Sedimentation in small dams. Development of a catchment characterisation and sediment yield prediction procedure

The British Government's Department for International Development commissioned HR Wallingford to develop guidelines presenting appropriate methods for predicting, and where possible reducing, siltation rates in small communal dams in semi-arid zones in Eastern and Southern Africa. Small dam designers must be able to use these methods; they typically need to carry out assessments rapidly using limited local data, and may not have software skills or access to computers. The report describes the development of a method for predicting small dam catchment sediment yields. The objective was to develop a simple procedure which would distinguish between dams that will silt up rapidly from dams that will have a sedimentation lifetime well in excess of twenty years.