 and 2008. According to the analysis of Landsat satellite imagery data every 5 years from 1975 to 2000, the IC of the watershed has linearly increased from 4.9% to 10.5% during last 25 years. The validated model was applied to simulate the runoff flow rates from the watershed with different IC rates every five years using the climate forcing data of 2007 and 2008. The simulation results indicated that the increase of IC area in the watershed has resulted in the increase of peak runoff and reduction of travel time during flood events. The flood flow ($Q_{95}$) and normal flow ($Q_{180}$) rates of Kap Stream increased with the IC rate. However, the low flow ($Q_{275}$) and drought flow ($Q_{355}$) rates showed no significant difference. Thus the subsurface flow simulation algorithm of the model needs to be revisited for better assessment of the impact of impervious cover on the long-term runoff process.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.815-820
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• 2015

For the establishment of effective water resources management platform for Jeju-Island, the characteristics, including surface runoff, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge and discharge are to be properly quantified. Among these hydrologic components, interception due to vegetation is very important factor but it is hard to be quantified. After Von Hoyningen-Huene (1981) found the relationship between LAI (Leaf Area Index) and interception storage, LAI has been used for key factor to estimate interception and transpiration. In this study the equation suggested by Kozak et al. (2007) is implemented in SWAT-K (Soil and Water Assessment Tool - Korea) model and is tested at the Cheonmicheon watershed in Jeju-Island. The evaporation due to interception was estimated as 85~104mm, 8~11% of whole evaporation. Therefore it is necessary to consider the evaporation due to interception as a controlling factor to water budget of this watershed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.119-124
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• 2009

In this study, the characteristics of estimating methodology for RUSLE factors such as soil erodibility factor, slope length-steepness factor, and cover management factor were reviewed and then the relative error according to each methodology was analyzed. RUSLE was applied to experimental watershed for 42 storm events and their results were compared with measured sediment yield to examine the applicability of RUSLE. As a result, this paper found that it should be necessary to consider vegetation effect for forest application of RUSLE as cover management was the most sensitive factor. Also, soil erodbility factor was calculated from data of soil series by National Academy of Agricultural Science caused sediment yield to be overestimated because there were big differences between the soil series and on-site soil texture. The 22.7% of maximum relative error was shown according to selecting the rain energy equation. In addition, it will be necessary to verify the RUSLE factors with more data in order to improve their accuracy.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.303-318
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• 2014

Baseflow gives a significant contribution to stream function in the regions where climatic characteristics are seasonally distinct. In this regard, variable baseflow can make it difficult to maintain a stable water supply, as well as causing disruption to the stream ecosystem. Changes in land use can affect both the direct flow and baseflow of a stream, and consequently, most other components of the hydrologic cycle. Baseflow estimation depends on the observed streamflow in gauge watersheds, but accurate predictions of streamflow through modeling can be useful in determining baseflow data for ungauged watersheds. Accordingly, the objectives of this study are to 1) improve predictions of SWAT by applying the alpha factor estimated using RECESS for calibration; 2) estimate baseflow in an ungauged watershed using the WHAT system; and 3) evaluate the effects of changes in land use on baseflow characteristics. These objectives were implemented in the Gapcheon watershed, as an ungauged watershed in South Korea. The results show that the alpha factor estimated using RECESS in SWAT calibration improves the prediction for streamflow, and, in particular, recessions in the baseflow. Also, the changes in land use in the Gapcheon watershed leads to no significant difference in annual baseflow between comparable periods, regardless of precipitation, but does lead to differences in the seasonal characteristics observed for the temporal distribution of baseflow. Therefore, the Guem River, into which the stream from the Gapcheon watershed flows, requires strategic seasonal variability predictions of baseflow due to changes in land use within the region.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.911-924
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• 2003

Many researches have been conducting on extracting geometry data and hydrologic parameters by using GIS technique. However, there is no clear standard on those methods yet. This study examines the changing pattern of runoff responses characteristics with applying lumped model on divided watershed. WMS is used in order to divide watershed and calculate hydrologic geometry data and parameters by GIS technique. HEC-1 is adopted as a hydrologic model to establish runoff responses. The basin is divided into small watersheds, which are approximately same size. This research conducted runoff response simulation of Pyoungchang River and Wichon River Basin. Especially, research was focused on what is the most appropriate level as a divined sub-basin, and tested the effect of size of sub-basin for the runoff response simulation. The results showed the size of sub-basin was not an important factor for the simulation results after a certain size. The results of this study can be applied as an appropriate guidance to select optimal simulation size of watershed for the lumped model in a specific watershed.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.81-98
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• 2013

Mercury (Hg) dynamics in the boreal environment have been a subject of concern in recent decades, due to the exposure of local populations to the contaminant. Land use, because of its impact on mercury inputs, has been highlighted as a key player in the sources and eventual concentrations of the heavy metal. In order to evaluate the impact of watershed disturbances on Hg dynamics in frequently fished, large boreal lakes, we studied sediment cores retrieved at the focal point of eight large lakes of Qu$\acute{e}$bec (Canada), six with watersheds affected by land uses such as logging and/or mining, and two with pristine watersheds, considered as reference lakes. Using a Geographical Information System (GIS), we correlated the recent evolution of land uses (e.g., logging and mining activities) and morphological characteristics of the watershed (e.g., mean slope of the drainage area, vegetation cover) to total Hg concentrations (THg) in sedimentary records. In each core, THg gradually increased over recent years with maximum values between 70 and 370 ng/g, the lowest mercury concentrations corresponding to the pristine lake cores. The Hg Anthropogenic Sedimentary Enrichment Factor (ASEF) values range from 2 to 15. Surprisingly, we noticed that the presence of intense land uses in the watershed does not necessarily correspond to noticeable increases of THg in lake sediments, beyond the normal increment that can be attributed to Hg atmospheric deposition since the beginning of the industrial era. Rather, the terrestrial Hg inputs of boreal lakes appear to be influenced by watershed characteristics such as mean slopes and vegetation cover.

