Irrigation Hydrology: Crossing Scales
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 128, Issue 4
Abstract
Hydrology is the science concerned with distribution, circulation, and properties of water of the earth and its atmosphere, across the full range of time and space scales. Subject matter ranges widely from chemical and physical properties to the relation of water to living things. Irrigation hydrology is constrained to analysis of irrigated ecosystems in which water storage, applications, or drainage volumes are artificially controlled in the landscape and the spatial domain of processes varies from micrometers to tens of kilometers while the temporal domain spans from seconds to centuries. The continuum science of irrigation hydrology includes the surface, subsurface (unsaturated and groundwater systems), atmospheric, and plant subsystems. How do we scale up highly nonlinear physical, chemical, and biological processes understood at natural scales to macro- and mega-scales at which we measure and manage irrigated agroecosystems? How do we measure, characterize, and include natural heterogeneity in scaling nonlinear processes? In this paper, we discuss scaling issues and related research opportunities in irrigation hydrology with the hope of helping the irrigation-drainage engineering/science profession better address scaling problems in formulating designs affecting irrigated ecosystems.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Ahn, C., and Mitsch, W. J.(2002). “Scaling considerations of mesocosm wetlands in simulating large created freshwater marshes.” Ecol. Eng., 18(3), 327–342.
Battany, M. C., and Grismer, M. E.(2000). “Rainfall runoff, infiltration and erosion in hillside vineyards: Effects of slope, cover and surface roughness.” Hydrolog. Process., 14, 1289–1304.
Bear, J. (1972). Dynamics of fluids in porous media, Dover, New York.
Beven, K. J. and Fisher, J. (1996). “Remote sensing and scaling in hydrology.” Scaling up hydrology using remote sensing, Stewart, J. B., Engman, E. T., Fedes, R. A. and Kerr, Y., eds., Wiley, Chichester, U.K., 1–18.
Bierkens, M. F. P., and vanderGaast, J. W. J.(1998). “Upscaling hydraulic conductivity: Theory and examples from geohydrological studies.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 50(1–3), 193–207.
Birkinshaw, S. J., and Ewen, J.(2000). “Nitrogen transformation component for SHETRAN catchment nitrate transport modeling.” J. Hydrol., 230(1-2), 1–17.
Boe, O.(1994). “Analysis of an upscaling method based on conservation of dissipation.” Transp. Porous Media, 17(1), 77–86.
Bugmann, H. (1997). “Scaling issues in forest succession modeling.” Elements of Change 1997 - Session One: Scaling from site-specific observations to global model grids, S. J. Hassol and J. Katzenberger, eds., Aspen Global Change Institute, Aspen, Colo. 45–57.
Buyuktas, D., and Wallender, W. W. (2001). “Numerical simulation of water flow and solute transport to tile drains.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., in press.
Clausnitzer, V., and Hopmans, J. W.(1999). “Determination of phase-volume fractions from tomographic measurements in two-phase systems.” Adv. Water Resour., 22(6), 577–584.
Cermak, J., and Nadezhdina, N.(1998). “Sapwood as the scaling parameter: Defining according to xylem water content or radial pattern of sap flow?” Ann. Sci. Forest. (Paris), 55(5), 509–521.
Cernusca, A., Bahn, M., Chemini, C., Graber, W., Siegwolf, R., Tappeiner, U., and Tenhunen, J.(1998). “Ecomont: A combined approach of field measurements and process-based modeling for assessing effects of land-use changes in mountain landscapes.” Ecol. Modell., 113(1–3), 167–178.
Corey, A. T., and Klute, A.(1985). “Application of the potential concept to soil water equilibrium and transport.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 49(1), 3–11.
Davy, P., and Crave, A.(2000). “Upscaling local-scale transport processes in large-scale relief dynamics.” Phys. Chem. Earth Part A—Sold Earth Geodesy, 25(6–7), 533–541.
De Grandi, G. F., Mayaux, P., Malingreau, J. P., Rosenqvist, A., Saatchi, S., and Simard, M.(2000). “New perspectives on global ecosystems from wide-area radar mosaics: Flooded forest mapping in the tropics.” Int. J. Remote Sens., 21(6–7), 1235–1249.
Desbarats, A. J.(1995). “Upscaling capillary pressure-saturation curves in heterogeneous porous media.” Water Resour. Res., 31(2), 281–288.
Dumanski, J., Pettapiece, W. W., and McGregor, R. J.(1998). “Relevance of scale dependent approaches for integrating biophysical and socio-economic information and development of agroecological indicators.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 50, 13–22.
Ekrann, S., and Aasen, J. O.(2000). “Steady-state upscaling.” Transp. Porous Media, 41(3), 245–262.
Ewing, R. E.(1997). “Aspects of upscaling in simulation of flow in porous media.” Adv. Water Resour., 20(5–6), 349–458.
Finke, P. A., Bouma, J., and Hoosbeek, M. R.(1998). “Preface.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 50, 1.
Fischer, G. R., and Wallender, W. W.(1988). “Collector size and test duration effects on sprinkler water distribution measurement.” Trans. ASAE, 31(2), 538–542.
Geurink, J. S. (1999). “Concepts of data management and assessment for multi-scale integrated hydrologic modeling.” PhD Civil Engineer, Univ. of South Florida, Tampa, Fla., 355.
Green, T. R. (1995). “The roles of moisture-dependent anisotropy and landscape topography in soil-water flow and groundwater recharge.” PhD Civil Engineering, Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, Calif., 327.
Grismer, M. E.(2001). “Regional alfalfa yield, and water value in western states.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.,127(3), 131–139.
Grismer, M. E.(2002). “Regional cotton lint yield, and water value in Arizona and California.” Agric. Water Manage., 54(3), 227–242.
Habersack, H. M.(2000). “The river-scaling concept (RSC): A basis for ecological assessments.” Hydrobiologia, 422, 49–60.
Harvey, L. D. D. (1997). “Upscaling in global change research.” Elements of Change 1997 – Session One: Scaling from site-specific observations to global model grids, S. J. Hassol and J. Katzenberger, eds., Aspen Global Change Institute, Aspen, Colo. 14–33.
Harvey, L. D. D.(2000). “Upscaling in global change research.” Clim. Change, 44(3), 223.
Held, R. J., and Celia, M. A.(2001). “Pore-scale modeling and upscaling of nonaqueous phase liquid mass transfer.” Water Resour. Res., 37(3), 539–549.
Hopmans, J. W., Nielsen, D. R., and Bristow, K. L. (2002). “How useful are small-scale soil hydraulic property measurements for large-scale vadose zone modeling?” Heat and Mass Transfer in Natural Environment, D. Smiles, P. A. C. Raats, and A. Warrick, eds., American Geophysical Union Geophysical Monograph Series, in press.
Hristopulos, D. T., and Christakos, G.(1997). “An analysis of hydraulic conductivity upscaling.” Nonlin. Anal.-Theory Methods Appl., 30(8), 4979–4984.
Hristopulos, D. T., and Christakos, G.(1999). “Renormalization group analysis of permeability upscaling.” Stoch. Environ. Res. Risk Assess., 13(1–2), 131–160.
Hunt, A. G.(1998). “Upscaling in subsurface transport using cluster statistics of percolation.” Transp. Porous Media, 30(2), 177–198.
Indelman, P.(1993). “Upscaling of permeability of anisotropic heterogeneous formations 3. Applications.” Water Resour. Res., 29(4), 935–943.
Indelman, P., and Dagan, G.(1993a). “Upscaling of conductivity of heterogeneous formations - General approach and application to isotropic media.” Transp. Porous Media, 12(2), 161–183.
Indelman, P., and Dagan, G.(1993b). “Upscaling of permeability of anisotropic heterogeneous formations 1. The general framework.” Water Resour. Res., 24(4), 917–923.
Indelman, P., and Dagan, G.(1993c). “Upscaling of permeability of anisotropic heterogeneous formations 2. General structure and small perturbation analysis.” Water Resour. Res., 29(4), 925–933.
Ito, H., Raghuwanshi, N. S., and Wallender, W. W.(1999). “Economics of furrow irrigation under partial infiltration information.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., 125(3), 105–111.
