Soil moisture dynamics and implications for irrigation of farmland with a deep groundwater table

Li, Xudong; Zhao, Yong; Xiao, Wang; Yang, Mingzhi; Shen, Yanjun; Min, Leilei

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2017.07.003

Cited by 22 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…The response time becomes longer with increasing depth to groundwater, while the peak flux becomes smaller with a more even distribution over the year. Similar results can be observed in other areas of the NCP (Li et al, 2017;Min et al, 2017). Although the water input on the soil surface is quite different from year to year, few peaks are observed when the soil depth is larger than 10 m, due to damping.…”

Section: Guantao Flow Modelsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The continuous unsustainable abstraction of groundwater caused a dramatic groundwater-level decline: by 18 m in the piedmont region in 25 years (Chen et al, 2003), by 5-50 m in the shallow aquifer and by 10-100 m in the deep aquifer over the last 50 years (Wu, 2013). This severe groundwater-level decline causes land subsidence, drying up of the lower reaches of rivers and streams, salt-water intrusion at the Hebei coast, and municipal water shortages (Wu, 2013;Liu et al, 2001;Han et al, 2011). It also increases the cost of pumping groundwater.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Decomposition technique for contributions to groundwater heads from inside and outside of an arbitrary boundary: application to Guantao County, North China Plain

Kinzelbach

et al. 2019

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. To assess the efficiency of the groundwater management of an administrative unit, we propose decomposing the groundwater head changes within an administrative unit into inside and outside contributions by using numerical models. Guantao County of Hebei Province, China, serves as an example to demonstrate the decomposition technique. The groundwater flow model of Guantao was constructed using observed heads as prescribed head boundary conditions. The model was coupled with Hydrus 1-D to calculate the groundwater recharge distribution in time reflecting the delay and damping effects of the soil column on seepage at the surface. The model was calibrated by adjusting parameters such as hydraulic conductivities, recharge infiltration ratios and specific yields. The calibrated parameters are then used in a large model with a boundary at a large distance from Guantao administrative boundary to determine the groundwater head changes due to inside drivers. The differences of the two models on the Guantao boundary serve as the specified head values on the boundary for a small-scale model, which is used to calculate the groundwater head imposed by outside drivers. To eliminate inconsistencies caused by the different types of boundary conditions of large and small models, the groundwater head changes due to inside drivers must be updated. The results indicate that the groundwater head changes in the center and south of Guantao County are influenced equally by both inside and outside contributions, while in the north outside contributions have the stronger impact. On average, 48.5 % of groundwater head changes in the whole of Guantao County is influenced by inside contributions, while 51.5 % is due to outside contributions. The sensitivity analysis shows that the groundwater head changes and their decomposition are much more sensitive to infiltration ratios than to the aquifer parameters. The parameters within Guantao have a certain influence on the net groundwater head changes, while the parameters outside of Guantao only have an influence on the decomposition.

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Section: Guantao Flow Modelsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decomposition technique for contributions to groundwater heads from inside and outside of an arbitrary boundary: application to Guantao County, North China Plain

Kinzelbach

et al. 2019

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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show abstract

“…Central to modeling irrigation management practices under shallow groundwater conditions (such as in the Yellow River basin) is simulating the soil moisture content accurately (Batalha et al, 2018, Gleeson et al, 2016Jasechko and Taylor, 2015;Venkatesh et al, 2011a) because the moisture content plays a critical role in the growth of crops (Rodriguez-Iturbe, 2000), groundwater recharge (Hodnett and Bell, 1986) and upward movement of water to the root zone in areas (Gleeson et al, 2016;Jasechko and Taylor, 2015;Venkatesh et al, 2011a;Batalha et al, 2018). The last effect is unique to shallow groundwater areas where the moisture content and thus the unsaturated conductivity are high and where the drying of the surface soil sets up the hydraulic gradient that causes the upward capillary movement from the shallow groundwater (Kahlown et al, 2005;Liu et al, 2016;Luo and Sophocleous, 2010;Yeh and Famiglietti, 2009). The upward-moving water contains salt that is deposit in the root zone and at the surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By including these dynamics, more realistic predictions of moisture contents and upward flow can be obtained and would give better results when extended outside the area they are developed for (Wang and Smith, 2004). The reason is that for areas with shallow groundwater, evapotranspiration sets up a hydraulic gradient that causes the upward capillary water movement to sustain the evapotranspiration demands and crop water use (Kahlown et al, 2005;Liu et al, 2016;Luo and Sophocleous, 2010;Yeh and Famiglietti, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A unique vadose zone model for shallow aquifers: the Hetao irrigation district, China

