Recharge,upflux and water table response for shallow water table conditions in southwest Florida

A disproportionate increase or decrease in water table in response to minor water input or drainage is observed in shallow water table conditions inside drainage lysimeters. This increase happens because the capillary fringe of the shallow water table reaches up to or near the surface (Wieringermeer effect). The correlations between water table level changes and rainfall, seepage irrigation, drip irrigation, and drainage were analysed. Correlations with rainfall, seepage irrigation, and drainage were high (R² ranged from 0·46 to 0·97). Drip irrigation had low correlations due to the low rates of application (R² ranged from 0·26 to 0·44). Conventional methods of calculating recharge, such as multiplying the specific yield with the water table fluctuations, cannot be used for Wieringermeer effect situations. A method using water balance data and soil moisture at different depths in the lysimeters was developed to estimate recharge and upflux. The recharge results were used to develop the apparent specific yield S_ya, which could be used to calculate consequent recharge events from water table fluctuation data. Combining the water table fluctuation relationships developed with the S_ya value will allow the prediction of recharge from rainfall and irrigation events without the need for soil moisture equipment. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The ecohydrological imprint of deforestation in the semiarid Chaco: insights from the last forest remnants of a highly cultivated landscape

The semiarid Chaco plains present one of the highest rates of forest clearing and agricultural expansion of the world. In other semiarid plains, such massive vegetation replacements initiated a groundwater recharge and salt mobilization process that, after decades, raised regional water tables and salts to the surface, degrading agricultural and natural ecosystems. Indirect evidence suggests that this process (known as dryland salinity) began in the Chaco plains. Multiple approaches (deep soil profiles, geoelectric surveys and monitoring of groundwater salinity, level and isotopic composition) were combined to assess the dryland salinity status in one of the oldest and most active agricultural hotspots of the region, where isolated forest remnants occupy an extremely flat cultivated matrix. Full vadose moisture and chloride profiles from paired agriculture‐forest stands (17 profiles, six sites) revealed the following: a generalized onset of deep drainage with cultivation (32 to >87 mm year^?1), full leaching of native chloride pools (13.7 ± 2.5 kg m^?2) down to the water table after >40 years following clearing and differential groundwater table rises (0.7 to 2 m shallower water tables under agriculture than under neighbouring forests). Continuous level monitoring showed abrupt water table rises under annual crops (up to 2.6 m in 15 days) not seen under forests or pastures. Varying deep drainage rates and groundwater isotopic composition under agricultural plots suggest that these pulses are strongly modulated by crop choices and sequences. In contrast to other dryland salinity‐affected areas of the world, forest remnants in the study area (10–20% of the area) are not only surviving the observed hydrological shifts but also sustaining active salty groundwater transpirative discharge, as evidenced by continuous water table records. The overall impact of these forest remnants on lowering neighbouring water tables would be limited by the low hydraulic conductivity of the sediments. As highly cultivated areas of the Chaco evolve to new hydrological conditions of shallower saline water tables, innovative crop rotations that minimize recharge, enhance transpirative discharge and tolerate salinity will be needed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying drainage components and salt and water balance in YinNan Irrigation District,China, based on a controlled drainage experiment

YinNan Irrigation District (YNID) is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in NingXia, China. Its irrigated area is about 80 000 ha, with one‐third of it for rice production. The major part of its drainage system was constructed between the 1950s and 1970s to maintain the salt and water balances of the district. The system, however, has been reported as draining the agricultural lands excessively by several studies. In addition to field, lateral and main drainage ditches, agricultural fields of YNID are also under the influence of the Yellow River channel and some low‐lying depressions, thus forming a dual drainage system. Owing to difficulties in irrigation inflow measurement, evaluation of the existing drainage system often appears to be elusive. Based on a dual drainage assumption and an on‐site controlled drainage experiment, we present a detailed analysis on drainage components and the salt and water balance of YNID. Results show that, by implementing controlled drainage, shallow drainage from field ditches can be reduced by 60%. Deep drainage from main ditches, the Yellow River channel and low‐lying depressions is relatively stable year around, and it neutralized the potential effect of controlled drainage on salinity increase. Drainage water salinity calculated from the dual subsurface drainage model was consistent with field observations, proving that the dual drainage assumption is valid for the study area. Based on this study, field water management practices of the irrigation district can be better targeted and fairly evaluated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Remote sensing and hydrological measurement based irrigation performance assessments in the upper Amu Darya Delta,Central Asia

In the Aral Sea Basin, where the Central Asian countries compete for limited water resources, reliable information on the actual water use for eight million ha of irrigated land are rare. In this study, spatially distributed land use data, seasonal actual evapotranspiration, and reference evapotranspiration derived from multitemporal MODIS data were combined with in situ water flow measurements for irrigation performance assessments in the upper Amu Darya Delta. The functioning of the major irrigation and drainage which supplies an agricultural area of 270,000 ha in the Uzbek province Khorezm was analysed using water balancing and adequacy indicators of irrigation water use.An average relative evapotranspiration of 95% indicated fulfilled water demands and partly over-irrigation, whereas values below 75% disclosed inadequate water supply in distant parts of the irrigation system. On the other hand, immense water withdrawals of approximately 24,000 m³ ha⁻¹ recorded at the system boundaries between April and September 2005 clearly exceeded the field water demands for cotton cultivation. Only 46% of the total irrigation amounts were consumed for crop production at field level. Throughout the vegetation period, approximately 58% of the total available water left the region as drainage water. Monthly observations of the depleted fraction and the drainage ratio highlighted drainage problems and rising groundwater levels at regional scale. In the most distant downstream subsystem, a high risk of groundwater and soil salinity during the main irrigation phase was found.A combination of high conveyance losses, hydraulic problems, direct linkages between irrigation and drainage, and low field application efficiencies were identified as major reasons for underperforming irrigation. The findings underlined the necessity of water saving and of reconsidering water distribution in Khorezm. The remote sensing approach was concluded as a reliable data basis for regular performance assessments for all irrigation systems in Central Asia.     

Establishing irrigation potential of a hillside aquifer in the African highlands

Feeding 9 billion people in 2050 will require sustainable development of all water resources, both surface and subsurface. Yet, little is known about the irrigation potential of hillside shallow aquifers in many highland settings in sub-Saharan Africa that are being considered for providing irrigation water during the dry monsoon phase for smallholder farmers. Information on the shallow groundwater being available in space and time on sloping lands might aid in increasing food production in the dry monsoon phase. Therefore, the research objective of this work is to estimate potential groundwater storage as a potential source of irrigation water for hillside aquifers where lateral subsurface flow is dominant. The research was carried out in the Robit Bata experimental watershed in the Lake Tana basin which is typical of many undulating watersheds in the Ethiopian highlands. Farmers have excavated more than 300 hand dug wells for irrigation. We used 42 of these wells to monitor water table fluctuation from April 16, 2014 to December 2015. Precipitation and runoff data were recorded for the same period. The temporal groundwater storage was estimated using two methods: one based on the water balance with rainfall as input and baseflow and evaporative losses leaving the watershed as outputs; the second based on the observed rise and fall of water levels in wells. We found that maximum groundwater storage was at the end of the rain phase in September after which it decreased linearly until the middle of December due to short groundwater retention times. In the remaining part of the dry season period, only wells located close to faults contained water. Thus, without additional water sources, sloping lands can only be used for significant irrigation inputs during the first 3 months out of the 8 months long dry season.     

