1.

Background
The amount of sediment is an important element in the construction and design of
any hydro-electric project. According to WECS. 2003 only 1/300 portion of the study
time is allocated to sedimentation study and the management of sediment is rarely
planned for. In regards to this there have been several water related projects which
have failed due to sediment related problems.
Sedimentation in Nepalese rivers mostly occurs due to erosion of soil and
weathering. The catchment area for this projects cover parts of higher Himalayas
(origin) and lesser Himalayas. Originating from the higher Himalayas Budi Gandaki
river takes huge amount of soil debris with the glacial ice. Moreover, along its route,
soil erosion from the hills contribute to the river sediment.
Furthermore there is considerable seasonal variation in sediment transport rates as
it is linked to the pattern of rainfall, snowfall and weathering. The most amount of
sediment transport occurs during the monsoon season when most of the rivers are
flooded.
2. Catchment Characteristics
3. Physiographic
4. Erosion Processes in Catchment
5 Sediment yield
5.1 Available Sediment Data
Sediment yield of some of the hydroelectric projects as evaluated by the Nepal
Electricity Authority (NEA) of Nepal has been listed below.
S. no.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Name of Project
Kulekhani Storage Hydroelectric
Project
Marsyandi Hydroelectric Project
Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project
Andhi Khola Storage Hydroelectric
Project
Jhimruk Khola Hydroelectric Project
Pancheshwor Storage Hydroelectric
Project
Upper Seti Storage Hydroelectric
Project
Budhi Gandaki Storage
Hydroelectric Project
Upper Karnali Hydroelectric Project

Specific Sediment
Yield
13654
4340
6450
32000
5750
4317
6787
3390
1820

10
11
12

Karnali Chisapani Hydroelectric

Project
Dudh Kosi Storage Hydroelectric
Project
Arun III Hydroelectric Project

5952
2225
1320

Furthermore, the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS) has published a
paper "Himalayan Sediments: Issues and Guidelines 2003" . This paper gives an
estimate on the specific sediment of large watersheds of Nepal and India. Table
below is extracted from this paper.
s.no.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Watershed
Tamur
Sunkosi
Arun
Saptakosi
Trisuli
Bagmati
Karnali
Ganges

Area(km2)
5785
18995
35396
60390
410
585
42890
1076000

Specific Sediment
Yield
5650
4360
1040
2220
1830
4500
2100
1350

5.2 Laboratory Analysis of the Sediment Concentration

The detailed analysis of sedimentation at the intake site was commissioned to
Hydro Lab Pvt. Ltd. Under this commission the laboratory was asked to conduct
suspended sediment sampling at site and to carry out laboratory analyses of the
samples transported to Hydro Lab for sediment concentration, PSD and mineral
content analyses. For this the laboratory conducted suspended sediment sampling
at site from 11 May 2014 till 30 September 2014.
A sampling location was chosen on the right bank of Budhi Gandaki River at about
25 m
downstream of existing gauging station. This location showed a favorable flow
situation where proper mixing of sediment and water was observed.
Normally two regular samples per day were collected at 8 AM and 4 PM, from 11
May
2014 to till date of reporting. Altogether, 283 regular samples were abstracted till
date of
reporting. Additional 40 samples were also collected during flood when water was
"dirtier".
In addition to the sampling date, sampling time and bottle number, the following
additional
parameters were also recorded in connection with each sample.

a) Water temperature
b) Rainfall condition
c) Gauge height
5.2.1 Concentration analysis
The figure below shows the time series plot of suspended sediment samples,
collected from 11 May to 29 September 2014.

The figure shows that the concentration of suspended sediment in ppm varies from
0 to 1000 in dry seasons, whereas from June to the mid of august( the monsoon
season) high concentration peaks are observed.
5.2.2 Particle size distribution analysis
The contractor carried out the Particle Size Distribution (PSD analysis using the
Beckman Coulter Particle Size Analyzer. equipment analyses the particle sizes within
a range of 0.4 micron to 2,000 micron by using Laser Diffraction method.
Altogether 10 numbers of sediment samples were analyzed for particle size
distribution (PSD) during this reporting period. For the general overview of the PSD
of the analyzed samples, a compiled PSD curves are shown in Figure below.

From the figure above it is seen that the particle size mainly varies from 0.003 mm
to 0.300mm in size except in July 15 and July 21 where the particle size was as high
as 0.8 mm. This was due to heavy rainfall.
5.2.3 Mineral content analysis
The results from the microscopic analysis of suspended sediments of 10 samples
conducted by the consultant shows that quartz(40%) and mica(20%) dominate the
mineralogy. Feldspar is found to contribute about 7% and Tourmaline about 3%.
Apart from that carbonates, clay, chlorite and other minerals contribute about 30%
of the minerology.
Figure below shows the average contents of minerals in the suspended sediments.

Figure: Average content of minerals in the suspended sediment collected from 11

May to 29
September 2014
Notes:
1. Other A: Tourmaline.
2. Others B: Carbonate (~18 %), Clay, Chlorite and few unidentified sediments.

6. Empirical Estimation of Sediment Yield by Empirical Methods

7. Suspended Load