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Integration of HYDRUS-1D and MODFLOW for evaluating the dynamics of salts and nitrogen in groundwater under long-term reclaimed water irrigation

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Abstract

Reclaimed water has been extensively used as an alternative resource for irrigation, but can affect groundwater quality due to salt and nitrogen leaching. We conducted field investigations of a shallow groundwater monitoring well at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, China, and irrigated sample sites of turf grass with reclaimed water for 8 years. The HYDRUS-1D and MODFLOW models were integrated to study the transport and distribution of electrical conductivity (ECgw) and nitrate–N (N–NO3−) in the shallow groundwater under long-term reclaimed water irrigation. Model calibration and validation showed that the integrated model could simulate the fates of ECgw and N–NO3− in the shallow groundwater. Field experiments and the model simulation showed that reclaimed water irrigation can increase salinity and N–NO3− concentration in shallow groundwater and predicted, assuming the continuation of current irrigation practices, that the annual average ECgw and N–NO3− would reach a steady level of 0.72 dS m−1 and 2.18 mg L−1, respectively. Because ECgw increased with increasing irrigation water salinity and amount, there is a risk of increased salinity in the shallow groundwater under long-term reclaimed water irrigation. Under all simulation scenarios, annual average N–NO3− concentrations in the shallow groundwater at an equilibrium state did not exceed the class II groundwater quality standard (2–5 mg L−1). After proper calibration and validation, the integration of HYDRUS-1D and MODFLOW models offers an effective tool for analyzing irrigation management of low-quality water in water-scarce regions.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (#41571130043) for its support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bei**g, 100101, China

    Sidan Lyu & Xuefa Wen

  2. State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bei**g, 100085, China

    Sidan Lyu & Wei** Chen

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    Andrew C. Chang

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  1. Sidan Lyu
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  2. Wei** Chen
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Correspondence to Wei** Chen.

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Communicated by A. Ben-Gal.

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Lyu, S., Chen, W., Wen, X. et al. Integration of HYDRUS-1D and MODFLOW for evaluating the dynamics of salts and nitrogen in groundwater under long-term reclaimed water irrigation. Irrig Sci 37, 35–47 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-018-0600-1

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