HYDROPOWER DAM SITE SELECTION AND VISUALIZATION USING GIS AND RS TECHNIQUES: A CASE OF MARINDUQUE, PHILIPPINES

Abstract. The energy supply of the Philippines is dwindling considering rapid population growth, thus the need to maximize the advantages of harnessing renewable energy (RE) and optimizing its utilization in the grid. One of the RE sources that is considered practical due to its availability is running water, thus the development of hydropower. The use of remote sensing (RS) datasets and geographic information system (GIS) techniques are useful for pre-feasibility studies of hydropower development. This study utilizes Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) – derived DEM, GIS-based hydrology and terrain characterization tools to identify natural reservoirs, and spatial analysis identify site for possible dam development. The methodology consists of two processes: valley determination, a component of landform classification, and flow accumulation. Different valley determination algorithms are included in the comparison analysis such as Multi-Resolution Valley Bottom Flatness (MRVBF), Topographic Position Index (TPI), Valley and Ridge Detection (VRD) and Geomorphons, with the latter best describing the valleys within the Marinduque island. The identified valleys are intersected with sites having the most suitable elevation, slope and flow accumulation. The results of the study are different indicative sites for hydropower development, the volumetric capacity for which are generated given design specifications (e.g. different dam heights). Furthermore, upon computing the volume of water that the reservoir can contain, the reservoir design is represented as three-dimensional features over the terrain to visualize the dam development.