Water-table modelling to estimate irrigation losses: application to the Lower Durance, France

The consumption of water by irrigation in agriculture is very large and thus the effects of the management of irrigation systems on aquifers are very important. The basis of this preliminary study into the reduction of this consumption is to improve our understanding of the losses resulting from water transport and deep seepage inside the irrigated areas of cultivation (parcels) at the regional level (100 km) by studying water-table variations with reference to anthropogenic contributions. The use of a hydrodynamic model that incorporates adjustment of the quantity of irrigation water by a reduction coefficient enables actual water-table behaviour to be simulated. Losses can thus be deduced from the quantity of irrigation water flowing into the irrigation system and from hydrometeorological parameters.

Application of the technique in the Lower Durance (France) indicates that, in this region, 53% of the water remains in the irrigation network and 19% is lost by deep seepage, leaving only 28% of the water supplied for use by plants.     

Monitoring and modelling draining and resident soil water nitrate concentrations to estimate leaching losses

Quantifying nitrogen (N) losses below the root zone is highly challenging due to uncertainties associated with estimating drainage fluxes and solute concentrations in the leachate. Active and passive soil water samplers provide solute concentrations but give limited information on water fluxes. Mechanistic models are used to estimate leaching, but require calibration with measured data to ensure their reliability. Data from a drainage lysimeter trial under irrigation in which soil profile nitrate (NO₃⁻) concentrations were monitored using wetting front detectors (passive sampler) and ceramic suction cups (active sampler) were compared to NO₃⁻ concentrations in draining and resident soil water as simulated by the research version of the Soil Water Balance model (SWB-Sci). SWB-Sci is a daily time-step, cascading soil water and solute balance model that provides draining NO₃⁻ concentrations by accounting for incomplete solute mixing. As hypothesized, suction cup concentrations aligned closely with resident soil water concentrations, while wetting front detector concentrations aligned closely with draining soil water NO₃⁻ concentrations. These results demonstrate the power of combining monitoring and modelling to estimate NO₃⁻ leaching losses. Access to measured draining and resident NO₃⁻ concentrations, especially when complemented with modelled fluxes, can contribute greatly to achieving improved production and environmental objectives.     

喷微灌工程设计中与泵有关的几个问题

水泵选型是否合理不仅关系到喷微灌工程的投资和运行费用，而且在一定程度上决定系统能否正常、安全地运行。本文根据作者自己的设计实践经验，对机压喷微灌工程设计中水泵类型和台数的选择、水泵工作点的确定和调节方法等问题进行了讨论，供设计人员参考。     

Dimensional analysis in surface irrigation

The surface-irrigation design process requires multiple analyses of surface irrigations to test tentative values of design parameters in the search for an optimum. Preparation of general design charts can aid the design process if the users' test cases fall within the scope of the charts. The large number of independent variables in surface irrigation preclude the generation of charts covering the practical range of all independent variables, when these are in dimensioned form. Dimensionless formulations allow significant reductions in the amount of data generated and presented, without loss of generality. Relationships pertinent to surface-irrigation analyses and design are reviewed in dimensionless terms. Dimensionless forms are developed primarily from an examination of the equations governing surface-irrigation phenomena. Additionally, dimensionless forms are derived from a study of the dimensions of the pertinent variables, without recourse to the governing equations. The Buckingham Pi Theorem is derived in the context of surface irrigation. Different choices for reference variables, leading to different meanings for the resulting dimensionless parameters, have advantages and disadvantages for analysis and design of surface irrigation systems. The different systems developed in the past for border irrigation are reviewed and their consequences noted; new systems with potential for future studies are suggested. Particular attention is devoted to those dimensionless representations useful in design.     

内镶贴片式滴灌带局部水头损失试验研究

通过试验研究了标准管径16 mm的5种内镶贴片式滴灌带的局部水头损失,分析了滴灌带局部水头损失占沿程水头损失的比值hjt/hf和局部水头损失系数α的变化规律.结果表明:相同工作压力下,滴灌带当量直径随壁厚的增大而减小,造成沿程水头损失和局部水头损失的增大,局部水头损失与壁厚、滴头断面面积和雷诺数有关.随着雷诺数的增大,滴灌带局部水头损失占沿程水头损失的比值hjt/hf减小,最小值可达到0. 67,但仍超过中国制定的微灌工程技术规范设计标准(0. 1~0. 2).通过对试验数据进行多元回归分析,提出了滴灌带局部水头损失系数与过水断面收缩比和雷诺数的关系式,相关系数为0. 96.     