Quantification of peatland water storage capacity using the water table fluctuation method

Peat specific yield (S_Y) is an important parameter involved in many peatland hydrological functions such as flood attenuation, baseflow contribution to rivers, and maintaining groundwater levels in surficial aquifers. However, general knowledge on peatland water storage capacity is still very limited, due in part to the technical difficulties related to in situ measurements. The objectives of this study were to quantify vertical S_Y variations of water tables in peatlands using the water table fluctuation (WTF) method and to better understand the factors controlling peatland water storage capacity. The method was tested in five ombrotrophic peatlands located in the St. Lawrence Lowlands (southern Québec, Canada). In each peatland, water table wells were installed at three locations (up‐gradient, mid‐gradient, and down‐gradient). Near each well, a 1‐m long peat core (8 cm × 8 cm) was sampled, and subsamples were used to determine S_Y with standard gravitational drainage method. A larger peat sample (25 cm × 60 cm × 40 cm) was also collected in one peatland to estimate S_Y using a laboratory drainage method. In all sites, the mean water table depth ranged from 9 to 49 cm below the peat surface, with annual fluctuations varying between 15 and 29 cm for all locations. The WTF method produced similar results to the gravitational drainage experiments, with values ranging between 0.13 and 0.99 for the WTF method and between 0.01 and 0.95 for the gravitational drainage experiments. S_Y was found to rapidly decrease with depth within 20 cm, independently of the within‐site location and the mean annual water table depth. Dominant factors explaining S_Y variations were identified using analysis of variance. The most important factor was peatland site, followed by peat depth and seasonality. Variations in storage capacity considering site and seasonality followed regional effective growing degree days and evapotranspiration patterns. This work provides new data on spatial variations of peatland water storage capacity using an easily implemented method that requires only water table measurements and precipitation data.     

Hydrogeological aspects of groundwater drainage of the urban areas in Kuwait City

Residential areas in Kuwait City have witnessed a dramatic rise in subsurface water tables over the last three decades. This water rise phenomenon is attributed mainly to over irrigation practices of private gardens along with leakage from domestic and sewage networks. This paper presents a comprehensive study for urban drainage in two selected areas representing the two hydrogeological settings encountered in Kuwait City. In the first area, a vertical drainage scheme was applied successfully over an area of 1 km². The system has been under continuous operation and monitoring for more than 4 years without problems, providing a permanent solution for the water rise problem in this area. The hydrogeological system has approached steady state conditions and the water levels have dropped to about 3·5 m below the ground surface. In the second area a dual drainage scheme, composing of horizontal and vertical elements, is proposed. Horizontal elements are suggested in the areas where the deep groundwater contains hazardous gases that may pose environmental problems. The proposed drainage scheme in the second area has not yet been implemented. Field tests were conducted to assess the aquifer parameters in both areas and a numerical model has been developed to predict the long‐term response of the hydrogeological system in the two areas under consideration. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sedimentation in small-scale irrigation schemes in Ethiopia: Its sources and management

Numerous irrigation schemes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) exhibit excessive sedimentation, resulting in underperformance and high maintenance costs. In the current study, a participatory monitoring program was used to investigate sediment causes and sources, measure the annual sediment load, and monitor desilting campaigns in two small scale irrigation schemes in Ethiopia, Arata-Chufa (100 ha) and Ketar (430 ha), for three years (2016–2018). Sedimentation quantities were huge, where the annual river sediment influx ranged from 220 m³ for the Arata-Chufa scheme to 1,741 m³ for the Ketar scheme. On average 0.3 m³/m of sediment were removed from the main canal for Arata-Chufa costing 794 days of labor per year. In Ketar, sediment quantities were even greater: 1.1 m³/m was removed requiring 3,118 days of labor per year. The sediment influx from the river source amounts to up to 95% for Arata-Chufa and moderately reaches 46% for Ketar, with the remainder of the sediment entering with overland erosion flows. Farmers reported increased sedimentation over time and difficulty paying operation and maintenance fees instead preferring to contribute labor for the desilting campaigns. Sedimentation management is fragile and mainly involves frequent desilting campaigns and unharmonized efforts to reduce overland sediment inflows. Factors contributing to sediment deposition include mild longitudinal bed slopes, the location of the intake, canal layout, and lack of canal banks for protection against surface water inflow in addition to sub-optimal canal operations. Excessive sedimentation is a major challenge resulting in underperformance of numerous irrigation schemes in SSA, and the stakeholders’ lack of awareness of the sources of sedimentation is an underlying factor aggravating sedimentation problems. It is concluded that investigating the sources, extent, and types of sedimentation entering a small-scale irrigation scheme is the basis for reducing maintenance costs and for effective management of sedimentation problems.     

