scholarly journals Mitigation of surface runoff and erosion impacts on catchment by stone hedgerows

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 153-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Kovář ◽  
D. Vaššová ◽  
M. Hrabalíková

This paper presents the results of a study on the influence of hedgerows on the process of the surface runoff in the experimental catchment Verneřice 1, Ústí n. L. region, the Czech Republic. The influence of hedgerows on the surface runoff was simulated using the KINFIL rainfall-runoff model. The model parameters were assessed from the field measurements of the soil hydraulic parameters, in particular the saturated hydraulic conductivity and sorptivity. The catchment area is characterised by stone hedgerows constructed by land users throughout the past centuries, using stones collected from the adjacent agricultural fields. Presently, the hydraulic properties of these hedgerows reflect the characteristics of the mixture of stones, deposited soil, and vegetation litter, and they are more permeable than soil on the areas between them. Due to this fact, the permeability of the hedgerows produces a higher infiltration and a lower surface runoff. Therefore, the overland flow vulnerability and impact of water erosion decrease if they are situated in parallel to the contour lines system. The model was applied for two scenarios in the catchment – with and without hedgerows – to assess their effects on extreme rainfalls with a short duration. The surface runoff caused by extreme rainfall was simulated in order to show how hedgerows can mitigate the resultant flood and erosion. This paper provides relevant hydrological data and summarises the influence of man-made hedgerows on the overland flow control, i.e. on long and steep slopes surface runoff.

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 98-107
Author(s):  
P. Kovář ◽  
D. Fedorova ◽  
H. Bačinová

The Smeda catchment, where the Smeda Brook drains an area of about 26 km<sup>2</sup>, is located in northern Bohemia in the Jizerské hory Mts. This experimental mountain catchment with the Bily Potok downstream gauge profile was selected as a model area for simulating extreme rainfall-runoff processes, using the KINFIL model supplemented by the Curve Number (CN) method. The combination of methods applied here consists of two parts. The first part is an application of the CN theory, where CN is correlated with hydraulic conductivity K<sub>s</sub> of the soil types, and also with storage suction factor S<sub>f</sub> at field capacity FC: CN = f(K<sub>s</sub>, S<sub>f</sub>). The second part of the combined KINFIL/CN method, represented by the KINFIL model, is based on the kinematic wave method which, in combination with infiltration, mitigates the overland flow. This simulation was chosen as an alternative to an enormous amount of field measurements. The combination used here was shown to provide a successful method. However, practical application would require at least four sub-catchments, so that more terraces can be placed. The provision of effective measures will require more investment than is currently envisaged.  


1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1851-1856 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Lai ◽  
K. S. L. Lo

A mixing-based model for describing solute transfer to overland flow was developed. This model included a time-dependent mixing depth of the top layer and a complete-mixed surface runoff zone. In a series of laboratory experiments, runoff was passed at various velocities and depths over a medium bed. The media were saturated with uniform concentration of potassium chloride solution. Runoff water was sampled at the beginning and end of the flume and the potassium chloride concentration analyzed. Using this model, dimensionless ultimate mixing depth and dimensionless change rate of mixing depth from experimental data were investigated and implemented. The results showed that the Reynolds number and relative roughness are two important factors.


2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 781-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan J. Gourley ◽  
Scott E. Giangrande ◽  
Yang Hong ◽  
Zachary L. Flamig ◽  
Terry Schuur ◽  
...  

Abstract Rainfall estimated from the polarimetric prototype of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler [WSR-88D (KOUN)] was evaluated using a dense Micronet rain gauge network for nine events on the Ft. Cobb research watershed in Oklahoma. The operation of KOUN and its upgrade to dual polarization was completed by the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Storm events included an extreme rainfall case from Tropical Storm Erin that had a 100-yr return interval. Comparisons with collocated Micronet rain gauge measurements indicated all six rainfall algorithms that used polarimetric observations had lower root-mean-squared errors and higher Pearson correlation coefficients than the conventional algorithm that used reflectivity factor alone when considering all events combined. The reflectivity based relation R(Z) was the least biased with an event-combined normalized bias of −9%. The bias for R(Z), however, was found to vary significantly from case to case and as a function of rainfall intensity. This variability was attributed to different drop size distributions (DSDs) and the presence of hail. The synthetic polarimetric algorithm R(syn) had a large normalized bias of −31%, but this bias was found to be stationary. To evaluate whether polarimetric radar observations improve discharge simulation, recent advances in Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation using the Hydrology Laboratory Research Distributed Hydrologic Model (HL-RDHM) were used. This Bayesian approach infers the posterior probability density function of model parameters and output predictions, which allows us to quantify HL-RDHM uncertainty. Hydrologic simulations were compared to observed streamflow and also to simulations forced by rain gauge inputs. The hydrologic evaluation indicated that all polarimetric rainfall estimators outperformed the conventional R(Z) algorithm, but only after their long-term biases were identified and corrected.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3129-3155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakase Hayashida ◽  
Nadja Steiner ◽  
Adam Monahan ◽  
Virginie Galindo ◽  
Martine Lizotte ◽  
...  