Use of multiple regression analysis to estimate average corn yields using selected soils and climatic data

A systematic method for predicting corn yields was developed using research plots, selected soil properties and climatic data. :Multiple regression analyses were employed to generate coefficients for the relative contributions of selected soil properties and climatic data from five experimental research plots located in New York State. Yield data were collected from 2 to 19 years, along with climatic data. The soils at each of the plots were mapped, described, sampled, characterized, classified and interpreted. Linear equations, with coefficients generated from the multiple regression analyses, were developed from 43 years of corn data at five research plots. The predictive linear equation was tested at an independent experimental plot with 19 years ofactual corn yield data. The resulting linear relationship between actual and estimated corn yields had an r² of 0·52. The model did, however, predict an average corn yield (for 19 years) within 194 kg ha⁻¹ (3 %) of the actual average corn yield. The equations have the potential to predict the average 20-year crop yields under high management for all soil map units in New York State.     

A model to estimate timing of aquatic weed control in drainage canals

In many parts of the Netherlands a dense network of watercourses is necessary to drain the land. A related aspect is thechanging transport capacity of the water courses due to thegrowth of aquatic plants in the growing season. In turn thisphenomenon requires aquatic weeds to be controlled by waterboards in order to maintain the water course's required capacity.The procedure outlined in this paper can be used to determinethe frequency of weed control based on hydrological andhydraulic conditions. The drainage from groundwater gives anexpected variation in discharge over the growing season. Thepermissible flow rate is governed by both the growth of weedsand the permissible water levels in the water course. Weedcontrol is necessary during the growing season when theexpected discharge is more than the permissible flow rate. Thisprocedure has been incorporated in the model MWW(Maintenance of Water courses by Water boards). An examplehow to use MWW is given.     

A water balance model to estimate groundwater recharge in Rechna doab,Pakistan

The main objective of this study was to develop a procedure to evaluate various recharge components of a groundwater reservoir to estimate the long term average seasonal groundwater recharge in Rechna doab in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A regional lumped water balance model for the Rechna doab was developed and applied to estimate the long term a seasonal recharge to groundwater reservoir. For comparison, recharge was also estimated by a specific yield method from observed groundwater levels. A water balance study was conducted on seasonal basis (6 months) for a period of 31 years (1960–1990). Recharge estimated by the two methods was found to be in good agreement. The average value of net groundwater recharge during Kharif (April–September) season was found to be some 60 mm. No recharge occurred during Rabi (October–March), rather there was a depletion of the groundwater reservoir during the winter months. Long term average annual depletion of a groundwater reservoir was found to be greater than corresponding value of annual recharge. It was concluded that on a regional basis the groundwater reservoir was being depleted resulting in an average groundwater table of Rechna doab about 2.3 m fall over the 1960–1990 period.     

Radiation calibration of FAO56 Penman-Monteith model to estimate reference crop evapotranspiration in China

The standardized FAO56 Penman-Monteith model, which has been the most reasonable method in both humid and arid climatic conditions, provides reference crop evapotranspiration (ET_o) estimates for planning and efficient use of agricultural water resources. Net radiation is an important and site-specific component to determine ET_o. The empirical radiation estimation in FAO56 Penman-Monteith model was calibrated by observed solar radiation of 81 meteorological stations over China during 1971-2000, and measurements of net longwave radiation in the Tibetan Plateau. Results showed that Ångström formula based on simple annual linear regression coefficients of 0.20 and 0.79 yielded the least error for the preserved 30 validation stations, and are thus recommended for estimating solar radiation in China. The optimal calibration of net longwave radiation was based on Penman estimation combined with the minimum and maximum temperatures. The calibrated net radiation served as the basis to estimate ET_o accurately, which would be overestimated by about 27% if no local calibration is performed on the FAO56 Penman-Monteith model in China. The average ET_o was 769 mm yr⁻¹ based on calibrated radiation model in China during 1971-2000.     

