Simultaneous Heat And Water Research Articles

Exploring optimal straw mulch thickness during freeze–thaw periods in the central Yellow River basin: Field observations and numerical modelling

AbstractStraw mulch has been widely used to inhibit soil evaporation in semi‐arid regions, but little attention has been given to exploring optimal straw mulch thicknesses for suppressing soil evaporation under different meteorological conditions in seasonally frozen soil regions. By combining field observations and numerical modelling, the optimal straw mulch thickness for inhibiting soil evaporation under different meteorological conditions was determined. Field experiments indicated that the cumulative soil evaporation associated with straw mulch thicknesses of 1–3 cm was 40%, 53% and 65% lower than that of bare land during freeze–thaw cycles. Compared with that of bare fields, the cumulative soil evaporation simulated by SHAW (simultaneous heat and water) decreased from 9% to 82% and from 36% to 88% during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 periods, respectively, when the straw mulch thickness ranged from 1 to 20 cm. The cumulative soil evaporation tended to stabilize until the straw mulch thickness reached 14.3 cm under weather conditions with low humidity, high wind speed and sunshine and 14.5 cm under weather conditions with high or moderate humidity, low or moderate wind speed and sunshine from 1987 to 2017. The results have implications for reducing nonproductive soil evaporation and improving agricultural water management in seasonally frozen regions.

Evapotranspiration and groundwater inputs control the timing of diel cycling of stream drying during low-flow periods

Geologic, geomorphic, and climatic factors have been hypothesized to influence where streams dry, but hydrologists struggle to explain the temporal drivers of drying. Few hydrologists have isolated the role that vegetation plays in controlling the timing and location of stream drying in headwater streams. We present a distributed, fine-scale water balance through the seasonal recession and onset of stream drying by combining spatiotemporal observations and modeling of flow presence/absence, evapotranspiration, and groundwater inputs. Surface flow presence/absence was collected at fine spatial (~80 m) and temporal (15-min) scales at 25 locations in a headwater stream in southwestern Idaho, USA. Evapotranspiration losses were modeled at the same locations using the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model. Groundwater inputs were estimated at four of the locations using a mixing model approach. In addition, we compared high-frequency, fine-resolution riparian normalized vegetation difference index (NDVI) with stream flow status. We found that the stream wetted and dried on a daily basis before seasonally drying, and daily drying occurred when evapotranspiration outputs exceeded groundwater inputs, typically during the hours of peak evapotranspiration. Riparian NDVI decreased when the stream dried, with a ~2-week lag between stream drying and response. Stream diel drying cycles reflect the groundwater and evapotranspiration balance, and riparian NDVI may improve stream drying predictions for groundwater-supported headwater streams.

Simulation of Soil Temperature under Plateau Zokor's (Eospalax baileyi) Disturbance in the Qinghai Lake Watershed, Northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The soil temperature is a key factor affecting the fragile terrestrial ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and has been remarkably altered by the soil mammal's disturbance. This study first analyzed the soil temperature variation in grassland, mound, and bald patch under the disturbance of plateau zokor (Eospalax baileyi) from October 2018 to July 2020 in the Qinghai Lake watershed. Then, the SHAW (simultaneous heat and water) model was used to simulate the soil temperature change of three land surface types, and the sensitivity of soil temperature to environmental parameters before and after the disturbance was explored. The results showed the following: (1) The daily range of soil temperature was mound > bald patch > grassland, which became smaller as the depth increased, due to the co-influence of vegetation coverage and soil bulk density. There was an obvious hysteresis of soil heat transfer for grassland, as compared with mound and bald patch, especially at 5 and 15 cm depths. (2) The SHAW model was applicable for the simulation of soil temperature under the plateau zokor's disturbance, especially during the growing season, and had better simulation accuracy for deep soil. (3) Air-entry potential and pore-size distribution index obviously affected soil temperature change, because of the change in root system and soil pores under the plateau zokor's disturbance. With the evolution of disturbance process, the response of soil temperature to the leaf area index weakened gradually, owing to the different duration of disturbance and restoration. In general, the plateau zokor's disturbance alters the soil properties and vegetation characteristics, and further, distinctly affects heat transfer and soil temperature.

Evaluation of Parameterization Schemes for Matric Potential in Frozen Soil in Land Surface Models: A Modeling Perspective

AbstractSoil matric potential (SMP) is an important variable in land surface models (LSMs) for regulating soil hydrological processes and highly influenced by soil ice in frozen ground. In this study, four SMP parameterization schemes that incorporate different effects of soil pore ice were separately integrated into the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model and evaluated for their ability to simulate heat and water transport at a permafrost monitoring site at the Tanggula Mountain Pass on the inner Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau based on the same data and model settings. The schemes differed in their treatment of pore ice effects, including effective porosity and cryosuction. An identifiability analysis of SMP‐related parameters for each scheme was performed, based on 1,000‐fold random parameter sampling. The scheme that considered both effects performed best, accurately simulating both soil moisture content and temperature in the active layer. The schemes that considered only one effect of pore ice showed limitations, with the effective porosity scheme underestimating unfrozen water content and the cryosuction scheme seriously overestimating it, and both schemes leading to large discrepancies in simulated soil temperature. The scheme that ignored both effects performed better than the partially considered schemes due to a compensating effect of reduced effective porosity and increased cryosuction in the presence of pore ice, but not as well as the scheme that considered both effects, particularly in simulating soil temperature during freezing periods and estimating unfrozen water content near the mid‐depth of the active layer.

Trends in soil frost formation in a warming maritime climate and the impacts on urban flood risk

The most severe urban flooding in cold maritime climates is due to the co-action of long-duration rainfall, snowmelt, and soil frost. Increasing winter air temperature due to climate change is projected to change the magnitude and frequency of rain-on-snow (RoS) events and increase the number of freeze–thaw cycles and midwinter snowmelt. While daily rainfall records are readily available, less is known about the infiltration and frost formation within urban soils. Thus, there is uncertainty on how warming winter conditions may affect urban flood risk and the climate resilience of cities. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess soil frost formation in the past 70 years in the maritime city of Reykjavík, Iceland (64° N, 21° W), and its co-action with runoff generation, and the potential implications on urban flood risk. To that end, the daily thermal and hydraulic conditions of the soil were simulated using the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model dating back to 1949, calibrated based on hourly observations from 2007. Model simulations indicated that the minimum soil temperature at 10 cm depth has been warming at a rate of 0.015 °C/year in the past seven decades. Climate warming is also noted in a steady decline in frost depth and the duration of soil frost each winter (p-value < 0.05). However, the freezing season has shortened so that the timing of maximum frost coincides more with the timing of maximum RoS and snowmelt events. Furthermore, RoS events during frost have the capacity to produce larger runoff volumes than rainfall or snowmelt alone based on the joint frequency analysis of winter events using the copula method. This, combined with increasing volume during RoS events, suggests that winter floods may intensify in the next decades, which urges re-thinking urban stormwater management in cold climates.

Elevation and Aspect Effects on Soil Microclimate and the Germination Timing of Fall-Planted Seeds

Invasive annual grasses now dominate millions of hectares of rangeland in the Intermountain Western United States. Local annual grass distribution, however, has been shown to follow landscape patterns of slope, aspect, and elevation that are correlated with ecological resilience to stress and disturbance and resistance to annual grass invasion. Although these patterns have previously been linked to soil-climate classes, several mechanistic factors in native-plant seedling establishment are also associated with both topography and seasonal weather patterns in the year following planting. In this study we used the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model to estimate long-term weather effects on soil microclimate and hydrothermal-germination models to predict germination response of one fast- and one slow-germinating native grass as a function of planting date, slope, aspect, and elevation in the Boise Foothills in southwestern Idaho. Higher elevation and northerly aspect sites are more likely to defer germination of seeded species until late enough in the fall that they avoid postgermination/preemergence freezing mortality. These sites are also more favorable for survival of emerged seedlings through mid to late summer. Slope, aspect, and elevation effects on modeled restoration outcomes are consistent with previously modeled general patterns of ecological resilience and resistance as a function of soil hydrothermal class, but inclusion of slope and aspect effects may produce finer-scale metrics for mapping these patterns over space. The probabilistic nature of microclimatic variability as a function of elevation may yield useful insights into successful restoration approaches for reestablishment of native plant communities in lower-elevation ecosystems with inherently lower ecological resilience and resistance. The generally arid climate in this region, however, may limit successful restoration outcomes at lower elevation in most years even under conditions of long-term annual grass control.

Convective heat transfer of spring meltwater accelerates active layer phase change in Tibet permafrost areas

Abstract. Convective heat transfer (CHT) is one of the important processes that control the near-ground surface heat transfer in permafrost areas. However, this process has often not been considered in most permafrost studies, and its influence on freezing–thawing processes in the active layer lacks quantitative investigation. The Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model, one of the few land surface models in which the CHT process is well incorporated into the soil heat–mass transport processes, was applied in this study to investigate the impacts of CHT on the thermal dynamics of the active layer at the Tanggula station, a typical permafrost site on the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau with abundant meteorological and soil temperature and soil moisture observation data. A control experiment was carried out to quantify the changes in active layer temperature affected by vertical advection of liquid water. Three experimental setups were used: (1) the original SHAW model with full consideration of CHT, (2) a modified SHAW model that ignores CHT due to infiltration from the surface, and (3) a modified SHAW model that completely ignores CHT processes in the system. The results show that the CHT events occurred mainly during thaw periods in melted shallow (0–0.2 m) and intermediate (0.4–1.3 m) soil depths, and their impacts on soil temperature at shallow depths were significantly greater during spring melting periods than summer. The impact was minimal during freeze periods and in deep soil layers. During thaw periods, temperatures at the shallow and intermediate soil depths simulated under the scenario considering CHT were on average about 0.9 and 0.4 ∘C higher, respectively, than under the scenarios ignoring CHT. The ending dates of the zero-curtain effect were substantially advanced when CHT was considered due to its heating effect. However, the opposite cooling effect was also present but not as frequently as heating due to upward liquid fluxes and thermal differences between soil layers. In some periods, the advection flow from the cold layer reduced the shallow and intermediate depth temperatures by an average of about −1.0 and −0.4 ∘C, respectively. The overall annual effect of CHT due to liquid flux is to increase soil temperature in the active layer and favor thawing of frozen ground at the study site.

Assessing soil water recovery after converting planted shrubs and grass to natural grass in the northern Loess Plateau of China

The Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is prone to adverse effects from drought, especially the widespread creation of a dried soil layer (DSL), a problem intensified by revegetation under the Grain for Green Program. Using 13-year soil moisture (SM) data, we compared soil water consumption by planted shrubs (Korshinsk peashrub, KOP), planted grass (purple alfalfa, ALF), and natural grass (NAG) from 2004 to 2016 in the CLP. To assess the soil water recovery processes, long-term (30 years) SM dynamics were simulated using the simultaneous heat and water (SHAW) model based on field data and local meteorological data under two scenarios (A: converting KOP to NAG and B: converting ALF to NAG). The results showed that the decline rates of SM in 1–4 m profiles for NAG (24.0–29.8%) were much lower than those for KOP (47.6–51.4%) and ALF (48.8–50.2%) during the 13-year growth period. Modelling SM dynamics at depths of 1–4 m for 30 years showed that SM gradually increased and that the DSL prevalence could be reduced under scenarios A and B. The complete elimination of DSL requires at least 6 years at 1–4 m under scenario A, 13 years at 2–4 m, and 22 years at 1–2 m under scenario B. Soil water restored to local stable soil water levels requires approximately 19, 13, and 15 years in the 1–2 m, 2–3 m, and 3–4 m profiles, respectively, under scenario A. Soil water recovery will take approximately 28 years in the 2–3 m profile and 27 years in the 3–4 m profile under scenario B. Our results enhance the understanding of the soil water depletion and recovery processes under different vegetation types and can could be used to provide scientific guidance for sustainable ecological restoration in the CLP.

