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Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021) | Viewed by 17523

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Matteo Camporese

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Guest Editor

Università degli Studi di Padova, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Padova, Italy
Interests: surface–subsurface hydrological modeling; data assimilation; ecohydrology

Dr. Mauro Sulis

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Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology,Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Belvaux, Luxembourg
Interests: terrestrial system modeling; groundwater–atmosphere interactions; ecohydrology

Dr. Giacomo Bertoldi

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Guest Editor

Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy
Interests: hydrology; numerical modelling; eco-hydrology; land-surface interactions; mountain criosphere

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrological models based on mechanistic formulations of the coupled physical, biological, and geochemical processes of terrestrial systems have received growing attention in recent years. By providing a holistic view of the integrated water, energy, and matter cycles, these integrated models define a unified and physically consistent framework for testing and validating advanced scientific hypotheses. Moreover, as suitable models for long-term climate simulations, they represent promising decision-support tools for the definition of new water management strategies and natural hazard mitigation policies.

Within this framework, this Special Issue aims to collect research contributions on the recent developments and applications of physics-based hydrological models simulating integrated mass and energy processes in catchments at all scales. We invite submissions pertaining to all aspects of integrated catchment modelling, including, but not limited to, the following: new coupling methods for processes across different compartments of the terrestrial hydrological cycle, such as interactions and feedback with climate and vegetation, as well as between water, energy, carbon, and nutrient cycles; the incorporation of novel ecological, biological, and geochemical processes; interactions and feedback between groundwater and atmospheric processes; coupled surface–subsurface solute transport; experiments and monitoring for benchmarking process representation in models; and data assimilation in integrated catchment models.

Dr. Matteo Camporese
Dr. Mauro Sulis
Dr. Giacomo Bertoldi
Guest editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

integrated hydrological modeling
terrestrial systems
numerical coupling techniques
groundwater–soil–plant–atmosphere continuum
multivariate spectral techniques
solute transport
data assimilation
catchment monitoring

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 172 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring

by Giacomo Bertoldi, Matteo Camporese and Mauro Sulis

Water 2021, 13(15), 2013; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13152013 - 22 Jul 2021

Viewed by 1872

Abstract

Environmental research is rapidly evolving toward an integration of different disciplines, and this is also reflected in hydrology and the hydrological modelling community [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

22 pages, 3703 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Comparing Evapotranspiration Estimates from the GEOframe-Prospero Model with Penman–Monteith and Priestley-Taylor Approaches under Different Climate Conditions

by Michele Bottazzi, Marialaura Bancheri, Mirka Mobilia, Giacomo Bertoldi, Antonia Longobardi and Riccardo Rigon

Water 2021, 13(9), 1221; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13091221 - 28 Apr 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3070

Abstract

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key variable in the hydrological cycle and it directly impacts the surface balance and its accurate assessment is essential for a correct water management. ET is difficult to measure, since the existing methods for its direct estimate, such as the weighing lysimeter or the eddy-covariance system, are often expensive and require well-trained research personnel. To overcome this limit, different authors developed experimental models for indirect estimation of ET. However, since the accuracy of ET prediction is crucial from different points of view, the continuous search for more and more precise modeling approaches is encouraged. In light of this, the aim of the present work is to test the efficiency in predicting ET fluxes in a newly introduced physical-based model, named Prospero, which is based on the ability to compute the ET using a multi-layer canopy model, solving the energy balance both for the sunlight and shadow vegetation, extending the recently developed Schymanski and Or method to canopy level. Additionally, Prospero is able to compute the actual ET using a Jarvis-like model. The model is integrated as a component in the hydrological modelling system GEOframe. Its estimates were validated against observed data from five Eddy covariance (EC) sites with different climatic conditions and the same vegetation cover. Then, its performances were compared with those of two already consolidated models, the Priestley–Taylor model and Penman FAO model, using four goodness-of-fit indices. Subsequently a calibration of the three methods has been carried out using LUCA calibration within GEOframe, with the purpose of prediction errors. The results showed that Prospero is more accurate and precise with respect to the other two models, even if no calibrations were performed, with better performances in dry climatic conditions. In addition, Prospero model turned to be the least affected by the calibration procedure and, therefore, it can be effectively also used in a context of data scarcity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring)

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21 pages, 4348 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Runoff Simulation and Forecasting with Segmenting Delay of Baseflow from Fast Surface Flow in Montane High-Vegetation-Covered Catchments

by You Li, Genxu Wang, Changjun Liu, Shan Lin, Minghong Guan and Xuantao Zhao

Water 2021, 13(2), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13020196 - 15 Jan 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1949

Abstract

Due to the complicated terrain conditions in montane catchments, runoff formation is fast and complicated, making accurate simulation and forecasting a significant hydrological challenge. In this study, the spatiotemporal variable source mixed runoff generation module (SVSMRG) was integrated with the long short-term memory (LSTM) method, to develop a semi-distributed model (SVSMRG)-based surface flow and baseflow segmentation (SVSMRG-SBS). Herein, the baseflow was treated as a black box and forecasted using LSTM, while the surface flow was simulated using the SVSMRG module based on hydrological response units (HRUs) constructed using eco-geomorphological units. In the case study, four typical montane catchments with different climatic conditions and high vegetation coverage, located in the topographically varying mountains of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, were selected for runoff and flood process simulations using the proposed SVSMRG-SBS model. The results showed that this model had good performance in hourly runoff and flood process simulations for montane catchments. Regarding runoff simulations, the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (

N S E

) and correlation coefficient (

R^{2}

) reached 0.8241 and 0.9097, respectively. Meanwhile, for the flood simulations, the

N S E

ranged from 0.5923 to 0.7467, and

R^{2}

ranged from 0.6669 to 0.8092. For the 1-, 3-, and 5-h baseflow forecasting with the LSTM method, it was found that model performances declined when simulating the runoff processes, wherein the

N S E

and

R^{2}

between the measured and modeled runoff decreased from 0.8216 to 0.8087 and from 0.9095 to 0.8871, respectively. Similar results were found in the flood simulations, the

N S E

and

R^{2}

values declined from 0.7414–0.5885 to 0.7429–0.5716 and from 0.8042–0.6547 to 0.7936–0.6067, respectively. This means that this new model achieved perfect performance in montane catchment runoff and flood simulation and forecasting with 1-, 3-, 5-h steps. Therefore, as it considers vegetation regulation, the SVSMRG-SBS model is expected to improve runoff and flood simulation accuracy in montane high-vegetation-covered catchments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring)

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Graphical abstract

19 pages, 4055 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Impacts of Partial Afforestation on Water and Salt Dynamics of an Intermittent Catchment under Climate Change

by Hossein Daneshmand, Sina Alaghmand, Matteo Camporese, Amin Talei, Pat J.-F. Yeh and Edoardo Daly

Water 2020, 12(4), 1067; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12041067 - 09 Apr 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2260

Abstract

Soil salinization is a major environmental issue in arid and semi-arid regions, and has been accelerated in some areas by removal of native vegetation cover. Partial afforestation can be a practical mitigation strategy if efficiently integrated with farms and pastures. Using an integrated surface-subsurface hydrological model, this study evaluates the water and salt dynamics and soil salinization conditions of a rural intermittent catchment in the semi-arid climate of southeast Australia subjected to four different partial afforestation configurations under different climate change scenarios, as predicted by several general circulation models. The results show that the locations of afforested areas can induce a retarding effect in the outflow of groundwater salt, with tree planting at lower elevations showing the steadier salt depletion rates. Moreover, except for the configuration with trees planted near the outlet of the catchment, the streamflow is maintained under all other configurations. It appears that under both Representative Concentration Pathways considered (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5), the Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model represents the fastest salt export scheme, whereas the Canadian Earth System Model and the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate represent the slowest salt export scheme. Overall, it is found that the location of partial afforestation generally plays a more significant role than the climate change scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring)

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25 pages, 4032 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Catchment-Scale Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Hydrologic Modelling Using Conceptual and Physically Based Models: A Model Comparison Study

by Mohammad Bizhanimanzar, Robert Leconte and Mathieu Nuth

Water 2020, 12(2), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12020363 - 29 Jan 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3824

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the use of an externally linked (MOBIDIC-MODFLOW) and a physically based (MIKE SHE) surface water-groundwater model to capture the integrated hydrologic responses of the Thomas Brook catchment, in Canada. The main objective of the study is to investigate the effect of simplification in representation of the hydrological processes in MOBIDIC-MODFLOW on its simulation accuracy. To this aim, MOBIDIC and MODFLOW were coupled in order to sequentially exchange the groundwater recharge and baseflow discharges within each computation time step. Using identical sets of hydrogeological properties for the two models, the coefficients of the gravity and capillary reservoirs in MOBIDIC were calibrated so as to closely predict the hydrological budget of the catchment simulated with MIKE SHE. The simulated results show that the two models can closely replicate the observed water table responses at two monitoring wells. However, in very shallow water table locations, the instantaneous response of the water table was not precisely captured in MOBIDIC-MODFLOW. Additionally, the simplified conceptualization of the unsaturated flow in MOBIDIC-MODFLOW resulted in overestimated groundwater recharge during spring and underestimation during summer. Moreover, the computational efficiency of MOBIDIC-MODFLOW, as compared to MIKE SHE, along with less required input data, confirms its potential for regional scale groundwater-surface water interaction modelling applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring)

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21 pages, 1643 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Sobol Global Sensitivity Analysis of a Coupled Surface/Subsurface Water Flow and Reactive Solute Transfer Model on a Real Hillslope

by Laura Gatel, Claire Lauvernet, Nadia Carluer, Sylvain Weill and Claudio Paniconi

Water 2020, 12(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12010121 - 30 Dec 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3756

Abstract

The migration and fate of pesticides in natural environments is highly complex. At the hillslope scale, the quantification of contaminant fluxes and concentrations requires a physically based model. This class of model has recently been extended to include coupling between the surface and the subsurface domains for both the water flow and solute transport regimes. Due to their novelty, the relative importance of and interactions between the main model parameters has not yet been fully investigated. In this study, a global Sobol sensitivity analysis is performed on a vineyard hillslope for a one hour intensive rain event with the CATHY (CATchment HYdrology) integrated surface/subsurface model. The event-based simulation involves runoff generation, infiltration, surface and subsurface solute transfers, and shallow groundwater flow. The results highlight the importance of the saturated hydraulic conductivity

K_{s}

and the retention curve shape parameter n and they reveal a strong role for parameter interactions associated with the exchange processes represented in the model. The mass conservation errors generated by the model are lower than 1% in 99.7% of the simulations. Boostrapping analysis of sampling methods and errors associated with the Sobol indices highlights the relevance of choosing a large sampling size (at least N = 1000) and raises issues associated with rare but extreme output results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Catchment Science through Integrated Hydrological Modelling and Monitoring)

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