GEOG 405 T.

Giambelluca
Water in the Environment
WATER BALANCE MOEL!NG
!N"#T $ O#T"#T
" % !rr $ RO % ET % Rch& % 'M
'M
" !rr
ET
RO
Rch&
E(timatin& ET
The water balance approach to modeling surface water fluxes employs a relatively simple
method of estimating the partition of soil water into evaporation and recharge.
1
0
0 1
Where: AE actual evapotranspiration! "E potential evapotranspiration! AW
available water content of the soil! and AW# available water capacity of the soil.
E(timatin& Rechar&e
Estimating groundwater recharge is often the primary purpose of conducting a water
balance. $echarge largely determines the rate at which groundwater can be withdrawn
from wells. Water resource planning on %&ahu! which is almost entirely dependent on
groundwater for agricultural! industrial! and domestic water supplies! is based on
estimates of groundwater recharge. $echarge is estimated in the water balance model
based on the accounting of soil water content. When the water stored in the soil exceeds
the field capacity! excess water is assumed to percolate downward beyond the lowest
roots. 'n the model! this water is assigned to ground water recharge! although it may ta(e
months or years to actually reach the water table.
AE)"E
Wilting "oint )ield #apacity
AW)AWC
T*ORNT*WA!TE WATER BALANCE MET*O
'f "
i
* "E
i
'f "
i
+ "E
i
#hange in soil moisture: ,AW
i
AW
i
- AW
i-1
.eficit: .
i
"E
i
- E
i
/urplus: /
i
AW
i-1
0 "
i
- E
i
- AW
i
$unoff: $%

112 of Amount available for $%
Amount available for $% /
i
0 .etention
i-1
.etention
i
Amount available for $%
i
- $%
i
/tart calculation at the beginning of the wet season. 3se
iterative approach to correct first go around.
"roblems with this method:
3se of averages
3se of monthly interval
Assumption that all rainfall in interval is evaporated at
the "E rate
4o provision for direct runoff
/implistic soil moisture drying curve
56 5! min78 1 AWC E P AW AW i i i i + =
i i PE E =
6 5 1 8 7 1
AWC
i PE i P
e AW P E i i i

+ =