Home / Current Issue / Paper 1710545
Systematic Sedimentation at Kiri Dam, Nigeria (1982-2025): Two-Epoch Bathymetry, Hypsographic Losses, and Sedimentological Controls on Water-Supply Reliability
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Civil Engineering and Water Resources Engineering
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I3-1710545-196
Abstract
This study presents the inaugural two-epoch comparison of Kiri Dam Reservoir in Nigeria, contrasting the 1982 design survey with a geodetically controlled hydrographic resurvey conducted in 2025. The methodologies employed adhered to IHO S-44 (2020) standards, including Trimble RTK-GNSS control, ADCP depth soundings, crossline calibration, uncertainty propagation, TIN and raster surface generation, and hypsographic volume integration. At NTWL (170.5 meters above mean sea level), live storage has decreased from 615 million cubic meters to 344.15 million cubic meters (a reduction of 44.04%), and the surface area has declined from 106.36 to 67.02 square kilometres (a decrease of 37%). These losses are concentrated in the 161?167 meter benches, as confirmed by PSD analyses of silty clay and geochemical fingerprinting indicating organic-rich fines. Regression analyses reveal strong linear relationships for elevation?capacity, with R? values of 0.996 in 1982 and 0.992 in 2025. The results suggest diminished irrigation reliability and limited flood buffering capacity, emphasising the need for targeted sediment management and periodic resurveying.
Keywords
Bathymetry; Reservoir sedimentation; Hypsography; ADCP; Elevation?capacity; Nigeria; Kiri Dam; PSD; Geochemistry; IHO S 44.
References
[1] American Public Health Association (APHA), American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Water Environment Federation (WEF), 2017. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. 23rd ed. Washington, DC: APHA.
[2] Domínguez-Gálvez, D.L. and Álvarez-Álvarez, M.J., 2025. Sustainable sediment management in reservoirs: La Estancilla case study. Journal of Water and Land Development, 64, pp.211–220.
[3] International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO), 2020. S-44: Standards for Hydrographic Surveys. Ed. 6.0.0. Monaco: IHO.
[4] International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO), 2022. S-44: Standards for Hydrographic Surveys. Ed. 6.1.0. Monaco: IHO.
[5] Kondolf, G.M., Rubin, Z.K. and Minear, J.T., 2014. Sustainable sediment management in reservoirs and regulated rivers. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 39, pp.18–37.
[6] Li, J., Zhang, C. and Wu, P., 2020. Reservoir sedimentation and water-supply risk in semi-arid basins. Water Resources Research, 56, e2020WR027517.
[7] Morris, G.L. and Fan, J., 1998. Reservoir sedimentation handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[8] Punuf, D.A., Sartohadi, J. and Setiawan, M.A., 2025. Community-based management of small reservoirs in areas prone to erosion, landslides, and drought. Environmental Sustainability, 15(1), pp.83–96.
[9] United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), 2013. EM 1110-2-1003: Hydrographic surveying. Washington, DC: USACE.
[10] United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), 1985. Area-capacity curves for reservoirs. Denver, CO: USBR.
How to cite this paper
@article{1710545,
author = {Gambo, A.T, Olaniyan, O.S, Adegbola, A.A},
title = {Systematic Sedimentation at Kiri Dam, Nigeria (1982-2025): Two-Epoch Bathymetry, Hypsographic Losses, and Sedimentological Controls on Water-Supply Reliability},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {9},
number = {3},
pages = {440-452},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1710545.pdf},
abstract = {This study presents the inaugural two-epoch comparison of Kiri Dam Reservoir in Nigeria, contrasting the 1982 design survey with a geodetically controlled hydrographic resurvey conducted in 2025. The methodologies employed adhered to IHO S-44 (2020) standards, including Trimble RTK-GNSS control, ADCP depth soundings, crossline calibration, uncertainty propagation, TIN and raster surface generation, and hypsographic volume integration. At NTWL (170.5 meters above mean sea level), live storage has decreased from 615 million cubic meters to 344.15 million cubic meters (a reduction of 44.04%), and the surface area has declined from 106.36 to 67.02 square kilometres (a decrease of 37%). These losses are concentrated in the 161?167 meter benches, as confirmed by PSD analyses of silty clay and geochemical fingerprinting indicating organic-rich fines. Regression analyses reveal strong linear relationships for elevation?capacity, with R? values of 0.996 in 1982 and 0.992 in 2025. The results suggest diminished irrigation reliability and limited flood buffering capacity, emphasising the need for targeted sediment management and periodic resurveying.},
keywords = {Bathymetry; Reservoir sedimentation; Hypsography; ADCP; Elevation?capacity; Nigeria; Kiri Dam; PSD; Geochemistry; IHO S 44.},
month = {September},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I3-1710545-196}
}