Curve Number Applications for Restoration the Zarqa River Basin

Abstract

The great demand for water resources from the Zarqa River Basin (ZRB) has resulted in a base-flow reduction of the River from 5 m 3 /s to less than 1 m 3 /s. This paper aims to predict Curve Numbers (CNs) as a baseline scenario and propose restoration scenarios for the ZRB. The method includes classifying the soil type and land use, predicting CNs, and proposing CN restoration scenarios. The prediction of existing CNs will be in parallel with the runoff prediction by using the US Army Corps of Engineers HEC-1 Model, and the Rainfall-Runoff Model (RRM). The models have been set up at the land use distribution of 0.3% water body, 9.3% forest and orchard, 71% mixture of grass, weeds, and desert shrubs, 7.0% crops, 4.0% urban areas, and 8.4% bare soil. The results show that CNs are 59, 78 and 89 under dry, normal and wet conditions, respectively. During the vegetation period, CNs are 52, 72 and 86 for dry, normal and wet conditions respectively. The restoration scenarios include how CNs decrease the runoff and increase the soil moisture when using the contours, terraces and crop residues. Analyzing the results of CN scenarios will be a fundamental tool in achieving watershed restoration targets.

Fate and Management of Pollution of Hexavalent Chromium Cr(VI) and Heavy Metals in the Zarqa River Basin in Jordan

“…The reservoir of KTD receives runoff from the basin and wastewater from treatment plants, i.e. the flow of the Zarqa River mixed with treated effluents from WWTPs and is finally stored in King Talal Dam, where the dam's water is used for irrigation in the Jordan valley [Al-Taani et al 2018; Shammout et al 2018]. The reservoir also control water releases to the central part of the Jordan valley where it is mixed with the canal water diverting water from upstream sources.…”

Calculation and Management of Water Supply and Demand under Land Use/Cover Changes in the Yarmouk River Basin Governorates in Jordan

“…Focusing on dimensions around the world, changes in land use, particularly urbanization are currently on the schedule of policy-makers to provide tools and policies Urbanization mainly happened on expenses of rangelands and rain-fed vegetables and crops areas, as well as the expansion of irrigated areas, also on expenses of rangelands. These trends of land use/cover changes, particularly the urban areas with a high percentage of change at 3.01%, have added further pressure on water supply and led to the overpumping of groundwater to balance inhabitants demand in the Yarmouk Basin [7,10]. Findings of [50,51] showed that need for water has risen with urbanization and land uses.…”

“…The relationship between water resources management and land use/cover is highly relevant, inextricably entwined, and the need to protect the quantity and quality of water resources can influence potential land uses and land management practices [7,8]. Although this relationship is complex with respect to surface basins and groundwater recharge due to diversity with topography, as well as hydrogeological characteristics [9], water-makers, from governments to nonprofits to corporations, often manage water resources and land use for multiple uses [10,11].…”

A global dynamic runoff application and dataset based on the assimilation of GPM, SMAP, and GCN250 curve number datasets

“…Originally, the purpose of NRCS method was to obtain runoff estimates for agricultural watersheds from storm rainfall events in the USA 5 . However, due to its convenience, water resources practitioners have adopted its usage in multiple regions and land uses 6 – 13 . In addition to its application in rainfall-runoff modelling, the NRCS-CN method has been successfully applied in urban hydrology 14 – 16 , water quality 17 – 19 , rainwater harvesting 3 , 20 – 22 , subsurface flow estimation 23 – 26 , and estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) 27 – 29 .…”