Water Resources Observation and Large-scale Model Estimation in Forested Areas in Mekong River Basin

• SHIMIZU Akira

  Kyushu Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI)

• SUZUKI Masakazu

  Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

• SAWANO Shinji

  National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences

• KABEYA Naoki

  Kyushu Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI)

• NOBUHIRO Tatsuhiko

  FFPRI

• TAMAI Koji

  FFPRI

• TSUBOYAMA Yoshio

  FFPRI

• CHANN Sophal

  Forestry Administration, Forest and Wildlife Science Research Institute

• KETH Nang

  Forestry Administration, Forest and Wildlife Science Research Institute

Abstract

In this paper, we have measured many meteorological elements associated with evapotranspiration using a 60-m-high meteorological observation tower, runoff and precipitation of broad-leaf forest watersheds in the Kampong Thom Province of central Cambodia. Moreover, an interception plot was established for calculating the rainfall interception ratio by forest coverage close to the tower. Analyzing many kinds of observed data, we evaluated Stung Chinit watershed, which had the largest drainage area and an annual loss of ~1200 mm. This value was in agreement with annual evapotranspiration estimated in 2004 by the Bowen ratio energy balance method. The annual canopy interception rate, which is one of the most important hydrological factors in the forest, was approximately 15%. Also, the rainfall interception process was reproduced well according to the multilayer model. The available renewable freshwater resources in forested areas of the Mekong River basin were estimated by modeling. Annual available renewable freshwater resources in forested areas of the Mekong ranged from 300 to 2200 mm/year. The mountainous area of west Cambodia had vast renewable freshwater resources, and almost all regions had 500 mm/year. This result mostly corresponded to the amount of water resources in the largest evergreen forest experimental watershed including several small watersheds in central Cambodia.

Journal

• Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly: JARQ

  Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly: JARQ 44 (2), 179-186, 2010

  Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences

Keywords

• available renewable freshwater resources
• canopy interception
• experimental watershed
• large-scale model
• rainfall-runoff observation
• water budget

Details

• CRID: 1390001204701590528
• NII Article ID: 130002147874
• DOI: 10.6090/jarq.44.179
• ISSN: 21858896
• ISSN: 00213551
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed