Balance Components Research Articles

GROUNDWATER CONDITION AND VULNERABILITY IN THE ATHABASCA AND COLD LAKE OIL SANDS REGIONS: GAPS, OPPORTUNTIES AND CHALLENGES

Oil sands development in the Athabasca and Cold Lake oil sands regions of Alberta has raised concerns about potential impacts to groundwater and groundwater dependent ecosystems. This review summarizes the current state of understanding as to how oil sands mining and in situ activities can affect groundwater systems using a stressor-mechanism-response framework. Specific oil sands activities and practices are reviewed, and where possible, described in terms of how they can impact hydraulic head, the hydraulic properties of aquifers, recharge and transport of constituents of concern and linked to observed or potential impacts to groundwater quantity and quality. Groundwater is an important component of the water balance in boreal ecosystems, and specific vulnerabilities related to development are reviewed, including water use, landscape disturbance, groundwater withdrawals, tailings pond seepage, deep well disposal and thermal impacts. Knowledge gaps include lack of baseline data and monitoring of the quantity and quality of groundwater discharge to rivers, lakes and wetlands. One key monitoring challenge is attribution of hydrogeologic responses to specific oil sands stressors given the range of other natural and anthropogenic factors contributing to their variability. Quantitative groundwater exchange mapping, regional-scale isotope mass balance assessment, and broader incorporation of isotopic and geochemical tracers for fingerprinting water sources and incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge appear promising for improved effectiveness of monitoring.

Heterometallic Uranyl Squarate Compounds with Transition Metal‐Bipyridine Bulky Cations as Structure Directing Components

AbstractHeterometallic actinide compounds with tailored components functions have attracted much attention, but their controllable synthesis is still challenging. In this work, using bulky transition metal‐bipyridine cations as structure directing components, we have successfully synthesized six novel heterometallic uranyl squarate compounds, 1–6 with different metal‐bipyridine units. A time‐dependent crystal transformation from 1 with triple interwoven structure to 2 with parallel stacked structure is observed within the observation period of one month and further characterized via single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (SCXRD) and powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD). Further evidences from a combination of several techniques including thermal analysis, variable‐temperature PXRD and variable‐temperature SCXRD demonstrate dehydration‐related lattice evolution of 1 on the basis of structural flexibility of 1, which could be the origin of above‐mentioned crystal transformation from 1 to 2. Furthermore, the effect of types of anions (NO3−, Cl−, and SO42−) on structural diversity of 1–6 is also discussed in detail, where the Cl− or NO3− ion coordinate to Cu2+ center in isostructural 3 and 4, while SO42− bonds to uranyl nodes in isostructural 5 and 6. This work provides a feasible method for the tailored synthesis of multicomponent actinide complexes by the involvement of bulky charge balance components.

Monitoring anomalies on large-scale energy and water balance components by coupling remote sensing parameters and gridded weather data.

The SAFER (Simple Algorithm for Evapotranspiration Retrieving) algorithm was applied with MODIS images and gridded weather data from 2007 to 2021, to monitor the energy balance components and their anomalies, in the Atlantic Forest (AF) and Caatinga (CT) biomes inside the coastal agricultural growing zone, Northeast Brazil. Considering the long-term data, the Rn values between the biomes are not significantly different, however presenting distinct Rn partitions into latent (λE), sensible (H), and ground (G) heat fluxes between biomes. The Rn values annual averages are 9.40 ± 0.21 and 9.50 ± 0.23MJm-2 d-1, for AF and CT, respectively. However, for respectively AF and CT, they are respectively 5.10 ± 1.14MJm-2 d-1 and 4.00 ± 0.99MJm-2 d-1 for λE; 3.80 ± 1.12MJm-2 d-1 and 5.00 ± 1.00MJm-2 d-1 for H; 0.50 ± 0.12MJm-2 d-1 and 0.40 ± 0.10MJm-2 d-1 for G, yielding respective mean evaporative fraction (Ef = λE/(Rn - G) values of 0.60 ± 0.12 and 0.50 ± 0.15. Anomalies on λE, H, and Ef were detected through standardized index for these energy balance components by comparing the results for the years 2018 to 2021 with the long-term values from 2007 to each of these years, showing that the energy fluxes between surfaces and the lower atmosphere, and then the root-zone moisture conditions for both biomes, may strongly vary along seasons and years, with alternate positive and negative anomalies. These assessments are important for water policies as they can picture suitable periods and places for rainfed agriculture as well as the irrigation needs in irrigated agriculture, allowing rational agricultural environmental management while minimizing water competitions among other water users, under climate and land-use changes conditions.

