The waterlogging process model in the paddy fields of flat irrigation districts

Abstract

Flat, low-lying agricultural areas such as irrigation districts in southern China have been increasingly vulnerable to flood inundation disasters because of the increased runoff associated with urbanization and climate change. In this study, we developed a waterlogging process simulation model comprising two parts: runoff generation module and runoff confluence module. An improved tank model and hydrodynamic model based on Saint–Venant equations were adopted in the runoff generation and confluence module, respectively. The results show that the model’s relative error and root mean square error are 2.1% and 0.17 mm/h, and the Nash coefficient of the model is 0.91. The relative error of river level simulation was within 5%, and the Nash coefficient was higher than 0.9. The proposed waterlogging simulation model could be a valuable tool for describing the process of waterlogging generation, accumulation, and confluence in the studied irrigation district or other regions with similar climatic conditions.