Sensitivity of Streamflow Characteristics to Different Spatial Land-Use Configurations in Tropical Catchment

This paper analyzed the impact of land use and its spatial configuration on streamflow in the Samin catchment (278  km2), Indonesia. Historic land use was reconstructed based on satellite images for the years 1982, 1994, 2000, 2006, and 2013. A calibrated and validated Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) simulated the catchment hydrology of the study area, taking respective land use covers as inputs. A correlation analysis between changes in land use covers and simulated streamflow characteristics was carried out. A land-cover scenario analysis assessed the sensitivity of streamflow characteristics to different future land use covers. The results show that an increase in the settlement connectivity can result in an increase in the ratio of surface runoff to streamflow and a decrease in the ratio of dry-season streamflow to wet-season streamflow, and vice versa. The results suggest that land use pattern management can be an important component in water management.