Abstract
In the last two decades a large number of mathematical models have been developed and used for simulating and predicting the unsaturated flow in non — cultivated and cultivated soils. It is the purpose of this paper to show the dynamics of these models and also to present a model that has been developed in the Laboratory of General and Agricultural Hydraulics and Land Reclamation of the School of Agriculture. The model is based on the numerical solution of the partial differential equation that describes the water movement in the unsaturated zone of a cultivated soil. It can predict the water regime of the soil profile taking into account only external to the soil system data (preceding irrigation, precipitation, meteorological data etc.). Therefore it can constitute a very useful tool for irrigation scheduling by the managers of big cooperative irrigation networks. The model has been used to predict the water balance in several farms cultivated with cotton and sugar beets with very good results.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Khafaf S., Wierenga P.J. and Williams B.C. (1978). Evaporative flux from irrigated cotton as related to leaf area index, soil water and evaporative demand.Agronomy Journal,70, 912–917.
Antonopoulos, V. (1988). Solution of problems related to soil water movement and solute transport by finite element methods. Dissertation for the doctoral degree, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Antonopoulos, V. (1993). Simulation of Water and Nitrogen Dynamics in Soils During Wastewater Applications by Using a Finite-Element Model. Water Res Management, 7, 237–251.
Babajimopoulos, C. (1991). A Douglas-Jones Predictor-Corrector Program in Simulating One-Dimensional Unsaturated flow in soil. Ground Water, March–April, 267–270.
Babajimopoulos, C. (1999). Numerical Analysis. Giahoudis-Giapoulis, Thessaloniki.
Babajimopoulos, C. (2000). Revisiting the Douglas-Jones Method for Modelling Unsaturated Flow in a Cultivated Soil. Environmental Modelling & Software, 15, 303–312.
Babajimopoulos, C., Budina A. and Kalfountzos D. (1995). SWBACROS: A model for the Estimation of the Water Balance of a Cropped Soil. Environmental Software, 10, 3, 211–220.
Babajimopoulos, C., Panoras A., Goukos D. and Maslaris, N. (2000). Application of the SWBACROS Model for the Study of the Water Balance of a Soil Cultivated with Sugar Beets. Proceeding of the 8th Conference of the Greek Hydrotechnical Society, 469–476.
Babajimopoulos, C.,. Panoras A, Mavroudis I. and Bilas G. (1996). The Computation of the Water Balance and the Modelling of the Irrigation Schedule of a cotton Crop with the Model SWBACROS. Proceedings, 6th International Conference on Hydraulic Engineering Software, HYDROSOFT 96, Malaysia, 183–192.
Belmans, C., Wesseling J.G. and Feddes R.A. (1983). Simulation Model of the Water Balance of a Cropped Soil: SWATRE. J. of Hydrology, 63, 271–286.
Black, T.A., Gardner W.R. and Thurtell G.W. (1969). The prediction of evaporation, drainage and soil water storage for a bare soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc,33, 655–660.
Feddes, R.A., Kabat P., Van Bakel P.J.T., Bronswijk J.J.B. and Halbertsma J. (1988). Modelling Soil Water Dynamics in the Unsaturated Zone State of the Art. J. of Hydrology, 100, 69–11.
Feddes, R.A., Kowalik P.J. and Zaradny H. (1978). Simulation of Field Water Use and crop Yield. Pudoc, Wageningen, Simulation Monographs, 189.
George, B. A., Shende S. A. and Raghuwanshi N.S. (2000). Development and testing of an irrigation scheduling model. Agricultural Water Management, 46, 2, 121–136.
Haverkamp, R., Vauclin M., Tourna J., Wierenga P.J. and Vachaud G. (1977). A Comparison of Numerical Simulation Models for One-Dimensional Infiltration. Soil Science Soc. Am. J., 41, 285–294, 1977.
James, M.G. Principles of farm irrigation system design, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Mateos L., López-Cortijo I. and Sagardoy J.A. (2002). SIMIS: the FAO decision support system for irrigation scheme management. Agricultural Water Management, 56, 3, 31, 193–206.
Prasad, R., (1988). A Linear Root Water Uptake Model. J. of Hydrology, 99, 297–306.
Terzidis, G. and Babajimopoulos C. (1987). Simulation Model of Regional Groundwater Management (A Case Study Of Pieria Aquifer, Greece). Proc. of a Symposium in the Community Programme for Coordination of Agricultural Research, Louvain, Published by the Commission of the European Communities.
Tzimopoulos, C., (1978). Finite elements Solution of Unsaturated Porous Media Flow. Proc. of 2nd Intern. Conf. on Finite Elements in Water Resources, London, Pentech Press, 1.37–1.49.
Van Genuchten, M.T. (1978). Mass Transport in Saturated — Unsaturated Media: One Dimensional Solutions. Res. Rep. 78-WR-11, Water Resources Program, Depart. Civil Engin., Princeton University.
Wesseling, J.G. and Van den Broek B.J. (1987). Prediction of Irrigation Scheduling with the Numerical Model SWATRE. Proc. Symp. AGROHYDROLOGY, IAC, Wageningen.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Babajimopoulos, C., Panoras, A. Estimation of the water balance of cultivated soils by mathematical models. Oper Res Int J 5, 127–140 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02944166
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02944166