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Volume 13 | Issue 10 | Year 2026 | Article Id. IJCE-V13I10P109 | DOI : https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V13I10P109

Comparison of Sedimentation Rate Analysis of Lake Tondano using Empirical Methods and Direct Measurements

Liany Amelia Hendratta, Arthur Harris Thambas, Isri Ronald Mangangka, La’la Monica

Received Revised Accepted Published
17 Jan 2026 20 Feb 2026 06 Mar 2026 28 Oct 2026

Citation :

Liany Amelia Hendratta, Arthur Harris Thambas, Isri Ronald Mangangka, La’la Monica, "Comparison of Sedimentation Rate Analysis of Lake Tondano using Empirical Methods and Direct Measurements," International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 13, no. 10, pp. 133-141, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V13I10P109

Abstract

Sedimentation in the Lake Tondano watershed was assessed by comparing estimates from the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), and Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) with direct field observations from ten major inlet rivers. The analysis combined rainfall, soil, slope, and land-use data with laboratory measurements of sediment concentration. The calculated Erosivity (R) values were 1,703.14 MJ.cm/ha.jm/yr for USLE, 1,566.54 MJ.cm/ha.jm/yr for RUSLE, and 1,648.00 for MUSLE. The watershed had an average soil Erodibility (K) of 0.20, an LS factor of 0.496, a land-cover factor (C) of 0.241, and a conservation-practice factor (P) of 1. Using these parameters, the estimated annual sediment volumes were 46,081.70 m³/year with USLE, 73,588.18 m³/year with RUSLE, and 44,589.68 m³/year with MUSLE. Measurements from the inlet rivers showed sediment concentrations between 1.33 and 14.58 gr/m³, while peak discharge reached 662.31 m³/s. Among the three empirical approaches, the MUSLE estimate was closest to the direct measurements. Its closer agreement with the field data is consistent with the model’s use of runoff-related variables, which are particularly relevant under the high-rainfall and strong-runoff conditions of the Lake Tondano watershed. These findings provide a basis for improving sediment-control and watershed-management efforts in Lake Tondano, where changes in land cover have contributed to increased erosion and sediment accumulation.

Keywords

Erosion, Sedimentation, Usle, Rusle, Musle, Lake Tondano.

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