An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, Greece
This study presents an integrated modeling system for the evaluation of the quantity and quality of water resources of coastal agricultural watersheds. The modeling system consists of coupled and interrelated models, including (i) a surface hydrology model (UTHBAL), (ii) a groundwater hydrology mode...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/3/268 |
| _version_ | 1797408322684452864 |
|---|---|
| author | Aikaterini Lyra Athanasios Loukas Pantelis Sidiropoulos Georgios Tziatzios Nikitas Mylopoulos |
| author_facet | Aikaterini Lyra Athanasios Loukas Pantelis Sidiropoulos Georgios Tziatzios Nikitas Mylopoulos |
| author_sort | Aikaterini Lyra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study presents an integrated modeling system for the evaluation of the quantity and quality of water resources of coastal agricultural watersheds. The modeling system consists of coupled and interrelated models, including (i) a surface hydrology model (UTHBAL), (ii) a groundwater hydrology model (MODFLOW), (iii) a crop growth/nitrate leaching model (REPIC, an R-ArcGIS-based EPIC model), (iv) a groundwater contaminant transport model (MT3DMS), and (v) a groundwater seawater intrusion model (SEAWAT). The efficacy of the modeling system to simulate the quantity and quality of water resources has been applied to the Almyros basin in Thessaly, Greece. It is a coastal agricultural basin with irrigated and intensified agriculture facing serious groundwater problems, such as groundwater depletion, nitrate pollution, and seawater intrusion. Irrigation demands were estimated for the main crops cultivated in the area, based on precipitation and temperature from regional weather stations. The models have been calibrated and validated against time-series of observed crop yields, groundwater table observations, and observed concentrations of nitrates and chlorides. The results indicate that the modeling system simulates the water resources quantity and quality with increased accuracy. The proposed modeling system could be used as a tool for the simulation of water resources management and climate change scenarios. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:57:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-acd464dd36ef40ba8c233d54907c4f10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:57:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-acd464dd36ef40ba8c233d54907c4f102023-12-03T14:18:37ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-01-0113326810.3390/w13030268An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, GreeceAikaterini Lyra0Athanasios Loukas1Pantelis Sidiropoulos2Georgios Tziatzios3Nikitas Mylopoulos4Laboratory of Hydrology and Aquatic Systems Analysis, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Thessaly, 38334 Volos, GreeceDepartment of Rural and Surveying Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratory of Hydrology and Aquatic Systems Analysis, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Thessaly, 38334 Volos, GreeceLaboratory of Hydrology and Aquatic Systems Analysis, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Thessaly, 38334 Volos, GreeceLaboratory of Hydrology and Aquatic Systems Analysis, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Thessaly, 38334 Volos, GreeceThis study presents an integrated modeling system for the evaluation of the quantity and quality of water resources of coastal agricultural watersheds. The modeling system consists of coupled and interrelated models, including (i) a surface hydrology model (UTHBAL), (ii) a groundwater hydrology model (MODFLOW), (iii) a crop growth/nitrate leaching model (REPIC, an R-ArcGIS-based EPIC model), (iv) a groundwater contaminant transport model (MT3DMS), and (v) a groundwater seawater intrusion model (SEAWAT). The efficacy of the modeling system to simulate the quantity and quality of water resources has been applied to the Almyros basin in Thessaly, Greece. It is a coastal agricultural basin with irrigated and intensified agriculture facing serious groundwater problems, such as groundwater depletion, nitrate pollution, and seawater intrusion. Irrigation demands were estimated for the main crops cultivated in the area, based on precipitation and temperature from regional weather stations. The models have been calibrated and validated against time-series of observed crop yields, groundwater table observations, and observed concentrations of nitrates and chlorides. The results indicate that the modeling system simulates the water resources quantity and quality with increased accuracy. The proposed modeling system could be used as a tool for the simulation of water resources management and climate change scenarios.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/3/268integrated water resources managementcoastal agricultural basingroundwater nitrate pollutionseawater intrusion |
| spellingShingle | Aikaterini Lyra Athanasios Loukas Pantelis Sidiropoulos Georgios Tziatzios Nikitas Mylopoulos An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, Greece Water integrated water resources management coastal agricultural basin groundwater nitrate pollution seawater intrusion |
| title | An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, Greece |
| title_full | An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, Greece |
| title_fullStr | An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, Greece |
| title_short | An Integrated Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources in Coastal Agricultural Watersheds: Application in Almyros Basin, Thessaly, Greece |
| title_sort | integrated modeling system for the evaluation of water resources in coastal agricultural watersheds application in almyros basin thessaly greece |
| topic | integrated water resources management coastal agricultural basin groundwater nitrate pollution seawater intrusion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/3/268 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aikaterinilyra anintegratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT athanasiosloukas anintegratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT pantelissidiropoulos anintegratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT georgiostziatzios anintegratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT nikitasmylopoulos anintegratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT aikaterinilyra integratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT athanasiosloukas integratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT pantelissidiropoulos integratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT georgiostziatzios integratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece AT nikitasmylopoulos integratedmodelingsystemfortheevaluationofwaterresourcesincoastalagriculturalwatershedsapplicationinalmyrosbasinthessalygreece |