1. What is Area of Catchment?

Area of Catchment, also known as a watershed or simply a catchment, refers to the region of land from which water flows into a river, lake, or reservoir. It is a fundamental concept in hydrology and environmental management.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( A \) — Area of Catchment (km²)
• \( Q_{sv} \) — Volume of Sediment Yield per Year (m³/year)
• 0.00323 — Empirical coefficient
• 0.72 — Empirical exponent

Explanation: This formula establishes a relationship between sediment yield and catchment area based on empirical data and hydrological principles.

3. Importance of Area Calculation

Details: Accurate catchment area calculation is crucial for water resource management, flood prediction, sediment transport studies, and environmental impact assessments.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the volume of sediment yield per year in cubic meters. The value must be greater than zero for valid calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is sediment yield?
A: Sediment yield is the total amount of erosional debris exported from a drainage basin or catchment area over the course of a year.

Q2: Why is 0.00323 used in the formula?
A: This is an empirical coefficient derived from regional studies that relates sediment yield to catchment area characteristics.

Q3: What factors affect sediment yield?
A: Climate, topography, soil type, land use, vegetation cover, and human activities all influence sediment yield from a catchment.

Q4: Are there limitations to this formula?
A: This empirical formula may have regional variations and should be calibrated for specific geographical areas for optimal accuracy.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: Accuracy depends on the quality of sediment yield data and the applicability of the empirical coefficients to the specific catchment being studied.