Kersebaum, K. C., and Wenkel, K.-O.(1998). “Modeling water and nitrogen dynamics at three different spatial scales: Influence of different data aggregation levels on simulation results.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 50(1–3), 313–319.
King, P. R.(1996). “Upscaling permeability - Error analysis for renormalization.” Transp. Porous Media, 23(3), 337–354.
King, D., Fox, D. M., Daroussin, J., LeBissonnais, Y., and Danneels, V.(1998). “Upscaling a simple erosion model from small areas to a large region.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 50(1–3), 143–149.
Le Bissonnais, Y., Benkhadra, H., Chaplot, V., Fox, D., King, D., and Daroussin, J.(1998). “Crusting, runoff and sheet erosion on silty loamy soils at various scales and upscaling from to small catchments.” Soil Tillage Res., 46(1–2), 69–80.
Lee, D. J., and Howitt, R. E.(1996). “Modeling regional agricultural production and salinity control alternatives for water quality policy analysis.” Am. J. Agric. Econom. 78(1), 41–53.
Lima, L. A., and Grismer, M. E.(1994). “Application of fracture mechanics to cracking of saline soils.” Soil Sci., 158(2), 86–96.
Llorens, P., and Gallart, F. A.(2000). “A simplified method for forest water storage capacity measurement.” J. Hydrol., 240(1–2), 131–144.
MacDonald, T. R., Kitanidis, P. K., McCarty, P. L., and Roberts, P. V.(1999). “Mass-transfer limitations for macroscale bioremediation modeling and implications on aquifer clogging.” Ground Water, 37(4), 523–531.
Matthews, R. B., Wassmann, R., Knox, J. W., and Buendia, L. V.(2000). “Using a crop/soil simulation model and GIS techniques to assess methane emissions from rice fields in Asia. IV. Upscaling to national levels.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 58(1–3), 201–217.
National Research Council (NRC). (1990). “Opportunities in the Hydrologic Sciences.” Committee on Opportunities in the Hydrologic Sciences, Water Science and Technology Board, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 368.
Nichols, J. R., and Grismer, M. E.(1997). “Measurement of fracture mechanics parameters in silty-clay soils.” Soil Sci., 162(5), 309–322.
Nitao, J. J., and Bear, J.(1996). “Potentials and their role in transport in porous media.” Water Resour. Res., 32(2), 225–250.
Olesen, J. E., Bocher, P. K., and Jensen, T.(2000). “Comparison of scales of climate and soil data for aggregating simulated yields of winter wheat in Denmark.” Agr. Ecosyst. Environ., 82(1–3), 213–228.
Or, D., and Tuller, M.(1999). “Liquid retention and interfacial area in variably saturated porous media: Upscaling from single-pore to sample-scale model.” Water Resour. Res., 35(12), 3591–3605.
Pelmulder, S. D. (1994). “ A framework for regional scale modeling of water resources management and health risk problems with a case study of exposure sensitivity to aquifer parameters.” PhD thesis, Univ. of California, Los Angeles.
Pelmulder, S. D., Yeh, W. W. G., and Kastenberg, W. E.(1996). “Regional scale framework for modeling water resources and health risk problems.” Water Resour. Res., 32(6), 1851–1861.
Purkey, D. R., and Wallender, W. W.(2001). “Drainage reduction under land retirement over shallow water table.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., 127(1), 1–7.
Refsgaard, J. C., Thorsen, M., Jensen, J. B., Kleeschulte, S., and Hansen, S.(1999). “Large scale modeling of groundwater contamination from nitrate leaching.” J. Hydrol., 221(3–4), 117–140.
Renault, D., and Wallender, W. W.(2000). “Nutritional water productivity and diets.” Agric. Water Manage., 45(2000), 275–296.
Rubin, Y., and Gomez-Hernandez, J. J.(1990). “A stochastic approach to the problem of upscaling of conductivity in disordered media — theory and unconditional numerical simulations.” Water Resour. Res., 26(4), 691–701.
Russo, D.(1992). “Upscaling of hydraulic conductivity in partially saturated heterogeneous porous formation.” Water Resour. Res., 28(2), 397–409.
