Dissolved Sediment Delivery by the Samaru Stream into Kubanni Reservoir of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analyzes the dissolved sediment delivery by Samaru stream, a tributary of Kubanni reservoir. The stream was monitored for 7 months, from 1^st of April to 10^th of October, 2014 which mainly marks the flow period of the year. The study analyzed the dissolved sediment concentration (DSC), discharge (Q), relationship between dissolved sediment discharge (DSD) and discharge (Q) and the estimate of the dissolved sediment yield for the year. The velocity and cross sectional area (AV) method was employed for the discharge measurement of the stream which gave a mean value of 0.2528 m³/s, and an annual total discharge value of 4,850,232 m³/yr. The lowest discharge of 0.057 m³/s was recorded in April and the highest discharge of 4.133 m³/s was recorded in August. DSC obtained varies from a minimum value of 20 mg/L to a maximum value of 120 mg/L with a mean value of 58.87 mg/L, and total sum of 4180 mg/L. DSD using the rating curve varied from a minimum value of 1.14 mg/s to a maximum value of 325.44 mg/s, and a total value of 3162 mg/s. DSD and Q were related and it gave a strong relationship because both values of r (0.866) and r² (0.749) are high. A total value of 174,000 kg/yr was estimated as the dissolved sediment yield of the stream with a Channel Sediment Yield (CSY) of 174 tons/yr. The amount is high and can be attributed to the anthropogenic activities upstream. It is therefore recommended that the Ahmadu Bello University should intensify on their efforts in creating awareness among the academic and neighboring Samaru community on conservative methods of reducing the rate of pollution of the reservoir.

Keywords: Dissolved Sediment, Discharge, Samaru Stream, Kubanni Reservoir, Ahmadu Bello University.