Mapping multi‐year ground water salinity patterns in irrigation areas using time‐series analysis of ground water salinity maps

In irrigation areas, ground water salinity (GWS) levels may vary depending on the amount and quality of irrigation water applied and on the activity of the drainage system. GWS plays a vital role in irrigation systems by influencing whether the environment is suitable for plant growth. Hence, it is necessary to monitor changes in GWS both temporally and spatially. Maps are generally used to visualize this information. However, evaluation of temporal and spatial variations of GWS can be difficult because of the necessity of assessing many maps together to understand both temporal and spatial changes. In this study, a data assessment method that can be used for multi‐year ground water salinity evaluations is presented. The method looks at the spatial and temporal relationships between the main salinity classes present in the study area, their typical locations (i.e. areas where the salinity classes are most frequently located), and the alternate salinity classes in those locations in any of the years of the time series. As a case study, the method was applied to multi‐year (1990–2000) GWS observations in the Mustafakemalpasa irrigation project (19 370 ha) in the Marmara region of north‐western Turkey. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatio‐temporal variability of piezometric response on two steep alpine hillslopes

Information on the main drivers of subsurface flow generation on hillslopes of alpine headwater catchments is still missing. Therefore, the dominant factors controlling the water table response to precipitation at the hillslope scale in the alpine Bridge Creek Catchment, Northern Italy, were investigated. Two steep hillslopes of similar size, soil properties and vegetation cover but contrasting topography were instrumented with 24 piezometric wells. Sixty‐three (63) rainfall‐runoff events were selected over three years in the snow‐free months to analyse the influence of rainfall depth, antecedent moisture conditions, hillslope topographic characteristics and soil depth on shallow water table dynamics. Piezometric response, expressed as percentage of well activation and water peak magnitude, was strongly correlated with soil moisture status, as described by an index combining antecedent soil moisture and rainfall depth. Hillslope topography was found to be a dominant control only for the convex‐divergent hillslope and during wet conditions. Timing of water table response depended primarily on soil depth and topographic position, with piezometric peak response occurring later and showing a greater temporal variability at the hillslope bottom, characterized by thicker soil. The relationship between mean hillslope water table level and standard deviation for all wells reflected the timing of the water table response at the different locations along the hillslopes. The outcomes of this research contribute to a better understanding of the controls on piezometric response at the hillslope scale in steep terrain and its role on the hydrological functioning of the study catchment and of other sites with similar physiographic characteristics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How to model shallow water‐table depth variations: the case of the Kervidy‐Naizin catchment,France

The aim of this work is threefold: (1) to identify the main characteristics of water‐table variations from observations in the Kervidy‐Naizin catchment, a small catchment located in western France; (2) to confront these characteristics with the assumptions of the Topmodel concepts; and (3) to analyse how relaxation of the assumptions could improve the simulation of distributed water‐table depth. A network of piezometers was installed in the Kervidy‐Naizin catchment and the water‐table depth was recorded every 15 min in each piezometer from 1997 to 2000. From these observations, the Kervidy‐Naizin groundwater appears to be characteristic of shallow groundwaters of catchments underlain by crystalline bedrock, in view of the strong relation between water distribution and topography in the bottom land of the hillslopes. However, from midslope to summit, the water table can attain a depth of many metres, it does not parallel the topographic surface and it remains very responsive to rainfall. In particular, hydraulic gradients vary with time and are not equivalent to the soil surface slope. These characteristics call into question some assumptions that are used to model shallow lateral subsurface flow in saturated conditions. We investigate the performance of three models (Topmodel, a kinematic model and a diffusive model) in simulating the hourly distributed water‐table depths along one of the hillslope transects, as well as the hourly stream discharge. For each model, two sets of parameters are identified following a Monte Carlo procedure applied to a simulation period of 2649 h. The performance of each model with each of the two parameter sets is evaluated over a test period of 2158 h. All three models, and hence their underlying assumptions, appear to reproduce adequately the stream discharge variations and water‐table depths in bottom lands at the foot of the hillslope. To simulate the groundwater depth distribution over the whole hillslope, the steady‐state assumption (Topmodel) is quite constraining and leads to unacceptable water‐table depths in midslope and summit areas. Once this assumption is relaxed (kinematic model), the water‐table simulation is improved. A subsequent relaxation of the hydraulic gradient (diffusive model) further improves water‐table simulations in the summit area, while still yielding realistic water‐table depths in the bottom land. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The role of soil pipe and pipeflow in headcut migration processes in loessic soils

