Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment

Simulation models are useful decision-support tools for designing and analyzing subsurface drainage systems in irrigated lands. However, the challenge is determining the soil hydraulic data inputs required by models to achieve reliable and accurate simulation of water table depths (WTDs) and drainag...

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Autores principales: Malota, M., Taguta, C., Dirwai, Tinashe Lindel, Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe, Senzanje, A.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers 2024
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Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151866
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author Malota, M.
Taguta, C.
Dirwai, Tinashe Lindel
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Senzanje, A.
author_browse Dirwai, Tinashe Lindel
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Malota, M.
Senzanje, A.
Taguta, C.
author_facet Malota, M.
Taguta, C.
Dirwai, Tinashe Lindel
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Senzanje, A.
author_sort Malota, M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Simulation models are useful decision-support tools for designing and analyzing subsurface drainage systems in irrigated lands. However, the challenge is determining the soil hydraulic data inputs required by models to achieve reliable and accurate simulation of water table depths (WTDs) and drainage discharges (DDs) at various drain depths and spacing combinations. This is particularly important for data-scarce areas, such as middle- and low-income countries (MLICs), that lack facilities to determine in-situ soil hydraulic properties. We evaluated the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models to simulate WTDs and DDs at a field scale in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) and soil water retention ( (h)) values were determined using the in-situ pumping test and a pressure plate apparatus. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) in the Rosetta computer program also estimated these soil parameters. The DRAINMOD and WaSim models were calibrated using the in-situ measured Ksat and laboratory-measured (h) data, while the validation exercise used the PTFs-estimated Ksat and (h) data as soil hydraulic inputs. The models’ performance in simulating WTDs and DDs was assessed using Nash-Sutcliffe Model Efficiency (NSE), Modified Index of Agreement (d), Coefficient of Determination (R2 ), and Mean Absolute Error (MAE). During validation, DRAINMOD simulated WTDs with NSE, d, R2 , and MAE of 0.86, 0.81, 0.89, and 5.3 cm, respectively, whereas, for DDs, the model registered NSE, d, R2 , and MPE of 0.81, 0.79, 0.83, and 0.17 mm.day-1, respectively. During the validation period, the WaSim model simulated WTDs with NSE, d, R2 , and MAE of 0.76, 0.74, 0.78, and 9.0 cm, respectively. For the same validation period, the WaSim model simulated DDs with NSE, d, R2 , and MAE of 0.74, 0.73, 0.77, and 0.2 mm.day-1, respectively. The results suggest that both models, with either in-situ measured and laboratory-measured soil data or PTFs-estimated soil data, can be used to design and analyze drainage systems in data-scarce environments with a reasonably high confidence level. Designers of subsurface drainage systems in Pongola, South Africa, can use any of the two drainage models as decision support tools. We recommend using DRAINMOD and WaSim models with PTFs-estimated hydraulic soil data based on soil textural information, soil particle size data, bulk density, and (h) data at field capacity and permanent wilting point.
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spelling CGSpace1518662024-11-07T09:50:59Z Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment Malota, M. Taguta, C. Dirwai, Tinashe Lindel Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe Senzanje, A. subsurface drainage simulation models performance assessment water management water table percolation drainage systems soil hydraulic properties hydraulic conductivity soil water retention soil chemicophysical properties discharges decision-support systems Simulation models are useful decision-support tools for designing and analyzing subsurface drainage systems in irrigated lands. However, the challenge is determining the soil hydraulic data inputs required by models to achieve reliable and accurate simulation of water table depths (WTDs) and drainage discharges (DDs) at various drain depths and spacing combinations. This is particularly important for data-scarce areas, such as middle- and low-income countries (MLICs), that lack facilities to determine in-situ soil hydraulic properties. We evaluated the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models to simulate WTDs and DDs at a field scale in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) and soil water retention ( (h)) values were determined using the in-situ pumping test and a pressure plate apparatus. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) in the Rosetta computer program also estimated these soil parameters. The DRAINMOD and WaSim models were calibrated using the in-situ measured Ksat and laboratory-measured (h) data, while the validation exercise used the PTFs-estimated Ksat and (h) data as soil hydraulic inputs. The models’ performance in simulating WTDs and DDs was assessed using Nash-Sutcliffe Model Efficiency (NSE), Modified Index of Agreement (d), Coefficient of Determination (R2 ), and Mean Absolute Error (MAE). During validation, DRAINMOD simulated WTDs with NSE, d, R2 , and MAE of 0.86, 0.81, 0.89, and 5.3 cm, respectively, whereas, for DDs, the model registered NSE, d, R2 , and MPE of 0.81, 0.79, 0.83, and 0.17 mm.day-1, respectively. During the validation period, the WaSim model simulated WTDs with NSE, d, R2 , and MAE of 0.76, 0.74, 0.78, and 9.0 cm, respectively. For the same validation period, the WaSim model simulated DDs with NSE, d, R2 , and MAE of 0.74, 0.73, 0.77, and 0.2 mm.day-1, respectively. The results suggest that both models, with either in-situ measured and laboratory-measured soil data or PTFs-estimated soil data, can be used to design and analyze drainage systems in data-scarce environments with a reasonably high confidence level. Designers of subsurface drainage systems in Pongola, South Africa, can use any of the two drainage models as decision support tools. We recommend using DRAINMOD and WaSim models with PTFs-estimated hydraulic soil data based on soil textural information, soil particle size data, bulk density, and (h) data at field capacity and permanent wilting point. 2024-08-07 2024-08-26T18:23:28Z 2024-08-26T18:23:28Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151866 en Open Access American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Malota, M.; Taguta, C.; Dirwai, Tinashe Lindel; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A. 2024. Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment. Journal of the ASABE, 67(4):917-930. [doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/ja.15515]
spellingShingle subsurface drainage
simulation models
performance assessment
water management
water table
percolation
drainage systems
soil hydraulic properties
hydraulic conductivity
soil water retention
soil chemicophysical properties
discharges
decision-support systems
Malota, M.
Taguta, C.
Dirwai, Tinashe Lindel
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Senzanje, A.
Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment
title Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment
title_full Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment
title_fullStr Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment
title_short Assessing the performance of WaSim and DRAINMOD models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data-scarce environment
title_sort assessing the performance of wasim and drainmod models for subsurface drainage design and analysis in a data scarce environment
topic subsurface drainage
simulation models
performance assessment
water management
water table
percolation
drainage systems
soil hydraulic properties
hydraulic conductivity
soil water retention
soil chemicophysical properties
discharges
decision-support systems
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151866
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