Using HYDRUS-2D Simulation Model to Evaluate Wetted Soil Volume in Subsurface Drip Irrigation Systems
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VIEW THE REPLYPublication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 4
Abstract
Drip irrigation is considered one of the most efficient irrigation systems. Alternatively to the traditional drip irrigation systems, laterals can be installed below the soil surface. Realizing the subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), which recently has been increasing in use as a consequence of advances in plastics technology, making SDI equipment more affordable and long lasting. Due to its potential high efficiency SDI may produce benefits, especially in places where water is a limited source. As the use of SDI is relatively new, a better understanding of the infiltration process around a buried point source can contribute to increased water use efficiency and consequently the success of drip irrigation system. In addition, proper design and management of such a system needs the judicious combination of drip spacing, discharge rates, irrigation duration and time interval between consecutive irrigations. To this aim, numerical models can represent a powerful tool to analyze the evolution of the wetting pattern during the distribution and redistribution processes, in order to explore SDI management strategies, to set up the duration of irrigation, and finally to optimize water use efficiency. In the paper the suitability of the HYDRUS-2D simulation model is verified, at the scale of a single emitter, on the basis of experimental observations, with the aim to assess the axis-symmetrical infiltration process consequent to subsurface drip irrigation. The model was then applied in order to evaluate the main dimensions of the wetted soil volume surrounding the emitter during irrigation as a function of time and initial soil water content. The investigation, carried out in a sandy-loam soil, showed the suitability of the model to well simulate infiltration processes around an emitter during irrigation. Model application allowed also, for the examined soil, to evaluate the emitter spacing accounting for the maximum soil depth to irrigate.
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Acknowledgments
The research was supported with the joint grant of Università degli Studi di Palermo and Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca (PRIN PUMO). A special and sincere thanks to Cosimo Vivona, technician at the laboratory of the Department (I.T.A.F.), to Pietro Di Dio and Eve Balard for their assistance during preparation and execution of the experiments, as well as to Guillermo Palau Salvador, Vincenzo Bagarello, and the three anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions, allowing to improve the final version of the paper.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 4 • August 2007
Pages: 342 - 349
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Nov 15, 2005
Accepted: Mar 22, 2007
Published online: Aug 1, 2007
Published in print: Aug 2007
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