A coupled regional-scale numerical model for hydrological processes and interactions between groundwater and surface water in a controlled drainage district

Controlled drainage (CD) has emerged as an effective strategy to prevent field waterlogging and mitigate drought during crop growth by altering the hydrological process, while few studies have quantified its effect on groundwater-surface water interactions and groundwater recharge at a regional scale. In this study, a new model is developed for the coupled numerical simulation of water flow in ditches, soil, and underground aquifers under CD conditions. The domain is partitioned into horizontal sub-areas and two vertical layers, with ditches discretized into segments based on groundwater flow grids. The Saint-Venant equations, Richards equation, and MODFLOW are applied to describe water movement processes in ditches, soil, and underground aquifers, respectively. The proposed model is calibrated and validated using five years of observations of ditch water levels (DWL) and groundwater levels, demonstrating excellent agreement with observed data. Subsequently, water balance components of the shallow aquifer below 1 m depth (GW), 1 m of root layer soil profile (SW), and ditch water (DW) under seven scenarios with different control schemes during flood and dry seasons are analyzed to quantify variations in hydrological processes caused by CD. The results show that CD significantly impacts water within SW, GW, and DW, soil evaporation, infiltration, and net recharge from GW to SW (GtoS) by altering regional groundwater table depth (GWT) through the exchange between DW and GW (DtoG and GtoD). GWT and DW show moderate correlation with GtoD, while their correlation with DtoG varies significantly under different rainfall conditions. Smaller precipitation results that precipitation and GWT have a higher linear correlation with water balance components during the dry season compared to the flood season. The correlation values (r) between transpiration (T) and GWT range from −0.99 to 0.96 and −1 to −0.85 during the flood and dry seasons, respectively, indicating a pronounced influence of CD on crop growth. On average, a 1 m increase in DWL control scheme leads to a 0.51 m increase in DWL, and regional GWT decreases by 0.35 m and 0.24 m during flood and dry seasons, respectively. Furthermore, for every 1 m decrease in GWT, net GtoS increases by 36.1 mm and 28.1 mm, respectively, resulting in an increase in SW by 13.9 mm and 11.8 mm, respectively. Considering the varying main crop water stress and the impact of CD under different rainfall conditions, an appropriate CD scheme needs to be adjusted accordingly. These findings provide a quantitative reference for the effect of CD on regional hydrological process and serve as a typical case for similar areas aiming to implement CD strategies for waterlogging and drought control.

Application of coupled WetSpass-M and MODFLOW models to estimate spatial–temporal water balance components in the Chemoga watershed, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The groundwater level in the Chemoga watershed has been declining due to an increase in water demand, anthropogenic activities, and climate change effects. This paper uses the WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling to evaluate the groundwater recharge in the Chemoga watershed. The MODFLOW groundwater flow simulation model is then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution based on these findings. The input data of WetSpass models are soil, land cover, topography, slope, and groundwater depth, as well as monthly meteorological characteristics (such as temperature, wind speed, and rainfall). The long-term spatial and temporal average annual precipitation of 1,453 mm is distributed as 169 mm (11.63%) groundwater recharge and 879 mm (60.5%) surface runoff, while 405 mm (27.87%) is lost through evapotranspiration. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater head due to the wet/summer stress period varied from 4 to 41 m. While in the dry/winter stress period groundwater head varied from 3.5 to 39.8 m, and also the groundwater head due to the annual stress period varied from 3.7 to 40 m. The findings are extensive and can be applied to water resource management and groundwater resource development in a sustainable manner by safeguarding high groundwater recharge locations, and reevaluating allowable groundwater abstraction rates.