Simulation of Heat and Water Transport on Different Tree Canopies: A Finite Element Approach

Heat and water transport modeling is a widely explored topic in micro-meteorology, agriculture, and forestry. One of the most popular models is the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model, which includes partial differential equations (PDEs) for air-soil temperature and humidity, but with a priori discretized PDE for the foliage temperature in each canopy layer; it is solved using the finite difference method and the canopy shape is defined as a simple rule of proportionality of total quantities such as the total leaf area index. This work proposes a novel canopy shape characterization based on Weibull distribution, providing a continuous vertical shape function capable of fitting any tree species. This allows formulating a fully continuous SHAW-derived model, which is numerically solved by a finite element approach of P1 Lagrange type. For this novel approach, several numerical experiments were carried out to understand how the shape of well distinguishable canopies influences heat and water transport.

Promise and pitfalls of modeling grassland soil moisture in a free-air CO2 enrichment experiment (BioCON) using the SHAW model

Free-air carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment (FACE) experiments provide an opportunity to test models of heat and water flow under novel, controlled situations and eventually allow use of these models for hypothesis evaluation. This study assesses whether the United States Department of Agriculture SHAW (Simultaneous Heat and Water) numerical model of vertical one-dimensional soil water flow across the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum is able to adequately represent and explain the effects of increasing atmospheric CO2 on soil moisture dynamics in temperate grasslands. Observations in a FACE experiment, the BioCON (Biodiversity, CO2, and Nitrogen) experiment, in Minnesota, USA, were compared with results of vertical soil moisture distribution. Three scenarios represented by different plots were assessed: bare, vegetated with ambient CO2, and similarly vegetated with high CO2. From the simulations, the bare plot soil was generally the wettest, followed by a drier high-CO2 vegetated plot, and the ambient CO2 plot was the driest. The SHAW simulations adequately reproduced the expected behavior and showed that vegetation and atmospheric CO2 concentration significantly affected soil moisture dynamics. The differences in modeled soil moisture amongst the plots were largely due to transpiration, which was low with high CO2. However, the modeled soil moisture only modestly reproduced the observations. Thus, while SHAW is able to replicate and help broadly explain soil moisture dynamics in a FACE experiment, its application for point- and time-specific simulations of soil moisture needs further scrutiny. The typical design of a FACE experiment makes the experimental observations challenging to model with a one-dimensional distributed model. In addition, FACE instrumentation and monitoring will need improvement in order to be a useful platform for robust model testing. Only after this can we recommend that models such as SHAW are adequate for process interpretation of datasets from FACE experiments or for hypothesis testing.

Ecohydrological modelling in a deciduous boreal forest: Model evaluation for application in non‐stationary climates

AbstractSoil moisture is an important driver of growth in boreal Alaska, but estimating soil hydraulic parameters can be challenging in this data‐sparse region. Parameter estimation is further complicated in regions with rapidly warming climate, where there is a need to minimize model error dependence on interannual climate variations. To better identify soil hydraulic parameters and quantify energy and water balance and soil moisture dynamics, we applied the physically based, one‐dimensional ecohydrological Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model, loosely coupled with the Geophysical Institute of Permafrost Laboratory (GIPL) model, to an upland deciduous forest stand in interior Alaska over a 13‐year period. Using a Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation parameterisation, SHAW reproduced interannual and vertical spatial variability of soil moisture during a five‐year validation period quite well, with root mean squared error (RMSE) of volumetric water content at 0.5 m as low as 0.020 cm3/cm3. Many parameter sets reproduced reasonable soil moisture dynamics, suggesting considerable equifinality. Model performance generally declined in the eight‐year validation period, indicating some overfitting and demonstrating the importance of interannual variability in model evaluation. We compared the performance of parameter sets selected based on traditional performance measures such as the RMSE that minimize error in soil moisture simulation, with one that is designed to minimize the dependence of model error on interannual climate variability using a new diagnostic approach we call CSMP, which stands for Climate Sensitivity of Model Performance. Use of the CSMP approach moderately decreases traditional model performance but may be more suitable for climate change applications, for which it is important that model error is independent from climate variability. These findings illustrate (1) that the SHAW model, coupled with GIPL, can adequately simulate soil moisture dynamics in this boreal deciduous region, (2) the importance of interannual variability in model parameterisation, and (3) a novel objective function for parameter selection to improve applicability in non‐stationary climates.

Evaluation of 14 frozen soil thermal conductivity models with observations and SHAW model simulations

Frozen soil thermal conductivity (FSTC, λeff) is a critical thermophysical property that is required for a variety of science and engineering applications. Measurements of λeff in frozen soils are prone to errors because the currently available thermal methods result in phase change (i.e., thawing and refreezing of ice) that affects the estimated λeff, especially near the freezing point of soil water (e.g., −4 to 0 °C) where rapid phase change occurs. In addition, measured λeff data are few compared to other physical properties. Therefore, many FSTC algorithms have been developed and a few of them have been incorporated in numerical simulation programs for calculating λeff. However, large discrepancies between simulated and observed soil thermal regimes have been reported. Previous studies either evaluated the performance of a few FSTC algorithms with limited λeff or simply compared the performance of the algorithms in numerical simulation programs. No study has been performed to systematically assess the performance of the FSTC algorithms included in numerical simulation programs with both observations and model simulations. In this study, 14 FSTC algorithms incorporated in various numerical simulation programs were evaluated with a compiled dataset consisting of 331 λeff measurements on 27 soils from seven studies made at temperatures on or below −4 °C. The Becker 1992 algorithm provided the best estimates of the λeff measurements, but the accuracy of the estimates was not good (i.e., RMSE = 0.46 W m−1 °C−1, Bias = -0.04 W m−1 °C−1 and NSE = 0.51). These FSTC algorithms were also incorporated in the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model to compare their effects on the simulating soil temperature and water content at two field sites with contrasting soil textures in USA. The simulation results showed that the average bias of simulated and observed soil temperature for all depths ranged from −2.2 to 2.8 °C and the average differences of liquid water content ranged from −0.08 to 0.1 cm3 cm−3. Generally no FSTC algorithm combined with the SHAW model satisfactorily estimated the dynamic soil thermal regime. Perspectives on future studies are discussed.

Slope and Aspect Effects on Seedbed Microclimate and Germination Timing of Fall-Planted Seeds

Rangeland vegetation in the Great Basin, United States, is frequently disturbed by natural- and human-caused wildfires that facilitate the establishment and dominance of introduced annual weeds such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead wildrye (Taeniatherum caput-medusae [L.] Nevski). Ecological resilience and resistance of native and seeded-non-native plant communities in this region, however, appear to follow topographic patterns associated with slope, aspect, and elevation. Currently, resistance and resilience concepts are being used to prioritize rangeland restoration efforts based on soil-climate classification. We hypothesized that probabilistic patterns of shorter-term weather effects on seedbed microclimate might also be correlated with these perceived spatial patterns of resistance and resilience over space. We used a 39-yr gridded weather dataset to estimate seedbed temperature and water potential at seeding depth as a function of slope and aspect using the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model. Seedbed temperature and water potential were then used as input to hydrothermal germination response models to generate indices of seedbed favorability for initial germination and emergence and to estimate cumulative germination response as a function of topography and planting date for the very-fast-germinating cheatgrass, fast-germinating bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides [Raf] Swezey), and slower-germinating Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis Elmer). Topographic mapping of seedbed favorability showed distinct seasonal patterns associated with both slope and aspect. Southern exposures are likely to facilitate both prewinter germination for early-fall-planted seeds and relatively more midwinter germination for seeds planted later in the fall, but these exposures are also less subject to midwinter frost effects. Northern exposures were likely to delay germination into later winter and early spring and thus avoid potential exposure to a higher probability of winter frost mortality. Microclimatic simulations of this type may provide new metrics for improving our understanding of the mechanistic causes of observed patterns of ecological resistance and resilience over space.

A novel irrigation canal scheduling approach without relying on a prespecified canal water demand process

The creation of an efficient and environmentally friendly irrigation canal schedule strongly depends on the accuracy of the prespecified water demand (PSWD) process in existing scheduling practices and modeling studies. Overestimating water demand would result in spillage losses from over-irrigation, while underestimating water demand would lead to crop yield losses due to deficit water supply. However, prespecifying an accurate water demand often poses various challenges for both farmers and canal administrators, as it involves the temporal variability in agrometeorological conditions, the spatial diversity of soil properties, and the sensitivity of crops to water stress at different growth stages. Therefore, to reduce the uncertainty of prespecifying water demand and avoid the adverse effects of an inaccurate water demand on canal water allocation, this paper proposes an alternative canal scheduling model that maximizes canal scheduling service quality by targeting the ultimate objectives of the irrigation system (UOIS) without considering the prespecified water demand as the model input. The UOIS canal scheduling (UOIS-CS) model aims to optimize the canal water delivery schedule via simulation of soil water and salt migration using the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model, to provide the most suitable soil moisture content and soil salinity for crops. The UOIS-CS model is used for the Hetao Irrigation District, Inner Mongolia, a typical agricultural watershed in China, where supplementary irrigation is performed after the autumn harvest (i.e., autumn irrigation) to leach excessive soil salt and preserve a moderate amount of soil moisture for the beginning of the next spring sowing period. To evaluate the irrigation performance of the UOIS-CS model further, a comparative analysis between the UOIS-CS model and the widely used PSWD-based canal scheduling (PSWD-CS) model is conducted. Compared with the PSWD-CS model, the proposed UOIS-CS model exhibits a superior irrigation performance in terms of leaching soil salt and preserving soil water, and a lower risk of canal overload operation during a higher water demand period. The improved performance of the UOIS-CS model is attributed to its greater adaptability to the spatial diversity of soil properties and the temporal variability in agrometeorological conditions, which originates from the full use of the equifinality of model performance metrics and model inputs. The UOIS-CS model provides managers with an effective approach to formulate a canal water delivery schedule with improved irrigation efficiency and lower overload risk. The proposed framework is generic and can be applied to non-crop growing seasons.

Evaluating RZ-SHAW model for simulating surface runoff and subsurface tile drainage under regular and controlled drainage with subirrigation in southern Ontario

The response of both surface runoff and subsurface drainage as affected by water table management practices in tile-drained fields is poorly documented. Widely used to simulate management effects on crop production and water quality, the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2) has recently been equipped with a subirrigation component. Coupled with Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model to improve its hydrological responses to cold climates, the hybrid RZ-SHAW has never been tested for simulating surface runoff and subsurface drainage under controlled drainage with subirrigation system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the model performance in predicting surface runoff, subsurface tile drainage, and crop yield under regular drainage (DR) and controlled drainage with subirrigation (CDS) for the first time. The RZ-SHAW model was calibrated and validated against tile drainage, surface runoff and crop yield data collected in a tile-drained field in Harrow, Ontario from June 2008 to December 2011 under DR and CDS treatments. Despite occasional underestimation in winter and overestimation in summer, the model was performing generally satisfactorily in simulating the accumulated subsurface drainage and runoff under both DR and CDS treatments with percent bias (PBIAS) within ±15 %, Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (NSE) >0.5 and the index of agreement (IoA) >0.75. Overall, the RZ-SHAW was capable of predicting the subsurface drainage and surface runoff under both DR and CDS treatment, and it provided reliable estimation for the impact of water table management practice on ET and crop yield, but its accuracy for simulating events of peak flow was not as precise for the CDS treatment than DR treatment.

Transient and Transition Factors in Modeling Permafrost Thaw and Groundwater Flow.

Permafrost covers approximately 24% of the Northern Hemisphere, and much of it is degrading, which causes infrastructure failures and ecosystem transitions. Understanding groundwater and heat flow processes in permafrost environments is challenging due to spatially and temporarily varying hydraulic connections between water above and below the near-surface discontinuous frozen zone. To characterize the transitional period of permafrost degradation, a three-dimensional model of a permafrost plateau that includes the supra-permafrost zone and surrounding wetlands was developed. The model is based on the Scotty Creek basin in the Northwest Territories, Canada. FEFLOW groundwater flow and heat transport modeling software is used in conjunction with the piFreeze plug-in, to account for phase changes between ice and water. The Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) flow model is used to calculate ground temperatures and surface water balance, which are then used as FEFLOW boundary conditions. As simulating actual permafrost evolution would require hundreds of years of climate variations over an evolving landscape, whose geomorphic features are unknown, methodologies for developing permafrost initial conditions for transient simulations were investigated. It was found that a model initialized with a transient spin-up methodology, that includes an unfrozen layer between the permafrost table and ground surface, yields better results than with steady-state permafrost initial conditions. This study also demonstrates the critical role that variations in land surface and permafrost table microtopography, along with talik development, play in permafrost degradation. Modeling permafrost dynamics will allow for the testing of remedial measures to stabilize permafrost in high value infrastructure environments.

Simulation of Soil Freezing and Thawing for Different Groundwater Table Depths

Core Ideas The SHAW model was used to simulate the freeze–thaw process during freeze–thaw periods. It revealed the effects of soil texture and groundwater table depth on soil freezing and thawing. The frost depth and accumulated negative soil surface temperature relationship was determined. During freeze–thaw periods, the transformation between phreatic water and soil water will change the soil hydrothermal properties and affect the soil freezing and thawing in shallow groundwater areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of four different groundwater table depths (GTDs) and two soil textures on the process of soil freezing and thawing during two successive freeze–thaw periods using the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model. The results show that the frost depth was the maximum when the GTD was 1.0 m, and the maximum frost depths of sandy loam and fine sand were 97.6 and 98.9 cm, respectively. When the GTD was larger than 1.5 m, the maximum frost depth decreased with an increase in GTD, and the maximum frost depth of the soil profile was more sensitive to changes in the air temperature. The frost depth of the soil profile was linear with the square root of the accumulated negative soil surface temperature (ANST) under different GTDs. The ANST was influenced by the phreatic evaporation, and the soil freezing rate increased with an increase in GTD under the same ANST. This research is significant for the rational development of soil water and heat resources and the study of soil water–heat transfer in shallow groundwater areas.

Catchment Hydrology during Winter and Spring and the Link to Soil Erosion: A Case Study in Norway

In the Nordic countries, soil erosion rates in winter and early spring can exceed those at other times of the year. In particular, snowmelt, combined with rain and soil frost, leads to severe soil erosion, even, e.g., in low risk areas in Norway. In southern Norway, previous attempts to predict soil erosion during winter and spring have not been very accurate owing to a lack of catchment-based data, resulting in a poor understanding of hydrological processes during winter. Therefore, a field study was carried out over three consecutive winters (2013, 2014 and 2015) to gather relevant data. In parallel, the development of the snow cover, soil temperature and ice content during these three winters was simulated with the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model for two different soils (sand, clay). The field observations carried out in winter revealed high complexity and diversity in the hydrological processes occurring in the catchment. Major soil erosion was caused by a small rain event on frozen ground before snow cover was established, while snowmelt played no significant role in terms of soil erosion in the study period. Four factors that determine the extent of runoff and erosion were of particular importance: (1) soil water content at freezing; (2) whether soil is frozen or unfrozen at a particular moment; (3) the state of the snow pack; and (4) tillage practices prior to winter. SHAW performed well in this application and proved that it is a valuable tool for investigating and simulating snow cover development, soil temperature and extent of freezing in soil profiles.