Numerical assessment of effective evapotranspiration from maize plots to estimate groundwater recharge in lowlands

To maximize the irrigation efficiency and to protect groundwater from agrochemical pollution, two variables must be known with good accuracy: effective evapotranspiration and infiltration, especially in lowland areas were the run-off is minimal. Three different experimental plots cultivated with maize were equipped with tensiometers and soil moisture probes to monitor every day the water movement in the unsaturated zone. Other relevant parameters of the various soil layers, as hydraulic conductivity and water retention curve, were obtained in laboratory experiments, while boundary conditions, as precipitations, temperature and root growth, were obtained on site. Inverse modeling was performed using HYDRUS-1D to assess the degree of uncertainty on model parameters. Results showed a good model fit of water content and head pressure at various depths, in each site, using Penman-Monteith formula for daily potential evapotranspiration calculation, but poor fit applying the Hargreves and Turk formulas. Best performance of model fit was observed for S-shaped equation employed to simulate the root water-uptake reduction with respect to Feddes equation. The soil parameters uncertainty was limited and remained within analytical errors, thus a robust estimation of cumulative infiltration and evapotranspiration has been derived. This study points out that evapotranspiration is the most important variable in defining groundwater recharge for maize crops in lowlands.     

Remote sensing to estimate ET-fluxes and the performance of an irrigation district in southern Italy

Satellite remote sensed data on canopy biophysical properties, ground data and agro-meteorological information were combined to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) fluxes of orange orchards using a modified Penman–Monteith equation. The study was carried out during the irrigation season 2004 in an irrigation district, cover for about 95% with orange groves, of 1550 ha located in eastern Sicily (Italy). The spatial pattern in ET-fluxes have been analysed using IKONOS high-resolution satellite and hyper-spectral ground data acquired and processed for the study-area. The remote estimates of ET-fluxes varied between 1.3 and 5.7 mm/day, with a daily average value of about 4.2 mm, showing a good agreement with crop ET values determined as residual of soil water balance of selected ground control sites. Crop coefficient estimates ranged between 0.22 and 1.08 showing positive correlations with percentages of ground cover (C_g) increasing from 30 to 80% ground shading and with LAI values. By comparing ET estimates with water volumes supplied in each sub-district of the study-area, the performance indicator “IP” was evaluated, allowing to rank the conditions of un-fulfilment of crop water requirements by public and private water distribution systems. Generally, out of 29 sub-districts, 14 had “IP” values less than 50%, revealing a sub-optimal water supply for the study-area.     

The contribution of maize cropping in the Midwest USA to global warming: A regional estimate

Agricultural soils emit about 50% of the global flux of N₂O attributable to human influence, mostly in response to nitrogen fertilizer use. Recent evidence that the relationship between N₂O fluxes and N-fertilizer additions to cereal maize are non-linear provides an opportunity to estimate regional N₂O fluxes based on estimates of N application rates rather than as a simple percentage of N inputs as used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We combined a simple empirical model of N₂O production with the SOCRATES soil carbon dynamics model to estimate N₂O and other sources of Global Warming Potential (GWP) from cereal maize across 19,000 cropland polygons in the North Central Region (NCR) of the US over the period 1964-2005. Results indicate that the loading of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere from cereal maize production in the NCR was 1.7 Gt CO₂e, with an average 268 t CO₂e produced per tonne of grain. From 1970 until 2005, GHG emissions per unit product declined on average by 2.8 t CO₂e ha⁻¹ annum⁻¹, coinciding with a stabilisation in N application rate and consistent increases in grain yield from the mid-1970’s. Nitrous oxide production from N fertilizer inputs represented 59% of these emissions, soil C decline (0-30 cm) represented 11% of total emissions, with the remaining 30% (517 Mt) from the combustion of fuel associated with farm operations. Of the 126 Mt of N fertilizer applied to cereal maize from 1964 to 2005, we estimate that 2.2 Mt N was emitted as N₂O when using a non-linear response model, equivalent to 1.75% of the applied N.     

