Relation of corridor vegetation density and stream temperature

The decline of river corridor vegetation density strongly affects the river thermal environment, which also has a large impact on the ecological systems. In this study, a stream temperature analysis model related to river corridor vegetation density was developed and applied to the Nam Song River in Laos. Meteorological data (air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed) were used, and the sink or source terms of the heat transfer equation were estimated from those data. Land cover GIS data was used for vegetation density analysis along the main river. The results of simulation with several levels of vegetation density indicate that river water temperature is more sensitive to river discharge change in the case of low vegetation density.