Headcut formation and migration was sometimes mistaken as the result of overland flow, without realizing that the headcut was formed and being influenced by flow through soil pipes into the headcut. To determine the effects of the soil pipe and flow through a soil pipe on headcut migration in loessic soils, laboratory experiments were conducted under free drainage conditions and conditions of a perched water table. Soil beds with a 3-cm deep initial headcut were formed in a flume with a 1.5-cm diameter soil pipe 15 cm below the bed surface. Overland flow and flow into the soil pipe was applied at a constant rate of 68 and 1 l min⁻¹ at the upper end of the flume. The headcut migration rate and sediment concentrations in both surface (channel) and subsurface (soil pipe) flows were measured with time. The typical response was the formation of a headcut that extended in depth until an equilibrium scour hole was established, at which time the headcut migrated upslope. Pipeflow caused erosion inside the soil pipe at the same time that runoff was causing a scour hole to deepen and migrate. When the headcut extended to the depth of the soil pipe, surface runoff entering the scour hole interacted with flow from the soil pipe also entering the scour hole. This interaction dramatically altered the headcut processes and greatly accelerated the headcut migration rates and sediment concentrations. Conditions in which a perched water table provided seepage into the soil pipe, in addition to pipeflow, increased the sediment concentration by 42% and the headcut migration rate by 47% compared with pipeflow under free drainage conditions. The time that overland flow converged with subsurface flow was advanced under seepage conditions by 2.3 and 5.0 min compared with free drainage conditions. This study confirmed that pipeflow dramatically accelerates headcut migration, especially under conditions of shallow perched water tables, and highlights the importance of understanding these processes in headcut migration processes. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of soil compaction and irrigation practices on salt dynamics in the presence of a saline shallow groundwater: An experimental and modelling study

Soil salt accumulation is a widespread problem leading to diminished crop yield and threatening food security in many regions of the world. The soil salinization problem is particularly acute in areas that lack adequate soil water drainage and where a saline shallow water table (WT) is present. In this study, we present laboratory-scale column experiments, extending over a period of more than 400 days that focus on the processes contributing to soil salinization. We specifically examine the combined impact of soil compaction, surface water application model and water quality on salt dynamics in the presence of a saline shallow WT. The soil columns (60 cm height and 16 cm diameter) were packed with an agricultural soil with bulk densities of 1.15 and 1.34 g/cm⁻³ for uncompacted and compacted layers, respectively, and automatically monitored for water content, salinity and pressure. Two surface water compositions are considered: fresh (deionized, DI) and saline water (~3.4 mS/cm). To assess the sensitivity of compaction on salt dynamics, the experiments were numerically modelled with the HYDRUS-1D computer program. The results show that the saline WT led to rapid salinization of the soil column due to capillarity, with the salinity reaching levels much higher than that at the WT. However, compaction layer provided a barrier that limited the downwards moisture percolation and solute transport. Furthermore, the numerical simulations showed that the application of freshwater can temporarily reverse the accumulation of salts in agricultural soils. This irrigation strategy can help, in the short-term, alleviate soil salinization problem. The soil hydraulic properties, WT depth, water quality, evaporation demand and the availability of freshwater all play a role in the practicability of such short-term solutions. The presence of a saline shallow WT would, however, rapidly reverse these temporary measures, leading to the recurrence of topsoil salinization.     