• KCID journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2007

In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to assess spatiotemporal effects on watershed runoff and sediment characteristics due to land uses changes from 1999 to 2002 at the small watershed, located in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon province. The annual average flow rate of Scenario I (long-term simulation using land use of 1990), II (long-term simulation using land use of 1996), III(long-term simulation using land use of 200) and IV(simulation using land use of 1990, 1995, and 2000) in long-term simulation) using the SWAT model were 29,997,043 m3, 29,992,628 m3, 29,811,191 m3 and 29,931,238 m3, respectively. It was shown that there was no significant changes in estimated flow rate because no significant changes in land uses between 1990 and 2000 were observed. The annual average sediment loads of Scenarios I, II, III and IV for 15 year period were 36,643 kg/ha, 45,340 kg/ha , 27,195 kg/ha and 35,545 kg/ha, respectively. The estimated annual sediment loads from Scenarios I, II, and III, were different from that from the scenario IV, considering spatio-temporal changes in land use and meterological changes over the years, by 10%, 127%, and temporal changes in land use and meterological changes over the years, by 10%, 127%, and 77%. This can be explained in land use changes in high soil erosion potential areas, such as upland areas, within the study watershed. The comparison indicates that changes in land uses upland areas, within the study watershed. The comparison indicates that changes in land uses can affect on sediment yields by more than 10%, which could exceed the safety factor of 10% in Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). It is, therefore, recommended that not only the temporal analysis with the weather input data but also spatial one with different land uses need to be considered in long-term hydrology and sediment simulating using the SWAT model

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.518-526
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• 2007

There have been serious soil erosion and water pollution problems caused by highland agriculture practices at Doam-dam watershed. Especially agricultural activities, chemical and organic fertilizer and pesticide applications, soil reconditioning to maintain soil fertility are known as primary causes of soil erosion and water qaulity degradation in the receiving water bodies. Among these, soil reconditioning can accelerate soil erosion rates. To develop soil erosion prevention practices, it is necessary to estimate the soil erosion from the watershed. Thus, the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model has been developed and utilized to assess soil erosion. However, the USLE model cannot be used at watershed scale because it does not consider sediment delivery ratio (SDR) for watershed application. For this reason, the Sediment Assessment Tool for Effective Erosion Control (SA TEEC) was developed to assess the sediment yield at any point in the watershed. The USLE-based SA TEEC system can estimate the SDR using area-based SDR and slope-based SDR module. In this study, the SATEEC system was used to estimate soil erosion and sediment yield at the Doam-dam watershed using the soil properties from reconditioned agricultural fields. Based on the soil sampling and analysis, the US LE K factor was calculated and used in the SA TEEC system to analyze the possible errors of previous USLE application studies using soil properties from the digital soil map, and compared with that using soil properties obtained in this study. The estimated soil erosion at the Doam-dam watershed without using soil properties obtained in the soil sampling and analysis is 1,791,400 ton/year (123 ton/ha/year), while the soil erosion amount is 2,429,900 ton/year (166.8 ton/ha/year) with the use of soil properties from the soil sampling and analysis. There is 35 % increase in estimated soil erosion and sediment yield with the use of soil properties from soil reconditioned agricultural fields. Since significant amount of soil erosion are known to be occurring from the agricultural fields, the soil erosion and sediment yield from only agricultural fields was assessed. The soil erosion rate is 45.9 ton/ha/year without considering soil properties from soil reconditioned agricultural fields, while 105.3 ton/ha/year after considering soil properties obtained in this study, increased in 129%. This study shows that it is very important to use correct soil properties to assess soil erosion and sediment yield simulation. It is recommended that further studies are needed to develop environment friendly soil reconditioning method should be developed and implemented to decrease the speed of soil erosion rates and water quality degradation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.262-267
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• 2006

For the concentration management in COD parameters, it requires the measurement and estimation of the COD pollutants load (hereinafter PL) in the watershed. The estimation method of the PL, however, is provided only based on the BOD parameters. The development of COD PL estimation schemes is expected to execute total PL management in coastal zone and needs to more observation and much time. This study provides COD PL estimation schemes using statistical information about ratio analysis with COD & BOD concentration of rivers and drainages of an industrial complex in Lake Shiwha and Incheon Coastal Zone watershed. The COD PL is computed with ease by multiplying the conversion factor, which is calculated as the sum of the average and 1 to 3 (safety factors) times standard deviation. The conversion factor of Lake Shihwa and Incheon Coastal Zone is estimated as 1.7, 2.3 and 2.9 with respect to the safety factor 1, 2, and 3, respectively.