Next Article in Journal
Evapotranspiration and Crop Coefficient of Economically Important Fruit Trees in the Eastern Amazon
Next Article in Special Issue
Multi-Objective Calibration of a Pre-Modern Nile Hydrologic Model Using Recovered Records
Previous Article in Journal
Assessing Nonstationary Hydroclimatic Impacts on Streamflow in the Soan River Basin, Pakistan, Using Mann–Kendall Test and Artificial Neural Network Technique
Previous Article in Special Issue
Surface Runoff Responses to Forest Thinning in Semi-Arid Oak–Pine Micro-Catchments of Northern Mexico
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Hydrology
Volume 13
Issue 4
10.3390/hydrology13040107
hydrology-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Sediment Yield Assessment and Erosion Risk Analysis Using the SWAT Model in the Amman–Zarqa Basin, Jordan

by
Motasem R. AlHalaigah
1,
Michel Rahbeh
1,*,
Nisrein H. Alnizami
1,
Mutaz M. Zoubi
2,
Heba F. Al-Jawaldeh
1,3,
Shahed H. Alsoud
1,3,
Yazan A. Alta’any
3,
Qusay Y. Abu-Afifeh
1,3,
Ali Brezat
1,
Rasha Al-Rkebat
4,
Safa E. El-Mahroug
1,
Bassam Al Qarallah
5 and
Ahmad J. Alzubaidi
3,6
1
Department of Land, Water and Environment, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
2
Department of Chemistry, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
3
Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
4
Department of Environmental Systems Research, National Agricultural Research Center, Baq’a 19381, Jordan
5
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
6
Water Resources Unit, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc., Davenport, IA 52807, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Hydrology 2026, 13(4), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology13040107
Submission received: 14 February 2026 / Revised: 7 April 2026 / Accepted: 7 April 2026 / Published: 9 April 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Catchments Hydrology and Sediment Dynamics (Second Edition))
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Sediment accumulation in reservoirs represents a critical challenge for sustainable water resources management in semi-arid regions. In Jordan, accelerated sedimentation threatens the operational capacity of major dams, including the King Talal Dam (KTD), which serves as a key water resource in the Amman–Zarqa Basin (AZB). This study assesses sediment yield and erosion risk at the catchment scale using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) integrated with the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE). The AZB was subdivided into 31 sub-basins and 586 Hydrological Response Units (HRUs) based on land use, soil characteristics, topography, and slope. The model was calibrated for the period 1993–2002 and validated for 2003–2012 using hydrological and sediment observations from 17 monitoring stations. Long-term simulations covering more than two decades were conducted to quantify spatial and temporal sediment yield patterns across the basin. Results indicate a mean annual sediment yield of 2.79 t ha−1 yr−1, corresponding to approximately 0.59 MCM yr−1 of sediment inflow to the reservoir. These estimates closely agree with bathymetric survey results reported by the Jordan Valley Authority, which indicate sedimentation rates of 2.59 t ha−1 yr−1 (0.55 MCM yr−1). Overall, the model demonstrates strong agreement between observed and simulated sediment loads, confirming its reliability for sediment dynamics assessment. The findings are relevant to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 (clean water and sanitation) and 15 (life on land) by informing sustainable watershed and soil erosion management practices.
Keywords: catchment hydrology; MUSLE; sediment yield; semi-arid watershed; soil erosion; SWAT model catchment hydrology; MUSLE; sediment yield; semi-arid watershed; soil erosion; SWAT model

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

AlHalaigah, M.R.; Rahbeh, M.; Alnizami, N.H.; Zoubi, M.M.; Al-Jawaldeh, H.F.; Alsoud, S.H.; Alta’any, Y.A.; Abu-Afifeh, Q.Y.; Brezat, A.; Al-Rkebat, R.; et al. Sediment Yield Assessment and Erosion Risk Analysis Using the SWAT Model in the Amman–Zarqa Basin, Jordan. Hydrology 2026, 13, 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology13040107

AMA Style

AlHalaigah MR, Rahbeh M, Alnizami NH, Zoubi MM, Al-Jawaldeh HF, Alsoud SH, Alta’any YA, Abu-Afifeh QY, Brezat A, Al-Rkebat R, et al. Sediment Yield Assessment and Erosion Risk Analysis Using the SWAT Model in the Amman–Zarqa Basin, Jordan. Hydrology. 2026; 13(4):107. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology13040107

Chicago/Turabian Style

AlHalaigah, Motasem R., Michel Rahbeh, Nisrein H. Alnizami, Mutaz M. Zoubi, Heba F. Al-Jawaldeh, Shahed H. Alsoud, Yazan A. Alta’any, Qusay Y. Abu-Afifeh, Ali Brezat, Rasha Al-Rkebat, and et al. 2026. "Sediment Yield Assessment and Erosion Risk Analysis Using the SWAT Model in the Amman–Zarqa Basin, Jordan" Hydrology 13, no. 4: 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology13040107

APA Style

AlHalaigah, M. R., Rahbeh, M., Alnizami, N. H., Zoubi, M. M., Al-Jawaldeh, H. F., Alsoud, S. H., Alta’any, Y. A., Abu-Afifeh, Q. Y., Brezat, A., Al-Rkebat, R., El-Mahroug, S. E., Al Qarallah, B., & Alzubaidi, A. J. (2026). Sediment Yield Assessment and Erosion Risk Analysis Using the SWAT Model in the Amman–Zarqa Basin, Jordan. Hydrology, 13(4), 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology13040107

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop