Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2016, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (5): 419-431.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2016.00419

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Measuring and modeling two-dimensional irrigation infiltration under film-mulched furrows

YongYong Zhang1, PuTe Wu2, XiNing Zhao2, WenZhi Zhao1   

  1. 1. Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Key Laboratory of Eco-hydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China;
    2. Institute of Water Saving Agriculture in Arid Regions of China, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
  • Received:2016-04-18 Revised:2016-06-20 Published:2018-11-23
  • Contact: YongYong Zhang, Assistant researcher of Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. No. 320, West Donggang Road, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China. E-mail:zhangxyz23@126.com E-mail:zhangxyz23@126.com
  • Supported by:
    This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 41401036), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (NO. 2015T81070, 2014M560818), and West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. We would like to thank Christine Verhille at the University of British Columbia for her assistance with English language and grammatical editing of the manuscript. We also would like to thank reviewers and the editors for their constructive comments on this manuscript.

Abstract: Furrow irrigation with film-mulched agricultural beds is being promoted in the arid region of northwest China because it im-proves water utilization. Two-dimensional infiltration patterns under film-mulched furrows can provide guidelines and criteria for irrigation design and operation. Our objective was to investigate soil water dynamics during ponding irrigation infiltration of mulched furrows in a cross-sectional ridge-furrow configuration, using laboratory experiments and mathematical simulations. Six experimental treatments, with two soil types (silt loam and sandy loam), were investigated to monitor the wetting patterns and soil water distribution in a cuboid soil chamber. Irrigation of mulched furrows clearly increased water lateral infiltration on ridge shoulders and ridges, due to enhancement of capillary driving force. Increases to both initial soil water content (SWC) and irrigation water level resulted in increased wetted soil volume. Empirical regression equations accurately estimated the wetted lateral distance (Rl) and downward distance (Rd) with elapsed time in a variably wetted soil medium. Optimization of model parameters followed by the Inverse approach resulted in satisfactory agreement between observed and predicted cumulative infiltration and SWC. On the basis of model calibration, HYDRUS-2D model can accurately simulate two-dimensional soil water dynamics under irrigation of mulched furrows. There were significant differences in wetting patterns between unmulched and mulched furrow irrigation using HYDRUS-2D simulation. The Rd under the mulched furrows was 32.14% less than the unmulched furrows. Therefore, film-mulched furrows are recommended in a furrow irrigation system.

Key words: soil water distribution, wetting pattern, film-mulched furrows, furrow irrigation, HYDRUS-2D model

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