Hydrological and salinity impacts of a bio‐drainage strategy application in the Yizre'el Valley,Israel

The bio‐drainage–commercial forestry strategy was applied in five plots in the Yizre'el Valley, northern Israel, to evaluate the hydrological and salinity impacts of eucalypt plantations. Each plot contained a mix of 11 selected eucalyptus species/ecotypes. Two plots (Nahalal and Genigar), representing the two extreme waterlogging/salinity conditions in the valley, were selected for in‐depth monitoring over a 10‐year period to assess the likely environmental improvement through bio‐drainage. Despite impressive growth rates of genetically improved Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the year‐round waterlogged, slightly saline Nahalal site (650 mm annual rainfall), the water uptake by the trees was insufficient to control the rising water table caused by excessive water inputs, both natural and human. In the more saline, alkaline and drier Genigar plot (450 mm annual rainfall), where rainfall is the only water input, the ground water dropped to below 3 m from soil surface in the fourth year after planting, i.e. deeper than the adjacent ground water levels. Both sites showed appreciable rise in wells that penetrated the 3‐ to 4‐m confining layer. The 10‐year salinity (EC) trend of the top layer in Nahalal varied because the drainage was limited by the positive water balance and the above‐average spells of dry winters. In and below the 4 m deep layer the EC remained below 1·5 dS m^?1 throughout the entire 10‐year study. The last EC measurement, taken in 2003, showed values not higher than 4 dS m^?1 throughout the 6 m soil profile. In Genigar, there was significant leaching of salts from the top layer (1 m) during the 9‐year monitoring period, but recently a salts ‘bulge’ was gradually developed in the 1–5 m strata indicating that the expected downward movement of leached salts was impeded by the 3–4 m deep low‐permeability clayey layer that lies over a coarser, far more conductive and notably confined layer, which leads to a perched water body. The last EC measurement at the end of 2003 showed a maximum value of 5·5 dS m^?1 at 3 m depth. No signs of tree stress were observed in either site, at any soil depth during the 10 years of monitoring. Theoretical considerations do not support the hypothesis that there would be a fatal long‐term accumulation of salts in the root zone. The Israeli experience has shown that the bio‐drainage technique can effectively lower a shallow water table and reverse salinity trends, provided that the overall water balance is negative, i.e. that the water inputs match the water use by the tree plantation and local drainage characteristics. However, the rate of improvement of the hydraulic, salinity, sodicity and soil physical properties is site specific. Excess fresh water inputs into the plantation, although they create waterlogging conditions, supply unlimited water to the trees, which, in turn, show exceptional growth rates, with usable commercial value. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water fluxes at a fluctuating water table and groundwater contributions to wheat water use in the lower Yellow River flood plain,China

Capillary upflow from and deep percolation to a water table may be important in crop water supply in irrigated areas of the lower Yellow River flood plain, north China. These fluxes at the water table and the variations of the capillary upflow in relation to crop evapotranspiration need to be investigated to quantify the effect of a water table on soil water balance and to improve agricultural water management. A large weighing lysimeter was used to determine daily crop evapotranspiration, daily capillary upflow from and daily percolation to a fluctuating water table during a rotation period with wheat growing in a dry season and maize in a rainy season. The water table depth varied in the range 0·7–2·3 m during the maize growth period and 1·6–2·4 m during the wheat growth period. Experimental results showed that the capillary upflow and the percolation were significant components of the soil water balance. Three distinctly different phases for the water fluxes at the water table were observed through the rotation period: water downward period, the period of no or small water fluxes, and water upward period. It implied that the temporal pattern of these water fluxes at the water table was intimately associated with the temporal distribution of rainfall through the rotation period. An empirical equation was determined to estimate the capillary upflow in relation to wheat evapotranspiration and root zone soil water content for local irrigation scheduling. Coupled with the FAO‐Penman–Monteith equation, the equation offers a fast and low cost solution to assess the effect of capillary upflow from a water table on wheat water use. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Drip irrigation enhances shallow groundwater contribution to crop water consumption in an arid area