AUTOMATION OF MEASUREMENTS OF ENGINE HEAT CONSUMPTION IN THE LUBRICATION AND COOLING SYSTEMS

The paper presents the results of an intermediate stage of the study of heat transfer processes in high-speed diesel engines of the automotive tractor type at transient load discharge-load-injection modes, which are characteristic of this type of diesel engines. In such modes, as evidenced by the results of calculations of the thermal stress state of combustion chamber parts, in particular pistons, exhaust valves of the gas distribution mechanism, significant tensile and compressive stresses are observed compared to operation at steady-state conditions. This is the reason for the occurrence of defects in the form of cracks on the heat exchange surfaces of these parts, which limits the service life of automotive tractor engines. For a more detailed study of transient processes, as the main approach, it is proposed to use the well-known method of heat balance tests of a high-speed diesel engine, but with the involvement of automated processing of measurement results in digital form at steady-state and transient modes. It is proposed to focus on heat consumption, which is a component of the heat balance in the lubrication and cooling system. Without the use of automated information processing directly at the time of transient load shedding and load shedding, it is impossible to obtain such information on cooling and lubrication systems. Recording of transient heat transfer processes makes it possible to track the influence of engine operating parameters, the dynamics of the transient process depending on its duration, the initial and final steady-state modes between which the transition is being studied. In general, this way, it is possible to assess the adaptability of cooling and lubrication systems to heat dissipation during sudden changes in load, to avoid, or at least limit, the growth of thermal stresses. The publication presents a possible variant of the schematic solution of such a system for automated processing of the results of heat balance tests with the maximum use of equipment that is mass-produced and has already been used previously in heat balance tests.

Analysis of Change in Summer Extreme Precipitation in Southwest China and Human Adaptation

This study analyzed the change in and mechanisms of summer extreme precipitation in Southwest China (SWC) during 1979–2021. The trend in summer extreme precipitation showed an evident interdecadal mutation in the late 1990s; it decreased during 1979–1996 (P1) and increased during 1997–2021 (P2). It is observed that the moisture flux in SWC is more abundant in P2 than in P1. The South Asian high (SAH) and western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) contributed to the change in extreme precipitation in SWC. Both the SAH and WPSH weakened in 1979–1996 and enhanced in 1997–2021. The enhanced SAH and WPSH are conducive to forming updrafts in SWC and transporting moisture from the Bay of Bengal (BOB) and South China Sea (SCS) into SWC. Further research found that the causes for the interdecadal variation of the SAH and WPSH are the anomalies of sensible heat flux (SSH) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and sea surface temperature (SST) in the tropical western Pacific–Indian Oceans. The SSH is the main energy source of troposphere air and an essential component of the surface heat balance because it can maintain the intensity and influence range of the SAH. The increasing SST stimulated strong upward motion and thus maintained the strength of the WPSH, which also made the WPSH extend westward into mainland China. This study also summarized local human adaptation to climate change. The use of advanced science and technology to improve monitoring and forecasting ability is an important measure for human society to adapt to climate change. At the same time, increasing the participation of individuals and social organizations is also an indispensable way to increase human resilience to climate change.