Integration of geospatial and cattle nutrition information to estimate paddock grazing capacity in Northern US prairie

Spatiotemporal variability in forage quantity and quality requires that regular assessment is needed of the capacity for grasslands to support livestock nutritional requirements. Current methods for estimating grazing capacity are typically production-based and lack the forage quality data necessary to match nutrients in forage with livestock requirements in real time. This paper describes a method for estimating short-term grazing capacity for small (1–20 ha) paddocks using cattle nutrition and high spatial resolution forage data in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for mixed-grass prairie. We define grazing capacity as the number of days a specific paddock will support the nutritional requirements of beef cattle. We integrate previously published methods for estimating cattle nutritional requirements, forage quality (crude protein) and forage quantity (phytomass) to estimate grazing capacity based on current standing-crop. The model utilizes high-resolution (<30-m) satellite imagery or field data to estimate short-term grazing capacity for small paddocks. Three versions of the model were evaluated on one paddock under cattle use in 2007. One version was parameterized using data collected on June 22 from the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), one version was parameterized using data collected June 23 from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), and one version was parameterized using data collected June 20 from field clippings. TM and ASTER versions underestimated grazing capacity by four days while the field version overestimated grazing capacity by one day. Results suggest integration of cattle nutrition and forage data in GIS could assist with stocking rate adjustments, but additional trials are needed.     

轴流式水轮机顶盖强度及模态有限元分析

对某轴流式水轮机在不同工况下的顶盖进行了单向流固耦合计算,运用ANSYS Workbench平台计算得到各工况下顶盖过流面准确的水压力分布,将其作为顶盖下面板水压力载荷加载到顶盖上,得到各工况下顶盖的静应力分布及变形情况.通过对有、无预应力下的顶盖进行模态分析,得到顶盖在2种情况下的固有频率和振型.研究结果表明:在各种工况下,顶盖的最大静应力和最大位移随着水头的增大而增大,均出现在顶盖下面板无筋板支撑处;顶盖在有预应力下的各阶固有频率相对于无预应力下的有所提高,提高幅度在0.5%以内,可以忽略预应力的影响;将顶盖的固有频率与各水力激振力频率比较,两者频率值相差较大,发生共振的可能性较小.研究结果可为轴流式水轮机强度及振动的校核与预测提供依据,并对顶盖结构优化设计提供一定的参考.     

水轮机顶盖部分螺栓断裂后剩余螺栓的强度分析

针对水轮发电机组由于顶盖连接螺栓断裂而导致水淹厂房等严重事故的问题,建立了某电站实际顶盖及螺栓的模型并进行有限元分析.基于Ansys,采用有限单元法求解静力学基本方程,计算得到各种工况下螺栓的应力分布;研究了某混流式水轮机顶盖全部螺栓正常工作时的强度,对部分螺栓断裂后剩余螺栓的强度进行了分析,对比了螺栓在断裂数量为1,2,4,8根以及断裂位置为90°对称分布、邻近分布、180°分布时的应力情况.计算结果表明:部分螺栓断裂后,由于偏载和突变,其余螺栓的最大应力值都会升高;螺栓断裂个数越多,断裂螺栓的分布位置越邻近,则其余螺栓强度越不足.当断裂螺栓数量为4根且处于邻近分布位置时,剩余螺栓的最大应力为744.03 MPa,十分接近螺栓材料的极限容许应力744 MPa;当断裂螺栓处于邻近分布位置且数量达到8根时,剩余螺栓的最大应力达776.21 MPa,增幅达19.69%,已远远超过材料极限容许应力,威胁电站安全运行.     

沿江圩区局部洼地排涝模数关联因子分析及应用

沿江圩区局部洼地涝灾频发,是目前圩区涝灾治理的重点.针对局部洼地排涝特点,以扬州江都沿江开发区为例,通过排涝水文分析计算得到排涝模数与排涝面积、水面率、调蓄水深、暴雨重现期4种关联因子之间的关系,选取典型区对局部洼地涝灾进行成因分析,并在此基础上提出圩区内局部洼地涝灾的防治措施.结果表明:排涝面积与排涝模数的偏相关系数为-0.905,相关性最大;局部洼地排涝面积小,洪水汇流速度快,洪峰径流模数和排涝模数较大;局部洼地区缺乏小型河网、河流间距过大、水系布置不合理和采用排涝模数较低,是涝灾频发的主要原因.以关联因子分析和成因分析为基础,提出了通过缩小河流间距、增加水面率、充分发挥河道的调蓄作用等措施以防治涝灾的产生,并且提出了符合圩区局部洼地水情特征的一种排水管网与河道布置模式.     