Abstract. Sea ice represents an additional oceanic source of the climatically active gas dimethyl sulfide (DMS) for the Arctic atmosphere. To what extent this source contributes to the dynamics of summertime Arctic clouds is, however, not known due to scarcity of field measurements. In this study, we developed a coupled sea ice–ocean ecosystem–sulfur cycle model to investigate the potential impact of bottom-ice DMS and its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) on the oceanic production and emissions of DMS in the Arctic. The results of the 1-D model simulation were compared with field data collected during May and June of 2010 in Resolute Passage. Our results reproduced the accumulation of DMS and DMSP in the bottom ice during the development of an ice algal bloom. The release of these sulfur species took place predominantly during the earlier phase of the melt period, resulting in an increase of DMS and DMSP in the underlying water column prior to the onset of an under-ice phytoplankton bloom. Production and removal rates of processes considered in the model are analyzed to identify the processes dominating the budgets of DMS and DMSP both in the bottom ice and the underlying water column. When openings in the ice were taken into account, the simulated sea–air DMS flux during the melt period was dominated by episodic spikes of up to 8.1 µmol m−2 d−1. Further model simulations were conducted to assess the effects of the incorporation of sea-ice biogeochemistry on DMS production and emissions, as well as the sensitivity of our results to changes of uncertain model parameters of the sea-ice sulfur cycle. The results highlight the importance of taking into account both the sea-ice sulfur cycle and ecosystem in the flux estimates of oceanic DMS near the ice margins and identify key uncertainties in processes and rates that should be better constrained by new observations.


2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 433-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Post

A methodology has been derived which allows an estimate to be made of the daily streamflow at any point within the Burdekin catchment in the dry tropics of Australia. The input data requirements are daily rainfall (to drive the rainfall–runoff model) and mean average wet season rainfall, total length of streams, percent cropping and percent forest in the catchment (to regionalize the parameters of the rainfall–runoff model). The method is based on the use of a simple, lumped parameter rainfall–runoff model, IHACRES (Identification of unit Hydrographs And Component flows from Rainfall, Evaporation and Streamflow data). Of the five parameters in the model, three have been set to constants to reflect regional conditions while the other two have been related to physio-climatic attributes of the catchment under consideration. The parameter defining total catchment water yield (c) has been estimated based on the mean average wet season rainfall, while the streamflow recession time constant (τ) has been estimated based on the total length of streams, percent cropping and percent forest in the catchment. These relationships have been shown to be applicable over a range of scales from 68–130,146 km2. However, three separate relationships were required to define c in the three major physiographic regions of the Burdekin: the upper Burdekin, Bowen and Suttor/lower Burdekin. The invariance of the relationships with scale indicates that the dominant processes may be similar across a range of scales. The fact that different relationships were required for each of the three major regions indicates the geographic limitations of this regionalization approach. For most of the 24 gauged catchments within the Burdekin the regionalized rainfall–runoff models were nearly as good as or better than the rainfall–runoff models calibrated to the observed streamflow. In addition, models often performed better over the simulation period than the calibration period. This indicates that future improvements in regionalization should focus on improving the quality of input data and rainfall–runoff model conceptualization rather than on the regionalization procedure per se.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Neža Ema Komel ◽  
Klemen Kozmus Trajkovski ◽  
Dušan Petrovič

Abstract. Today, many software tools enable the production of contour lines from relief models, but the results of modelling complex karst relief are often inadequate. Reasons for this may be limited quality and resolution of relief models, limitations of algorithms for calculating contours, or limitations of algorithms for smoothing and displaying additional symbols that further describe relief, such as slope lines, steep slopes and smaller objects that cannot be effectively displayed with contours, etc.We will present research in the field of improving existing algorithms in rugged karst terrain. As a target result, the presentation of relief on the existing national topographic maps in Slovenia, which were made by manual photogrammetric survey of aerial photos stereo pairs, were used. Slovenian elevation model DMR1 (1 m density) is used as a source for the creation of contour lines in various commercial software packages, and by comparing the results with a relief presentation on a topographic map, we selected the most appropriate basic algorithm. This one is further upgraded mainly by enabling automatic selection of auxiliary contour lines in the area, presentation of individual smaller relief objects with appropriate point or linear symbols, addition of slope lines on contours and indications in the middle of depressions and displacement of contour lines in order to better depict the terrain morphology.The results were tested in four different areas in Slovenia. Figure 1 shows the contour lines for a testing area near village Opatje Selo near Slovenia-Italy border, which were made by the best commercial software. The results of the algorithm are shown in Figure 2. The comparison between the results of the algorithm and the national topographic maps in the chosen scale gave promising results. In future work, we are planning to extend the algorithm so that it will be able to provide modelling of different terrains in the region.