Shallow groundwater plays a key role in agro‐hydrological processes of arid areas. Groundwater often supplies a necessary part of the water requirement of crops and surrounding native vegetation, such as groundwater‐dependent ecosystems. However, the impact of water‐saving irrigation on cropland water balance, such as the contribution of shallow groundwater to field evapotranspiration, requires further investigation. Increased understanding of quantitative evaluation of field‐scale water productivity under different irrigation methods aids policy and decision‐making. In this study, high‐resolution water table depth and soil water content in field maize were monitored under conditions of flood irrigation (FI) and drip irrigation (DI), respectively. Groundwater evapotranspiration (ET_g) was estimated by the combination of the water table fluctuation method and an empirical groundwater–soil–atmosphere continuum model. The results indicate that daily ET_g at different growth stages varies under the two irrigation methods. Between two consecutive irrigation events of the FI site, daily ET_g rate increases from zero to greater than that of the DI site. Maize under DI steadily consumes more groundwater than FI, accounting for 16.4% and 14.5% of ET_a, respectively. Overall, FI recharges groundwater, whereas DI extracts water from shallow groundwater. The yield under DI increases compared with that under FI, with less ET_a (526 mm) compared with FI (578 mm), and irrigation water productivity improves from 3.51 kg m^?3 (FI) to 4.58 kg m^?3 (DI) through reducing deep drainage and soil evaporation by DI. These results highlight the critical role of irrigation method and groundwater on crop water consumption and productivity. This study provides important information to aid the development of agricultural irrigation schemes in arid areas with shallow groundwater.     

The impact of conjunctive use of canal and tube well water in Lagar irrigated area,Pakistan

Introduction of the large gravity irrigation system in the Indus Basin in the late 19th century without a drainage system resulted in a rising water table, which resulted in water logging and salinity problems over large areas. In order to cope with the salinity and water logging problem, the Pakistan government initiated installation of 10,000 tube wells in different areas. This not only resulted in the lowering of water table, but also supplemented irrigation. Resulting benefits from the irrigation opportunities motivated framers to install private tube wells. The Punjab area meets 40% of its irrigation needs from groundwater abstraction. Today, farmers apply both surface water flows and groundwater from tube wells, creating a pattern of private and public water control. Sustainable use of groundwater needs proper quantification of the resource and information on processes involved in its recharge and discharge. The field work in the Lagar irrigated area, discussed in this paper, show that within the general picture of conjunctive use of canal water and groundwater, there is a clear spatial pattern between upstream and downstream areas, with upstream areas depending much less on groundwater than downstream areas. The irrigation context in the study area proves to be highly complex, with water users having differential access to canal and tube well water, resulting in different responses of farmers with their irrigation strategies, which in turn affect the salinity and water balances on the fields.     

Seasonal expansion and contraction of stream networks in shallow groundwater systems

Surface water and groundwater are normally closely connected in areas with shallow aquifer systems. Stream systems can thus be considered as the outcrops of associated groundwater flows in areas with a shallow groundwater table and a previous subsurface. This situation prevails in sandy lowland areas where almost all rainfall percolates into the subsurface so that the surplus over evapotranspiration becomes part of a groundwater drainage system before it reappears at the surface in a stream. The stream network, being the interface with the groundwater system, must have the capacity to release the seasonally dependent precipitation surplus through the continuum of ground and surface waters. A river network therefore consists of a hierarchical system of different order and incision depth, of which the discharge-contributing component contracts and expands with the seasonal fluctuation in recharge and water table depth.