Structured analysis of seepage losses in irrigation supply channels for cost-effective investments: case studies from the southern Murray-Darling Basin of Australia

Much of inland Australia has been in perpetual drought since 1997 except during 2010 when above average rainfall occurred. It has been the worst drought since 1788 when European settlement began. Water scarcity poses a serious threat to the sustainability of the irrigated agriculture in major irrigation systems across the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). There is a need for water-saving measures and a structured approach to assess water loss in earthen supply channels. This paper presents such an approach to assess and reduce seepage losses for improving irrigation efficiencies. Main elements of this approach are the following: field measurements, hydrologic modelling, potential options for seepage reduction, economic analysis and financing water-saving investments. Using data from two irrigation systems in the southern MDB, a case is made for reducing seepage water losses in irrigation supply channels in a cost-effective manner using low-cost technologies. Increasing the level of security for investments in water-saving programs provides incentives to key stakeholders to achieve water-saving targets. Considering the value of water recovered from reducing seepage loss at irrigation system level, this study demonstrates how reducing just one component (seepage) from the total water losses in irrigation systems can help improve water supplies as well as the environmental flows. Potential options for financing infrastructure improvement for saving irrigation water are proposed and discussed.     

Residual alkalinity as tracer to estimate the changes induced by forage cultivation in a non-saline irrigated sodic soil

Soil alkalinisation generally constitutes a major threat to irrigated agriculture in the semi-arid regions of west Africa. The improvement of sodic soils is generally difficult and expensive. However, a recent study in the Niger valley in Niger, reveals that a natural de-alkalinisation is possible under natural conditions in a semi-arid climate. Transformation of non-saline sodic soil into brown steppe soil type was recorded. On the same site, the cultivation of a Sahelian fodder grass, locally known as ‘Burgu’ was used on the sodic soil/brown steppe soil transition zone to accelerate this natural de-alkalinisation and characterise its mechanisms. The geochemical properties of both soil types were monitored before cultivation and 1 year after continuous crop cultivation. After cultivation and regular irrigation, the chemical properties of the former sodic soils were close to those of the surrounding brown steppe soils, which are better suited for agriculture. This modification of the sodic soil properties can be attributed to (i) the large amount of water supplied during cultivation that induced salt leaching. This is the main phenomenon responsible for the changes observed; (ii) the root activity that modified the acid–base equilibrium and consumes alkalinity.

The residual alkalinity (RA) concept was used to select chemical tracers of the concentration/dilution of the soil solution. Here, sodium amount and calcite+fluorite residual alkalinity (RA_{calcite+fluorite}) were the most adequate ones. These two tracers decreased proportionally under the influence of leaching, but the exchanges between cations and protons changed the RA_{calcite+fluorite}, without modifying the sodium amount. Their combined use allowed us to separate and quantify the uptake of the plant from the leaching in the de-alkalinisation process. This study highlighted that reclamation of this type of sodic soils is feasible. The use of the RA concept is advisable to design a sustainable management system for irrigated sodic or saline soils.     

Combining FAO-56 model and ground-based remote sensing to estimate water consumptions of wheat crops in a semi-arid region

This study was performed to test three methods based on the FAO-56 “dual” crop coefficient approach to estimate actual evapotranspiration (AET) for winter wheat under different irrigation treatments in the semi-arid region of Tensift Al Haouz, Marrakech (center of Morocco). The three methods differ in the calculation of the basal crop coefficient (K_cb) and the fraction of soil surface covered by vegetation (f_c). The first approach strictly follows the FAO-56 procedure, with K_cb given in the FAO-56 tables and f_c calculated from K_cb (No-Calibration method). The second method uses local K_cb and f_c values estimated from field measurements (Local-Calibration method) and the last approach uses a remotely-sensed vegetation index to estimate K_cb and f_c (NDVI-Calibration method). The analysis was performed on three fields using actual (AET) measured by Eddy Correlation systems. It was shown that the Local-Calibration approach gave best results. Accurate estimates of K_cb and f_c were necessary for FAO-56 “dual” crop coefficient application. The locally derived K_cb for winter wheat taken at initial, mid-season, and maturity crop growth were 0.15, 0.90 and 0.23, respectively. The K_cb value at the mid-season stage was found to be considerably less than that suggested by the FAO-56.