Hydrological modeling in the karst area, Rižana spring catchment, Slovenia

Abstract

Karst aquifers are known for their heterogeneity and irregular complex flow patterns which make them more difficult to model and demand specific modeling approaches. This paper presents one such approach which is based on a conceptual model. The model was applied in a karst area of the catchment of Rižana spring (200 km 2 ). It is based on the MIKE SHE code and incorporates the main hydrological processes and geological features of the karst aquifer (diffuse and concentrated infiltration, allogenic recharge, quick and slow groundwater flow, shifting groundwater divides and groundwater outflow from the catchment area). Modeling of evapotranspiration and flow in the upper part of the unsaturated zone is more detailed. For the modeling of groundwater flow in the karst aquifer, a conceptual model was applied which uses drainage function for the simulation of groundwater flow through large conduits (karst channels and large fissures). The model was calibrated and validated against the observed Rižana spring discharge which represents a measured response of the aquifer. The results of validation show that the model is able to adequately simulate temporal evolution of the spring discharge, measured by Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (0.82) as well as overall water balance.

Impacts of climate and land-use changes on the migration of non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus during rainfall-runoff in the Jialing River Watershed, China

“…The dynamic processes of surface water and groundwater within the basin are not only controlled by rainfall, evaporation, temperature and solar radiation and other meteorological factors, but also by the topography, soil, land use, vegetation and other geographical factors. Hydrological process simulation is the basis of the study of watershed non-point source pollution, it directly determines the estimation accuracy of dissolved NPS pollution load (Janza 2010).…”

Quantifying and modelling the contribution of streams that recharge the Querença-Silves aquifer in the south of Portugal

“…Recharge of karst systems (and all aquifer systems in general) may be autogenic when it occurs directly from precipitation over the karst aquifer area (diffuse and concentrated infiltration), or allogenic when originated from streambed infiltration from upstream surface runoff in low permeable rocks into sinking or losing streams (Andreo et al, 2008;Taylor and Greene, 2008;Janza, 2010).…”

Simulation of spatial and temporal distribution on dissolved non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus load in Jialing River Watershed, China

“…Simulating is an important way to study the formation processes of NPS pollution (Easton et al 2008;Kuisi et al 2009;Mitja 2010). Hydrological process simulation directly determines the estimated accuracy of dissolved NPS pollution (Janza 2010). Therefore, the semi-distributed landuse runoff process (SLURP) hydrological model (Kite 2002) was introduced and used to simulate the hydrological cycle of surface flow and interflow in the watershed.…”