Hydrodynamic Regulation of Spatial–Temporal Suspended Sediment Dynamics in a Tropical Reservoir

Gusti Ihda Mazaya; Yulian Firmana Arifin; Rony Riduan; Ichsan Ridwan; Prasa Indah Setyaningrum

doi:10.48084/etasr.18277

Authors

Gusti Ihda Mazaya Department of Environmental Science, University of Lambung Mangkurat, Banjarbaru, Indonesia
Yulian Firmana Arifin Department of Civil Engineering, University of Lambung Mangkurat, Banjarbaru, Indonesia
Rony Riduan Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Lambung Mangkurat, Banjarbaru, Indonesia
Ichsan Ridwan Department of Physics, University of Lambung Mangkurat, Banjarbaru, Indonesia
Prasa Indah Setyaningrum Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Lambung Mangkurat, Banjarbaru, Indonesia

Volume: 16 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 35295-35302 | June 2026 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.18277

Received: 25 February 2026 | Revised: 17 March 2026 | Accepted: 29 March 2026 | Online: 6 June 2026

Corresponding author: Gusti Ihda Mazaya

Abstract

Reservoir sedimentation threatens storage capacity and operational sustainability, particularly in tropical systems with monsoonal hydrological variability. This study investigates the hydrodynamic regulation of suspended sediment dynamics in Waduk Riam Kanan, South Kalimantan, Indonesia, using integrated field measurements and three-dimensional Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) modeling. Suspended Sediment Concentrations (SSC) and bed sediment characteristics were measured at upstream, midstream, and downstream zones to capture dominant longitudinal hydraulic conditions. The EFDC model was developed using a curvilinear grid (5,855 active cells) to simulate flow velocity and sediment transport under seasonal forcing from June through November 2024. Field observations indicate that SSC is highest in the upstream zone and decreases toward the midstream and downstream areas, reflecting longitudinal redistribution processes. Hydrodynamic simulations show that elevated velocities near the inflow sustain advective sediment transport, whereas progressive velocity attenuation toward the central and downstream basin promotes sediment settling. Seasonal simulations demonstrate that sediment plume intensity varies with inflow conditions but remains spatially constrained by the reservoir’s longitudinal energy gradient. Model validation shows acceptable agreement between observed and simulated SSC values (overall Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ≈ 4.52 mg/L), supporting the reliability of the modeling framework. The results confirm that sediment trapping in Waduk Riam Kanan is dynamically controlled by hydrodynamic attenuation and seasonal variability, with the upstream–transitional corridor serving as the primary retention zone. This study presents a validated, spatially explicit assessment of sediment regulation mechanisms in a tropical Southeast Asian reservoir.

Keywords:

hydrodynamic attenuation, suspended sediment transport, tropical reservoir, EFDC modeling

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