Water productivity in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Alvarinho using dual crop coefficient approach

Water productivity (WP) measurement determines the efficiency of water use by assessing the ratio of the crop yield to the amount of water used in production. The objective of this study was to identify the optimal irrigation treatment for Vitis vinifera L. cv. Alvarinho with ground cover in Northern Portugal, with a focus on water productivity. Two irrigation treatments (full irrigation—FI; deficit irrigation—DI) and a control (rainfed—R) were considered. The FI strategy represented the standard irrigation carried out by the vinegrower, based on the water availability and their experience. The cover crop was a variable factor, evaluated in terms of both height and density, both within the crop row and between the rows. In each of the treatments, the available soil water content (ASW) was measured in eight locations in the field throughout the growing season using a capacitive probe (Diviner 2000) previously calibrated. These measurements were used to calibrate the SIMDualKc model, which employed the dual crop coefficient approach. The successful calibration of the model, carried out with treatment R in 2018, was evidenced by the strong correlation between the ASW measured through the capacitive probe and that simulated by SIMDualKc (b=0.988 and r2=0.995). After the model’s calibration, the separation between the transpiration and evaporation components was determined. The maximum transpiration during the growing season was observed in the full irrigation treatment. In this context, the study proceeded to apply the soil water balance components and transpiration generated by the model in the calculation of the WP. The fruit yield productivity was determined by accounting for the total water use in the growing season. The total water used was calculated by combining the volumes of water applied for irrigation and precipitation and the soil water extracted during the growing season by crops and cover crops. The deficit irrigation strategy showed the best performance in both years, with WP values of 3.31 and 1.81 kg m−3 for the years 2018 and 2019, respectively. Therefore, the study concluded that deficit irrigation proved to be the most effective irrigation strategy in terms of water productivity and crop water use efficiency (WUEc).

Expert-based prior uncertainty analysis of gridded water balance components: Application to the irrigated Hindon River Basin, India

Study regionHindon River Basin, North India. Study focusAccurate estimation of water balance components is crucial for water management applications yet challenging due to errors in monthly gridded water balance data products. Error and uncertainty quantification is especially important in the absence of extensive in-situ data. This paper presents a prior uncertainty analysis for such situations consisting of two components: (i) quantification of prior uncertainties using metrics that quantify errors in individual products and variability and consistency between products, and (ii) reduction of prior uncertainties by eliminating unrealistic water balance estimates. New hydrological insights for the regionGrid-scale inter-product uncertainty or variability, computed as the coefficient of variation (CV, %) at various temporal scales, reveals discrepancies between water balance products due to a combination of factors, including methodological differences, inherent spatial variability, data sources, and resolution disparities. At the mean annual scale, P fluxes display a lower grid-scale inter-product uncertainty (5–9 %) than ET (20–55 %), while the ∆TWS from GRACE solutions show a moderate mean annual grid-scale inter-product uncertainty (15–19 %). Grid-scale inter-product uncertainties of ∆SMS for July – representing the onset of the monsoon season – are high (CV = 54–122 %), indicating that the uncertainty in estimates of this component may have a large impact on water balance analyses. P fluxes exhibited fewer spatio-temporal uncertainties (R2 above 0.8) than ET fluxes (R2 less than 0.75). The exclusion of the unreliable data sets resulted in (a) reducing uncertainties in input water balance components with triple collocation range shifting from 15–38 to 17–23 mm/month for ET and from 16–52 to 11–23 mm/month for P, (b) obtaining updated prior estimates of seasonal water balance. The updated priors of water balance variables per season suggest a net basin outflow (from −318 to −57 mm/season) during the monsoon (rainy) season and net basin inflow (from −38 to 330 mm/season) during the non-monsoon (dry) season, the latter related to surface-water imports from outside the basin. All GRACE data sets exhibit a regional long-term decreasing trend in total water storage (ranging from −31 to −61 mm/year), qualitatively confirming previously documented unsustainable groundwater depletion in the basin. Prior ranges and uncertainties for all water balance variables reported here can be used as input into a posterior analysis that uses in-situ data for locally calibrating (bias-correcting, noise-filtering) and further updating the prior estimates.