Coupling the mathematical expressions for groundwater drainage and stream flow enables development of a conjunctive model which relates the properties of a seasonally contracting and expanding stream network and related groundwater level fluctuation to the seasonal rainfall character for given geological and geomorphological conditions. This model further allows for assessment of drainage network response to a changing environment.     

Hydrologic connectivity and threshold behavior of hillslopes with fragipans and soil pipe networks

Many concepts have been proposed to explain hydrologic connectivity of hillslopes with streams. Hydrologic connectivity is most often defined by qualitative assessment of spatial patterns in perched water tables or soil moisture on hillslopes without a direct linkage to water flow from hillslopes to streams. This form of hydrologic connectivity may not explain the hydrologic response of catchments that have network(s) of preferential flow paths, for example, soil pipes, which can provide intrinsic connectivity between hillslopes and streams. Duplex soils are known for developing perched water tables on hillslopes and fostering lateral flows, but the connectivity of localized perched water tables on hillslopes with soil pipes has not been fully established. The objectives of this study were to characterize pipeflow dynamics during storm events, the relationships between perched water tables on hillslopes and pipeflows, and their threshold behaviour. Two well‐characterized catchments in loess soil with a fragipan were selected for study because they contain multiple, laterally extensive (over 100 m) soil pipe networks. Hillslopes were instrumented with shallow wells adjacent to the soil pipes, and the wells and pipe collapse features were equipped with pressure transducers. Perched water tables developed on hillslopes during a wetting up period (October–December) and became well connected spatially across hillslope positions throughout the high flow period (January–March). The water table was not spatially connected on hillslopes during the drying out (April–June) and low flow (July–September) periods. Even when perched water tables were not well‐connected, water flowing through soil pipes provided hydrologic connectivity between upper hillslopes and catchment outlets. Correlations between soil pipeflow and perched water tables depended on the size and location of soil pipes. The threshold relationship between available soil‐moisture index plus storm precipitation and pipeflow was dependent on the season and strongest during dry periods and not high‐flow seasons. This study demonstrated that soil pipes serve as a catchment backbone of preferential flow paths that provide intrinsic connectivity between upper hillslopes and streams.     

Evaluation of model complexity and space–time resolution on the prediction of long‐term soil salinity dynamics,western San Joaquin Valley,California

The numerical simulation of long‐term large‐scale (field to regional) variably saturated subsurface flow and transport remains a computational challenge, even with today's computing power. Therefore, it is appropriate to develop and use simplified models that focus on the main processes operating at the pertinent time and space scales, as long as the error introduced by the simpler model is small relative to the uncertainties associated with the spatial and temporal variation of boundary conditions and parameter values. This study investigates the effects of various model simplifications on the prediction of long‐term soil salinity and salt transport in irrigated soils. Average root‐zone salinity and cumulative annual drainage salt load were predicted for a 10‐year period using a one‐dimensional numerical flow and transport model (i.e. UNSATCHEM) that accounts for solute advection, dispersion and diffusion, and complex salt chemistry. The model uses daily values for rainfall, irrigation, and potential evapotranspiration rates. Model simulations consist of benchmark scenarios for different hypothetical cases that include shallow and deep water tables, different leaching fractions and soil gypsum content, and shallow groundwater salinity, with and without soil chemical reactions. These hypothetical benchmark simulations are compared with the results of various model simplifications that considered (i) annual average boundary conditions, (ii) coarser spatial discretization, and (iii) reducing the complexity of the salt‐soil reaction system. Based on the 10‐year simulation results, we conclude that salt transport modelling does not require daily boundary conditions, a fine spatial resolution, or complex salt chemistry. Instead, if the focus is on long‐term salinity, then a simplified modelling approach can be used, using annually averaged boundary conditions, a coarse spatial discretization, and inclusion of soil chemistry that only accounts for cation exchange and gypsum dissolution–precipitation. We also demonstrate that prediction errors due to these model simplifications may be small, when compared with effects of parameter uncertainty on model predictions. The proposed model simplifications lead to larger time steps and reduced computer simulation times by a factor of 1000. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.