SURFLAT: Measuring and modelling surface runoff in flat landscapes
<p>Surface runoff is widely recognized as playing an important and unique role in contaminant<br>transport from agricultural fields to the river system. Its quantification however is still<br>underdeveloped, especially in flat areas. Because micro-topography (< 10 cm) likely is an<br>important controlling factor in such landscapes, accurate predictions of the occurrence and<br>quantity of surface runoff are limited by a lack of high-quality data and/or computational power.<br>This project will explore the applicability of both conceptual (fill-and-spill) and state-of-the-art<br>physically based models to estimate surface runoff at the field scale. Laser technology will provide<br>high resolution surface topography data and direct measurements of surface runoff will aid in<br>validating the hydrologic models. The goal of this research is to use the results of the field study to<br>develop an efficient and accurate upscaling scheme, centred around a generic parameterization of<br>micro-topographic variability. This could support decision and policy making and contribute to<br>increasing the water quality of river systems.</p>