Impact of Irrigation Management Decisions on the Water Footprint of Processing Tomatoes in Southern Spain

The water footprint is an increasingly demanded environmental sustainability indicator for certifications and labels in agricultural production. Processing tomatoes are highly water-intensive, and existing studies on water footprint have uncertainties and do not consider the impact of different irrigation configurations (e.g., surface drip irrigation (SDI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SSDI)) and irrigation strategies. This study presents a two-year experimental investigation to determine the water footprint of processing tomatoes grown in southern Spain (Andalusia) and the impact of SSDI and deficit irrigation. Five irrigation treatments were established: SDI1 (surface drip irrigation without water limitation), SDI2 (surface drip irrigation without water limitation adjusted by soil moisture readings), SSDI1 (subsurface drip irrigation without water limitation and a dripline depth of 15 cm), SSDI2 (similar to SSDI1 but with mild/moderate water deficit during the fruit ripening stage), and SSDI3 (subsurface drip irrigation without water limitation and a dripline depth of 35 cm (first year) and 25 cm (second year)). Measurements included crop vegetative growth, leaf water potential, leaf gas exchange, nitrate concentration in soil solution, and crop yield and quality. The soil water balance components (actual evaporation, actual transpiration, deep drainage), necessary for determining the total crop water footprint, were simulated on a daily scale using Hydrus 2D software. Results indicated that SSDI makes more efficient use of irrigation water than SDI. The water footprint of SSDI1 was 20–35% lower than that of SDI1. SSDI2 showed similar water footprint values to SDI1 under highly demanding environmental conditions and significantly lower values (≈40%) in a year with lower evaporative demand. The dripline depth in SSDI was critical to the water footprint. With a 35 cm installation depth, SSDI3 had a significantly higher water footprint than the other treatments, while the values were similar to SSDI1 when the depth was reduced to 25 cm.

Climate change and watershed hydrology: assessing variability in water balance components and groundwater flow patterns

ABSTRACT This study aimed to quantify the effect of climate change on water balance and groundwater flow systems over the Walga–Darge watersheds. In this paper, Water and Energy Transfer between Soil, Plants, and Atmosphere under quasi-Steady State and MODFLOW were used to assess the hydrological impact of climate change. The Mann–Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator were used to analyze climate change. The mean annual temperature shows increasing trends, whereas the mean annual precipitation indicates decreasing trends. The simulated annual mean surface runoff is projected to decrease by 17.18, 22.04, and 31.37 for 2040, 2060, and 2080, respectively, compared to the 1980s. The model also indicates a reduction in precipitation and increased temperature causes a relative change in recharge, ranging from a decrease of 2.65, 38.82, 50.91, 61.57, and 75.49 in the 2000s, 2010s, 2040s, 2060s, and 2080s, respectively. The MODFLOW outputs furthermore show that annual groundwater discharge to the stream has decreased by −26.46% from 1985 to 2020 and is expected to decrease by −34.02% by 2080 due to climate change. The results of the study indicate that the increasing trends in temperature and decreasing rainfall amounts pose a significant threat to the sustainable use of water resources.

Hydrological responses projection to the potential impact of climate change under CMIP6 models scenarios in Omo River Basin, Ethiopia

Climate change has a negative impact on the basin's hydrological processes and water resources. In this study, the projected impacts of climate change on hydrological processes in the Omo River Basin was evaluated under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP245 and SSP585) scenarios. The latest Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP6) climate model dataset of precipitation and temperature were used to assess the anticipated climate impact in the basin. The SWAT model was used to simulate the effects of climate change throughout the baseline (1990–2019), near (2031–2060), and far future (2071–2100) periods. The basin's predicted stream flow will increase annually and monthly in June, July, August, and September (JJAS) under both scenarios except decrease in the months of March, April, and May (MAM) under the SSP245 scenario. The basin mean annual and seasonal (JJAS and MAM) surface runoff will increase under the SSP585 scenarios; however, it decreases under the SSP245 scenario. The basin's mean annual and seasonal groundwater will increase in the near and far future under both scenarios except decline in MAM under SSP245 scenario. Likewise, the water yield will decrease in MAM under the SSP245 scenario, nevertheless, increases in annual and seasonal under both scenarios. The potential evapotranspiration increases with temperature over the basin in all circumstances. There will be significant spatial variations in the basin's water balance components in the future. The results of this study will be essential for managing water resources in the future, creating plans for coping with climate change, and reducing the basin's risk of flooding and water scarcity.

