Kacimov et al. (2025) Phreatic saturated and saturated-unsaturated seepage towards transpiring strip of vegetation: Analytic and HYDRUS2D modeling of biodrainage

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-12-05
• Authors: A. R. Kacimov, Yu. V. Obnosov, A. V. Smagin
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134721

Research Groups

• Department of Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
• N.I. Lobachevsky Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
• Institute of Forest Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow oblast, Russia
• Soil Science Department & Eurasian Center for Food Security, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

Short Summary

This study develops and utilizes 2D analytical and numerical models to simulate saturated and saturated-unsaturated seepage towards a transpiring strip of vegetation, quantifying its impact on water table drawdown and flow dynamics. It advocates for biodrainage via root water uptake as a sustainable and efficient hydroecological tool for managing shallow aquifers in agro and urban environments.

Objective

• To develop and apply 2D analytical and numerical models for saturated and saturated-unsaturated seepage in a vertical plane to determine water table troughs, flow nets, isotachs, isobars, and isohumes around a transpiring strip of vegetation.
• To advocate for bioengineering drainage by root water uptake as a hydroecologically sustainable, economically viable, zero-energy, carbon-sequestration-favourable, and anti-waterlogging efficient tool in agro and urban greening practices, particularly in arid environments.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Two-dimensional vertical plane, modeling a strip of phreatophytic vegetation (e.g., forest, forest plantation, urban green strip) interacting with a shallow unconfined aquifer.
• Temporal Scale: Steady-state or quasi-steady-state conditions for water table dynamics and moisture fluxes, focusing on the long-term impact of transpiration on hydrological regimes.

Methodology and Data

• Models used:
  • Analytical 2D models based on the hodograph method.
  • Numerical 2D models using HYDRUS2D software.
  • Re-evaluation of earlier published HYDRUS1D modeling results.
• Data sources:
  • Theoretical derivations and numerical simulations.
  • Application of Pashkovsky’s empiric formula for hydrological regime demarcation.
  • Parameters for models likely derived from literature or previous studies, though not explicitly detailed as new data sources.

Main Results

• The developed analytical and numerical 2D models successfully determine water table troughs, flow nets, isotachs (lines of equal velocity magnitude), isobars (lines of equal pressure), and isohumes (lines of equal volumetric moisture content) in response to vegetation transpiration.
• Bioengineering drainage by root water uptake is demonstrated to be an effective and sustainable method for controlling the phreatic surface and volumetric moisture content in the root zone of perched urban aquifers, especially in arid regions prone to groundwater inundation.
• Revisiting previous HYDRUS1D modeling results with Pashkovsky’s empiric formula allows for a clear demarcation of hydrological regimes into "recharge gains" and "evapotranspirative losses."

Contributions

• Development of novel analytical and numerical 2D models for complex saturated and saturated-unsaturated seepage problems driven by vegetation transpiration, utilizing the hodograph method.
• Provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and quantifying the ecohydrological impact of phreatophytic vegetation on shallow groundwater systems.
• Strongly advocates for and provides a scientific basis for biodrainage as a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economically viable alternative to conventional engineering drainage, particularly relevant for water management in arid urban and agricultural landscapes.
• Re-interprets existing 1D modeling results through an empirical lens, offering a new perspective on hydrological regime classification.

Funding

Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Kacimov2025Phreatic,
  author = {Kacimov, A. R. and Obnosov, Yu. V. and Smagin, A. V.},
  title = {Phreatic saturated and saturated-unsaturated seepage towards transpiring strip of vegetation: Analytic and HYDRUS2D modeling of biodrainage},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134721},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134721}
}