SIMULATION OF GROUND-WATER FLOW IN STEEP BASIN WITH SHALLOW SURFACE SOIL

A coupled groundwater/channel flow distributed model has been developed for continuous simulation in a 123 sq km basin. The aim was to analyze the streamflow generation processes in natural vegetated environments. Finite-difference schemes have been used to solve conservation equations of the two dimensional (2D) saturated subsurface flow and the 1D kinematic surface flow. Because of the high hydraulic conductivity of the surface soil, only the saturation excess mechanism of runoff production has been considered. Parameter sensitivity analysis showed the overriding influence of soil storage capacity and conductivity. A grid discretization greater than 100 m produces a hydraulic conductivity greater than physically meaningful, which considerably increases as the space-grid step increases. Results indicate that the model can satisfactorily simulate the water-flow behavior of the catchment after fitting the three parameters of surface hydraulic conductivity, effective porosity, and evapotranspiration losses. These are done after calculating the conductivity as a function of the height of the water table. The simulation efficiency has varied from 87% in the first 5-year calibration period to 85.8% in the subsequent 5-year validation period.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/8672558
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Niedda, M
• Publication Date: 2000-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 670-678
• Serial:
  • Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
  • Volume: 126
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-9429
  • Serial URL: https://ascelibrary.org/journal/jhend8

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calibration; Channel flow; Drainage basins; Evapotranspiration; Finite differences; Flow; Groundwater; Hydraulics; Kinematics; Mathematical models; Permeability coefficient; Porosity; River basins; Runoff; Saturated soils; Sensitivity analysis; Simulation; Validation; Vegetation; Watersheds
• Geographic Terms: Sardinia (Italy)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; I26: Water Run-off - Freeze-thaw;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00798472
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 20 2000 12:00AM