Energy balance and obesity: the emerging role of glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists.

With obesity affecting over one billion people globally, understanding and managing this complex condition is more crucial than ever. This review explores the emerging role of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) in weight management, focusing on their impact on energy balance. It highlights the necessity of this investigation due to the limited knowledge on both the short-term and long-term implications of GLP-1RA on energy expenditure (EE) and energy intake (EI). GLP-1RA, such as liraglutide and semaglutide, have shown significant efficacy in promoting weight loss by reducing appetite, cravings and consequently, EI. Newer medications such as tirzepatide have demonstrated even greater weight loss success. Emerging evidence also suggests potential effects on EE, which could explain the greater weight loss success achieved with GLP-1 RA rather than typical lifestyle changes. However, comprehensive data on the total impact of these drugs on energy balance remain limited. The findings underscore the promising role of GLP-1RA in obesity management, particularly through mechanisms influencing both EI and EE. Future research should focus on systematically measuring all components of energy balance to fully elucidate the mechanisms of GLP-1RA and optimize their therapeutic use for personalized medicine.

Methodological Solutions for Predicting Energy Efficiency of Organic Rankine Cycle Waste Heat Recovery Systems Considering Technological Constraints

Solving strategic IMO tasks for the decarbonization of maritime transport and the dynamics of its controlling indicators (EEDI, EEXI, CII) involves the comprehensive use of renewable and low-carbon fuels (LNG, biodiesel, methanol in the mid-term perspective of 2030, ammonia, and hydrogen to achieve zero emissions by 2050) and energy-saving technologies. The technology of regenerating secondary heat sources of the ship’s power plant WHR in the form of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is considered one of the most promising solutions. The attractiveness of the ORC is justified by the share of the energy potential of WHR at 45–50%, almost half of which are low-temperature WHR (80–90 °C and below). However, according to DNV GL, the widespread adoption of WHR-ORC technologies, especially on operating ships, is hindered by the statistical lack of system prototypes combined with the high cost of implementation. Developing methodological tools for justifying the energy efficiency indicators of WHR–ORC cycle implementation is relevant at all stages of design. The methodological solutions proposed in this article are focused on the initial stages of comparative evaluation of alternative structural solutions (without the need to use detailed technical data of the ship’s systems, power plant, and ORC nodes), expected indicators of energy efficiency, and cycle performance. The development is based on generalized results of variation studies of the ORC in the structure of the widely used main marine medium-speed diesel engine Wärtsilä 12V46F (14,400 kW, 500 min−1) in the operational load cycle range of 25–100% of nominal power. The algorithm of the proposed solutions is based on the established interrelationship of the components of the ORC energy balance in the P-h diagram field of thermodynamic indicators of the cycle working fluid (R134a was used). The implemented strategy does allow, in graphical form, for justifying the choice of working fluid and evaluating the energy performance and efficiency of alternative WHR sources for the main engine, taking into account the design solutions of the power turbine and the technological constraints of the ORC condensation system. The verification of the developed methodological solutions is served by the results of comprehensive variation studies of the ORC performed by the authors using the professionally oriented thermoengineering tool “Thermoflow” and the specification data of Wärtsilä 12V46F with an achieved increase in energy efficiency indicators by 21.4–7%.

Can changes in land use in a semi-arid region of Brazil cause seasonal variation in energy partitioning and evapotranspiration?

Changes to forests due to deforestation, or their replacement by agricultural areas, alter evapotranspiration and the partitioning of available energy. This study investigated seasonal variations in the energy balance and evapotranspiration in landscapes under different levels of anthropogenic intervention in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Micrometeorological data was obtained from September 2020 to October 2022 for three areas of the semi-arid region: preserved Caatinga (CAA, native vegetation), Caatinga under regeneration (REGE) and a deforested area (DEFA). Here, we use the Bowen ratio energy balance method. Measurements were taken of global solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, vapour pressure deficit, rainfall, net radiation, latent heat flux, sensible heat flux, soil heat flux, evapotranspiration, volumetric soil water content and Normalised Difference Vegetation Index. Sensible heat flux was the dominant flux in both areas with 66% for preserved Caatinga vegetation, 63% for Caatinga under regeneration and 62% deforested area. The latent heat flux was equivalent to 28% of the net radiation for preserved Caatinga vegetation, Caatinga under regeneration and deforested area. The evapotranspiration in turn responded as a function of water availability, being higher during the rainy seasons, with average values of 1.82 mm day−1 for preserved Caatinga vegetation, 2.26 mm day−1 for Caatinga under regeneration and 1.25 mm day−1 for deforested area. The Bowen ratio presented values > 1 in deforested area, preserved Caatinga vegetation and Caatinga under regeneration. Thus, it can be concluded that the change in land use alters the energy balance components, promoting reductions in available energy and latent and sensible heat fluxes during the rainy-dry transition in the deforested area. In addition, the seasonality of energy fluxes depends on water availability in the environment.

The water cycle of small catchments impacted with tailings mudflows: A study in the Ferro-Carvão watershed after the breakup of B1 dam in Brumadinho

The B1 tailings dam of Córrego do Feijão iron-ore mine owned by Vale, S.A. company collapsed in 25 January 2019 releasing to the Ferro-Carvão stream watershed (32.6 km2) as much as 11.7 Mm3 of mine waste. A major share (8.9 Mm3) has been deposited along the stream channel and margins forming a 2.7 km2 patch. The main purpose of this study was to question whether the tailings deposit impacted the local water cycle and how. Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model, the water balance components of 36 hydrologic response units (HRU) were calculated for pre- (S1) and post- (S2) B1 dam rupture scenarios represented by appropriate soil, land use and tailings cover. The results revealed an increase of evapotranspiration from S1 to S2, related to the sudden removal of vegetation from the stream valley and replacement with a blanket of mud, which raised the exposure of Earth's surface to sunlight and hence soil evaporation. For 11 HRU (10.3 km2) located around the tailings deposit, a decrease in lateral flow was observed, accompanied by an increase in percolation and a slight increase in groundwater flow. In this case, the water balance changes observed between S1 and S2 reflected a barrier effect imposed to the lateral flows by the tailings, which shifted the flows towards the vertical direction (percolation). Thus, the water followed an easier vertical route until reaching the shallow aquifer and being converted into groundwater flow. As per the modelling outcomes, the hydrologic impacts of B1 dam rupture are relevant because they affected 1/3 of Ferro-Carvão stream watershed, and hence claim for the complete removal of the tailings.

Development of a coupled surface water–groundwater model for the spatiotemporal simulation of river–aquifer interactions

AbstractIntegrating surface and groundwater use is a crucial part of water management. When one type of water is depleted, the other follows suit because of the constant movement and interaction between them. Therefore, the primary objective of this research is to establish a method by which the water evaluation and planning system (WEAP) surface water model and the MODFLOW groundwater model can communicate with one another. This article aims to demonstrate the interdependence of groundwater and surface water. Here, we use MODFLOW to model the saturated soil region and the soil moisture method to model the unsaturated soil region. The interaction between surface water and groundwater will affect the region's water resources and how they will operate under the continuance of existing practices. The simulation of saturated and unsaturated soil zones using a connected model of surface and groundwater employing all the hydroclimatology balance components is one of the most significant accomplishments of this research. The findings show that the (Iran) Sonqor Plain's maximum aquifer recharge throughout the months of November to May during a period of 30 years (October 1991 to September 2020) ranges between 1.5 and 2.6 million m³. A lack of recharge from irrigation water infiltration occurs in some of these months in addition to rain. The highest rate of groundwater level increase in this area is 4.5 m yr⁻¹ as a result of the distribution of irrigation water provided from the dam in the north‐western region.

