Jie et al. (2025) Study on Lag Law of Irrigation Return Flow Based on Unit Hydrograph and Hydrus

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Agriculture
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-11-19
• Authors: Feilong Jie, Youliang Peng, Liangjun Fei
• DOI: 10.3390/agriculture15222387

Research Groups

Not explicitly stated in the provided text, but research was conducted in the eastern part of the Jingdian Irrigation District, which is part of the Yellow River Diversion Irrigation District.

Short Summary

This study investigated the lag characteristics of irrigation return flow in the Jingdian Irrigation District using the unit hydrograph method and Hydrus-2D simulations. It found that return flow lag times range from 0 to 2.3 months in the Hongbiliang Basin and 0 to 5 months in the Nanshahe Basin, with the unit hydrograph model demonstrating high predictive accuracy.

Objective

• To investigate the lag characteristics of irrigation return flow in the eastern part of the Jingdian Irrigation District to improve water resource management and alleviate pressure on water resources.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Eastern part of the Jingdian Irrigation District, specifically the Hongbiliang Basin and Nanshahe Basin.
• Temporal Scale: Lag times observed range from 0 to 5 months (approximately 0 to 152 days), with peak lag times of 60 days and 110 days.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Unit hydrograph method, Hydrus-2D (for numerical simulations).
• Data sources: Agricultural hydrology data collected through monitoring efforts within the study area.

Main Results

• The lag time of return flow in response to precipitation and irrigation in the Hongbiliang Basin ranges from 0 to 2.3 months (approximately 0 to 70 days), with a peak lag time of 60 days.
• In the Nanshahe Basin, the lag time spans from 0 to 5 months (approximately 0 to 152 days), with a peak lag time of 110 days.
• The unit hydrograph model demonstrated high predictive accuracy, achieving a coefficient of determination (R²) exceeding 0.72 and a mean relative error (MRE) below 11.6% in both basins.
• The formation of return flow occurs in three distinct stages: soil water infiltration, groundwater recharge, and channel drainage.
• The unit hydrograph exhibited a strong fitting effect on silt loam and other soil types, confirming the validity of the "proportion and superposition" principle.

Contributions

• This study addresses the previously overlooked lag process of irrigation return flow, which is crucial for effective water resource management.
• It introduces and validates the unit hydrograph method for quantifying return flow lag characteristics in critical irrigation districts.
• Provides quantitative estimates of lag times, offering valuable insights for optimizing water cycle models and establishing comprehensive water management systems within irrigation districts.

Funding

Not explicitly stated in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Jie2025Study,
  author = {Jie, Feilong and Peng, Youliang and Fei, Liangjun},
  title = {Study on Lag Law of Irrigation Return Flow Based on Unit Hydrograph and Hydrus},
  journal = {Agriculture},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.3390/agriculture15222387},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15222387}
}