Modeling of terracette‐hillslope soil moisture as a function of aspect, slope and vegetation in a semi‐arid environment

AbstractIn the semi‐arid western United States, water availability plays a defining role in land use. Soil moisture, vegetation, and microtopography are key variables in the hydrologic function of these ecosystems. Previous research has not addressed the influence of site‐specific aspect, vegetation, or slope gradient on terracette soil moisture patterns in semi‐arid rangelands. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the influence of terracette site aspect, vegetation cover, and slope on soil moisture; (2) conceptualize conditions at the hillslope scale given terracette morphology; and (3) estimate the extent of terracettes at a regional scale. The Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model was used to simulate soil water dynamics of terracettes given variations in site conditions. These results were coupled with time‐of‐flight laser scans to quantify terracette bench and riser percent‐area, and statewide assessments of terracette extent using digital orthoimagery and a geographical information system (GIS). Modeling results indicated site aspect had minimal influence (±0.005 m3 m−3) on terracette soil moisture. Vegetation, represented as leaf area index (LAI), had the single‐most influential effect on terracette volumetric water content (θv) demonstrated by an inverse relationship of LAI to mean terracette hillslope θv; and slope increases of ≥15% on northern azimuths increased mean θv which contrasted with southern azimuths for similar slope increases. Laser scanning results indicated bench width and riser length could be estimated from mean site slope (R2 = 0.82 risers and R2 = 0.93 benches). Aerial orthoimagery/GIS assessments estimated &gt;159 000 ha of terracettes throughout the State of Idaho, with &gt;41 000 ha (~26%) occurring on lands managed as grazing allotments. These findings provide an increased understanding of rangeland hydrologic processes as influenced by cattle density, vegetation, and terracettes which can aide land managers in their selection and application of best management practices on these lands. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Surface water input from snowmelt and rain throughfall in western juniper: potential impacts of climate change and shifts in semi‐arid vegetation

AbstractIn the western USA, shifts from snow to rain precipitation regimes and increases in western juniper cover in shrub‐dominated landscapes can alter surface water input via changes in snowmelt and throughfall. To better understand how shifts in both precipitation and semi‐arid vegetation cover alter above‐ground hydrological processes, we assessed how rain interception differs between snow and rain surface water input; how western juniper alters snowpack dynamics; and how these above‐ground processes differ across western juniper, mountain big sagebrush and low sagebrush plant communities. We collected continuous surface water input with four large lysimeters, interspace and below‐canopy snow depth data and conducted periodic snow surveys for two consecutive water years (2013 and 2014). The ratio of interspace to below‐canopy surface water input was greater for snow relative to rain events, averaging 79.4% and 54.8%, respectively. The greater surface water input ratio for snow is in part due to increased deposition of redistributed snow under the canopy. We simulated above‐ground energy and water fluxes in western juniper, low sagebrush and mountain big sagebrush for two 8‐year periods under current and projected mid‐21st century warmer temperatures with the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model. Juniper compared with low and mountain sagebrush reduced surface water input by an average of 138 mm or 24% of the total site water budget. Conversely, warming temperatures reduced surface water input by only an average of 14 mm across the three vegetation types. The future (warmer) simulations resulted in earlier snow disappearance and surface water input by 51 and 45 days, respectively, across juniper, low sagebrush and mountain sagebrush. Information from this study can help land managers in the sagebrush steppe understand how both shifts in climate and semi‐arid vegetation will alter fundamental hydrological processes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.