Hydrus-1D Model for Simulating Potassium Transport in Rice Crop Irrigated with Alternate Wetting and Drying Practice

ABSTRACT Potassium (K) is one of the essential nutrients that play a crucial role in rice fields; however, its availability, transport, and balance components can be influenced by alternating wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation practice. This study used the Hydrus-1D solute transport model to simulate K transport and balance components in AWD irrigated rice fields. Thirty lysimeter field experiment plots with three different irrigation treatments (No: no soil water stress, MS: mild soil water stress (400 cm), and SS: severe soil water stress (750 cm)) were used for rice cultivation. Daily measurements of soil matric potential head (SMPH) and ponding water depth (PWD) were recorded. Throughout the rice-growing season, leachate water samples from the surface (ponding water) and soil profiles were collected to measure K content. Using the lysimeter field experiment data, the Hydrus-1D model simulated K transport in the AWD rice field. The simulation results indicate that the K distribution predominantly occurred within the top puddled soil layer (0–20 cm) in AWD practice. This suggests that the recommended K fertilizer dose with a 4–5 cm PWD and SMPH of 400 cm optimizes K availability for rice while limiting K leaching loss. The Hydrus-1D model proves to be a valuable management tool, aiding in determining optimal K application rates and ponding water depths for AWD irrigation, ensuring sufficient K nutrients for rice, and controlling K loss for sustainable rice production.

RoGeR v3.0.5 – a process-based hydrological toolbox model in Python

Abstract. Although water availability and water quality are equally important for effective water resources management at various spatial and temporal scales, to date, a combined representation of soil water balance components and water quality components in Python is not available. The new RoGeR toolbox contains models that can be used for not only the quantification of hydrological processes, fluxes and stores, but also solute transport processes based on StorAge selection (SAS). This study presents the code structure and functionalities of RoGeR developed as a scientific model toolbox following defined open-source software guidelines. RoGeR uses five different computational backends covering just-in-time compilation, parallelism and graphical processing units (GPUs) that might be used for optimizing computational performance. We show that graphical processing unit computing has the greatest potential to improve computation time and energy usage, especially for large modelling experiments. A simple modelling experiment highlights the capabilities of the new RoGeR model toolbox. We simulated the soil water balance, stable water isotope (18O) transport, and corresponding travel time distributions of the Eberbaechle catchment, Germany, for a 3-year period. Due to the current limitations of a variety of process components, further development of RoGeR as a scientific software is needed. Future modifications are easily possible due to the open software architecture of RoGeR.

A distributed modeling approach to water balance implications from changing land cover dynamics in permafrost environments

There is 78 % permafrost and seasonal frozen soil in the Yangtze River’s Source Region (SRYR), which is situated in the middle of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Three distinct scenarios were developed in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to model the effects of land cover change (LCC) on various water balance components. Discharge and percolation of groundwater have decreased by mid-December. This demonstrates the seasonal contributions of subsurface water, which diminish when soil freezes. During winter, when surface water inputs are low, groundwater storage becomes even more critical to ensure water supply due to this periodic trend. An impermeable layer underneath the active layer thickness decreases GWQ and PERC in LCC + permafrost scenario. The water transport and storage phase reached a critical point in August when precipitation, permafrost thawing, and snowmelt caused LATQ to surge. To prevent waterlogging and save water for dry periods, it is necessary to control this peak flow phase. Hydrological processes, permafrost dynamics, and land cover changes in the SRYR are difficult, according to the data. These interactions enhance water circulation throughout the year, recharge of groundwater supplies, surface runoff, and lateral flow. For the region’s water resource management to be effective in sustaining ecohydrology, ensuring appropriate water storage, and alleviating freshwater scarcity, these dynamics must be considered.