MAUSAM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 597-606
Author(s):  
CHINMAYA PANDA ◽  
DWARIKA MOHAN DAS ◽  
B. C. SAHOO ◽  
B. PANIGRAHI ◽  
K. K. SINGH

In this present study, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) embedded with ArcGIS interface has been used to simulate the surface runoff from the un-gauged sub-catchments in the upper catchment of Subarnarekha basin. Model calibration and validation were performed with the help of Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI-2) in-built in the SWAT-CUP package (SWAT Calibration Uncertainty Programs). The model was calibrated for a period from 1996 to 2008 with 3 years warm up period (1996-1998) and validated for a period of 5 years from 2009 to 2013. The model evaluation was performed by Nash - Sutcliffe coefficient (NSE), Coefficient of determination (R2) and Percentage Bias (PBIAS). The degree of uncertainty was evaluated by P and R factors. Basing upon the R2, NSE and PBIAS values respectively, of the order of 0.90, 0.90 and -12%, during calibration and 0.85, 0.83 and -15% during validation, substantiate performance of the model. All uncertainties of model parameters have been well taken by the P and R factors respectively, of the order of 0.95 and 0.77 during calibration and 0.82 and 0.87 during validation. The runoff generation from 19 sub-catchments of Adityapur catchment varies from 29.2-44.1% of the annual rainfall and average surface runoff simulated for the entire catchment is 545 mm. As the surface runoff generated in most of the sub-catchments amounts to above 30% of rainfall, it is recommended for adequate number of structural interventions at appropriate locations in the catchment to store the rainfall excess for providing irrigation, recharging groundwater and restricting the sediment and nutrient loss.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Albert Edward Frampton

<p>In 2011, Waimarama received 80% of its annual rainfall in 48 hours. This extreme event with a return period of >100 years caused saturated hillslopes to collapse forming 100s of shallow landslides in the Puhokio Valley. This study collected soil samples from 54 exposed slip scarp horizons for laboratory analysis of soil mechanical properties. Field measurements of slip and slope angles, length, width and depth to determine that 23,212m³ of sediment was volume lost, from the 54 landslides. The field and lab measurements were used to generate a coherent understanding of landsliding at Waimarama. Laboratory analysis for liquid limits water content showed a high of 88.5% to a low of 18.8% and plastic limit water content had a high of 51% in the A horizon (organics) and low of 16.1%. Specific gravity also indicated a high reading 1.74 g/cm³ with a low of 1.16 g/cm³. The A horizon was able to tolerate high levels of water content in most tests, while the B horizon was capable of coping with some increase in water content. The C horizon was only able to handle low volumes of water, and was the main initiator of regolith collapse. The laboratory results indicated high saturation levels within the horizons of weak lithology of marine regolith that over caps impervious marine bedrock. The main cause for hillslope collapse and exposure of multiple translational and debris flow landslides was extreme saturation. However, towards the height of the rainfall event a 4.5 magnitude earthquake was recorded with unknown collateral consequences. Most slip locations were found in the aspects of east, south-east, west, and north-west, and on slope angles 15 -25°. The study confirmed previous surveys that regolith depth 80-100cm on impervious sandstone, siltstone/mudstone, when saturated over lengthy wet spells or from extreme precipitation, will collapse. In addition to the physical geographic study a survey was included to record individual and family accounts of the weather phenomenon. A questionnaire was prepared with specific questions that required yes or no answers. These questions dealt with loss of buildings, loss of land, animals, financial loss and recovery, economic loss, insurance and mitigation plans. The most affected were farmers and the next affected were householders while the holiday park was the worst affected of small businesses. Insurance was a significant help in most recoveries. Land rehabilitation was mitigated with new plantings and some aerial sowing, otherwise many slips were left to revegetate naturally. Economic and financial loss was severe for most farmers, due to pasture loss and animal relocation. Extreme rainfall causes slips that affect humans, but they can be mitigated. The Waimarama event is one of many events that can happen countrywide, the results can be a disastrous loss of personal, economic and financial assets, loss of infrastructure, including roading, bridges and communication. These are factors that many people and communities only realise when it happens to them. Mitigation against such events might include adequate insurance and knowledge of what to do, and where to go should an event happen unexpectedly and without warning.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 440-456
Author(s):  
J. Drisya ◽  
D. Sathish Kumar

Abstract Calibration is an important phase in the hydrological modelling process. In this study, an automated calibration framework is developed for estimating Manning's roughness coefficient. The calibration process is formulated as an optimization problem and solved using a genetic algorithm (GA). A heuristic search procedure using GA is developed by including runoff simulation process and evaluating the fitness function by comparing the experimental results. The model is calibrated and validated using datasets of Watershed Experimentation System. A loosely coupled architecture is followed with an interface program to enable automatic data transfer between overland flow model and GA. Single objective GA optimization with minimizing percentage bias, root mean square error and maximizing Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency is integrated with the model scheme. Trade-offs are observed between the different objectives and no single set of the parameter is able to optimize all objectives simultaneously. Hence, multi-objective GA using pooled and balanced aggregated function statistic are used along with the model. The results indicate that the solutions on the Pareto-front are equally good with respect to one objective, but may not be suitable regarding other objectives. The present technique can be applied to calibrate the hydrological model parameters.


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