Associated Projects - University of Leicester

Modelling hydrological change in Tropical Peatlands: An assessment of the SIMGRO model for estimating groundwater levels in the Kalampangan Catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Chris Revitt’s MSc Physical Geography dissertation (2005/6) modelled water-table levels in the Kalampangan catchment, Southern Kalimantan, Indonesia using the hydrological model, SIMGRO. Chris evaluated the SIMGRO model, and its suitability for investigating hydrological conditions and change within largely degraded peat swamp forest environments, based on high-resolution datasets. While modelled water-table levels compared favourably with field-derived data for non-degraded forest areas, model outputs for degraded peatswamp areas were considered unreliable. Sensitivity analysis conducted on the model inputs found that hydraulic conductivity (k) had the highest level of uncertainty associated with it, as did the evaporative and transpirational fluxes from vegetated areas.

Within most hydrological models, it is the DEM (digital elevation model) on which the model is based, that is most critical for accurate results and predictions. Due to the lack of existing topographical maps of Kalimantan, and general unreliability of those that do exist, the model DEM that underpinned Chris’s work was created manually from field-based GPS measurements that were subsequently post-processed and interpolated to a DEM. The field site was surveyed using SPLINT’s differential-GPS system (Leica GPS-500 SR20).

Staff involvement: Kevin Tansey, Sue Page