Sahimi, M., and Mehrabi, A. R.(1999). “Percolation and flow in geological formations: upscaling from microscopic to megascopic scales.” Physica A, 266(1–4), 136–152.
Sanchez-Vila, X., Axness, C. L., and Carrera, J.(1999). “Upscaling transmissivity under radially convergent flow in heterogeneous media.” Water Resour. Res., 35(3), 613–621.
Sanchez-Vila, X., Girardi, J. P., and Carrera, J.(1995). “A synthesis of approaches to upscaling of hydraulic conductivities.” Water Resour. Res., 31(4), 867–882.
Schulze, R.(2000). “Transcending scales of space and time in impact studies of climate and climate change on agrohydrological responses.” Agric. Ecosyst. Environ., 82(1–3), 185–212.
Soutter, L. A., and Loague, K.(2000). “Revisiting the Fresno DBCP case study simulations: The effect of upscaling.” J. Environ. Qual., 29(6), 1794–1805.
Sposito, G. (1998). Scale dependence and scale invariance in hydrology, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Stewart, J. B., Engman, E. T., Fedes, R. A., and Kerr, Y. (1996). “Scaling up hydrology using remote sensing.” Wiley, Chichester, U.K.
Tegnander, C., and Gimse, T.(1998). “Flow simulations to evaluate upscaling of permeability.” Math. Geol., 30(6), 717–731.
Tidwell, V. C., and Wilson, J. L.(1997). “Laboratory method for investigating permeability upscaling.” Water Resour. Res., 33(7), 1607–1616.
Tidwell, V. C., and Wilson, J. L.(1999). “Permeability upscaling measured on a block of Berea Sandstone: Results and interpretation.” Math. Geol., 31(7), 749–769.
Tuong, T. P., and Bhuiyan, S. I.(1999). “Increasing water-use efficiency in rice production: Farm-level perspectives.” Agric. Water Manage., 40(1), 117–122.
van der Gon, H. A. C. D., van Bodegom, P. M., Houweling, S., Verburg, P. H., and van Breemen, N.(2000). “Combining upscaling and downscaling of methane emissions from rice fields: Methodologies and preliminary results.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 58(1–3), 285–301.
Wagenet, R. J.(1998). “Scale issues in agroecological research chains.” Nutrient Cycl. Agroecosyst., 50, 23–34.
Wallender, W. W.(1987). “Sample volume statistical relations for water content, infiltration and yield.” Trans. ASAE, 30(4), 1043–1050.
Waller, P. M., and Wallender, W. W.(1993). “Changes in cracking, water content and bulk density of salinized swelling clay field soils.” Soil Sci., 156(6), 414–423.
Wen, X. H., and Gomez-Hernandez, J. J.(1996). “Upscaling hydraulic conductivities in heterogeneous media - An overview.” J. Hydrol., 183(1–2), R9–R32.
Wen, X. H., and Gomez-Hernandez, J. J.(1998). “Upscaling hydraulic conductivities in cross-bedded formations.” Math. Geol., 30(2), 181–211.
Wheatcraft, S. W., and Tyler, S. W.(1988). “An explanation of scale-dependent dispersivity in heterogeneous aquifers using concepts of fractal geometry.” Water Resour. Res., 24, 566–578.
Whitaker, S. (1999). Theory and applications of transport in porous media: The method of volume averaging, Kluwer-Academic, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 219.
Wohlfahrt, G., Bahn, M., Tappeiner, U., and Cernusca, A.(2000). “A model of whole plant gas exchange for herbaceous species from mountain grassland sites differing in land use.” Ecol. Modell., 125(2–3), 173–201.
Yang, W. (1997). “Effects of spatial resolution and landscape structure on land cover characterization.” PhD thesis, Univ. of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Neb.
Yu, P.-T.(2000). “Application of physically-based distributed models in forest hydrology.” Forest Res., 13(4), 431–438.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 128 • Issue 4 • August 2002
Pages: 203 - 211
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 12, 2001
Accepted: Jan 3, 2002
Published online: Jul 15, 2002
Published in print: Aug 2002
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.