Liu

Wang

Huo

et al. 2019

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Rapid population growth is increasing pressure on the world water resources. Agriculture will require crops to be grown with less water. This is especially the case for the closed Yellow River basin, necessitating a better understanding of the fate of irrigation water in the soil. In this paper, we report on a field experiment and develop a physically based model for the shallow groundwater in the Hetao irrigation district in Inner Mongolia, in the arid middle reaches of the Yellow River. Unlike other approaches, this model recognizes that field capacity is reached when the matric potential is equal to the height above the groundwater table and not by a limiting soil conductivity. The field experiment was carried out in 2016 and 2017. Daily moisture contents at five depths in the top 90 cm and groundwater table depths were measured in two fields with a corn crop. The data collected were used for model calibration and validation. The calibration and validation results show that the model-simulated soil moisture and groundwater depth fitted well. The model can be used in areas with shallow groundwater to optimize irrigation water use and minimize tailwater losses.

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“…shallow aquifer and by 10-100 m in the deep aquifer over the last 50 years (Wu, 2013). This severe groundwater-level decline causes land subsidence, drying up of the lower reaches of rivers and streams, salt-water intrusion at the Hebei coast, and municipal water shortages (Wu, 2013;Liu et al, 2001;Han et al, 2011). It also increases the cost of pumping groundwater.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reply to Anonymous Referee 2

Li¹

2019

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To assess the efficiency of the groundwater management of an administrative unit, we propose decomposing the groundwater head changes within an administrative unit into inside and outside contributions by using numerical models. Guantao County of Hebei Province, China, serves as an example to demonstrate the decomposition technique. The groundwater flow model of Guantao was constructed using observed heads as prescribed head boundary conditions. The model was coupled with Hydrus 1-D to calculate the groundwater recharge distribution in time reflecting the delay and damping effects of the soil column on seepage at the surface. The model was calibrated by adjusting parameters such as hydraulic conductivities, recharge infiltration ratios and specific yields. The calibrated parameters are then used in a large model with a boundary at a large distance from Guantao administrative boundary to determine the groundwater head changes due to inside drivers. The differences of the two models on the Guantao boundary serve as the specified head values on the boundary for a small-scale model, which is used to calculate the groundwater head imposed by outside drivers. To eliminate inconsistencies caused by the different types of boundary conditions of large and small models, the groundwater head changes due to inside drivers must be updated. The results indicate that the groundwater head changes in the center and south of Guantao County are influenced equally by both inside and outside contributions, while in the north outside contributions have the stronger impact. On average, 48.5 % of groundwater head changes in the whole of Guantao County is influenced by inside contributions, while 51.5 % is due to outside contributions. The sensitivity analysis shows that the groundwater head changes and their decomposition are much more sensitive to infiltration ratios than to the aquifer parameters. The parameters within Guantao have a certain influence on the net groundwater head changes, while the parameters outside of Guantao only have an influence on the decomposition.

show abstract

Soil moisture dynamics and implications for irrigation of farmland with a deep groundwater table

Cited by 22 publications

References 35 publications

Decomposition technique for contributions to groundwater heads from inside and outside of an arbitrary boundary: application to Guantao County, North China Plain

Decomposition technique for contributions to groundwater heads from inside and outside of an arbitrary boundary: application to Guantao County, North China Plain

A unique vadose zone model for shallow aquifers: the Hetao irrigation district, China

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