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A Daily Water Table Depth Computing Model for Poorly Drained Soils

  • Applied Wetland Science
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Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present a relatively simplified model to predict daily water table (WT) by solving ordinary differential equation dWT (t)/dt = F (α1, α2, α3, WT0(t), RF (t), PET (t)), with α1, α2, α3, WT0 as parameters, and RF (rainfall) and PET (potential evapotranspiration), respectively, as inputs. The model was calibrated and validated with WT on four poorly to moderately drained soils (Lenoir, Rains, Lynchburg, and Goldsboro) on a forested wetland. Calibration results were in good agreement with the measured WT for all soils, except the Goldsboro with deeper WT. r2 (coefficient of determination) and NSE (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency) statistics both ranged from 0.81 for the Lenoir to 0.89 and 0.87, respectively, for the Lynchburg. Average absolute daily deviation (AADD) varied from 10.8 cm for Lenoir to 16.7 cm for Rains. The performance was somewhat poorer, during relatively dry periods with deeper WT, yielding r2 and NSE as low as 0.55 and 0.29, respectively, for Lenoir, and large AADD for Lynchburg. Discrepancies were associated with WT overprediction for deeper depths. The new model is capable of describing the WT for poorly drained high water table soils, with a potential for assessing effects of land management, wetland hydrology, and climate changes.

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Acknowledgments

This work is a result of a cooperation, with scientists from Agricultural University of Krakow (AUK) and Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, both in Poland, initiated while the first author was in AUK on a sabbatical supported by US-Poland Fulbright Fellowship in 2010-11. We greatly appreciate the support of Dennis Law, retired former Soil Scientist and Bill Hansen, retired former Hydrologist at USDA Forest Service Francis Marion & Sumter National Forests, SC, Tripp Gaskins, Silviculturist at Francis Marion National Forest District Ranger Office, Andy Harrison, Hydrologic Technician at USDA Forest Service, Center for Forested Wetlands Research, Bray Beltran, former College of Charleston, SC graduate student, and Artheera Bales, Research Assistant at College of Charleston, SC for various levels of support during this study. We also would like to sincerely thank reviewers Dr. Timothy Callahan, College of Charleston, SC and Dr. Ge Sun, USDA Forest Service, Raleigh, NC for their feedbacks in the manuscript as well as anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions and comments on the manuscript that only helped to improve its quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA Forest Service, Center for Forested Wetlands Research, 3734 Highway 402, Cordesville, SC, USA

    Devendra M. Amatya

  2. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland

    Marcin Fialkowski

  3. Department of Agricultural Land Surveying, Cadaster and Photogrammetry, Agricultural University of Cracow, ul. Balicka 253a, 30-198, Cracow, Poland

    Agnieszka Bitner

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  1. Devendra M. Amatya
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Correspondence to Devendra M. Amatya.

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Amatya, D.M., Fialkowski, M. & Bitner, A. A Daily Water Table Depth Computing Model for Poorly Drained Soils. Wetlands 39, 39–54 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-018-1069-7

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