Modeling Regional Flow and Flow to Drains
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 120, Issue 5
Abstract
Flow paths to drain laterals are needed to identify local flow to drains and regional flow. This paper describes the depths at which the flow paths of the regional aquifer‐flow system and the local saturated ground‐water‐flow system separate in a field with 15 drain laterals. The finite difference ground‐water computer model MODFLOW was used to create a transient, two‐dimensional ground‐water‐flow model. Seventy‐eight piezometers were installed at various depths in the field for use in model parameter estimation and to calibrate the model. The hydraulic‐head distribution and advective velocity vectors up to 20 days after a flood irrigation event were modeled. Results confirm that the irrigation water mixes with the shallow ground water and that there is a significant downward flux of water after an irrigation event that reverses with time to a dominant lateral flow with some upward flux of regional‐water flow from a depth of 1–1.5 m below the drain laterals.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 120 • Issue 5 • September 1994
Pages: 925 - 939
Copyright
Copyright © 1994 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 16, 1993
Published online: Sep 1, 1994
Published in print: Sep 1994
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