Description of a regional groundwater flow model SIMGRO and some applications

• Published in: Agricultural water management 1988, Vol.14 (1), p.209-218
• Main Author: Querner, E.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; Agricultural development. Rural area planning; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biometrics, statistics, experimental designs, modeling, agricultural computer applications; CAPA FREATICA; CORRIENTES SUBTERRANEAS; COURANT SOUTERRAIN; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Generalities. Biometrics, experimentation. Remote sensing; Geohydrologie, bodemhydrologie; Geohydrology, Soil Hydrology; grondwaterstroming; GROUNDWATER FLOW; GROUNDWATER TABLE; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Irrigation. Drainage; MODELE DE SIMULATION; modellen; MODELOS DE SIMULACION; NAPPE SOUTERRAINE; nederland; netherlands; Physical properties; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; SIMULATION MODELS; Soil science; Water and solute dynamics
• ISSN: 0378-3774; 1873-2283
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-3774(88)90075-3

Regional water management plays an important role in agricultural production and in nature reserves. The groundwater flow model. SIMGRO. simulates the flow of water in the saturated zone, the unsaturated zone and the surface water system. The model is constructed in such a manner that it is accurate enough without requiring many input data and much computer time. The saturated zone consists of a quasi-three dimensional finite element model with an implicit calculation scheme. The unsaturated zone is modelled by means of two reservoirs, one for the root zone and one for the subsoil. Storage of water in the root zone is considered with extractions and inflows. From the water balance of the subsoil the height of the phreatic surface is calculated with a storage coefficient. The unsaturated zone is considered per land use (agricultural crops, natural vegetations) on a subregional level. Subregions are chosen in such a way that they have relatively homogeneous soil properties and hydrological conditions. The surface water system of a subregion, in reality a network of small channels, is considered as one reservoir with criteria for, among others, water supply, discharge characteristics, water level control and extractions for sprinkling. The usefulness of the model is demonstrated with the estimation of the effect of a groundwater extraction on a regional level and the impact of sprinkling. The regional model is also used in connection with a crop production model, to quantify these regional water management aspects in terms of crop production and cost benefits.