Haitao et al. (2026) Improvement and testing of the SWAT model for simulating hydrological processes and non-point source pollution in the paddy-dominated polder

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-14
• Authors: 武海涛 WU Haitao, Zenglin Peng, Meng Xiang, Luo Yufeng, Yuanlai Cui
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136423

Research Groups

• State Key Laboratory of Water Resources Engineering and Management, Wuhan University, China

Short Summary

This study developed a modified SWAT model (SWAT-PP) to simulate hydrological processes and non-point source pollution in paddy-dominated polders, achieving improved performance compared to the original SWAT and paddy-adapted SWAT-MD models.

Objective

• Investigate the feasibility of using a modified SWAT model for simulating coupled hydrological and water quality processes in polder systems.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Paddy-dominated polder (Dongwan Polder) within China’s Chaohu Lake Basin.
• Temporal Scale: Monthly time step.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Modified SWAT model (SWAT-PP), original SWAT, and paddy-adapted SWAT-MD models.
• Data sources: Field observations, satellite data, and reanalysis products.

Main Results

• Improved simulation of field-scale hydrology and nutrient dynamics in the Dongwan Polder using SWAT-PP (R2 > 0.6, NSE > 0.5, PBIAS < 25%).
• Enhanced performance of SWAT-PP compared to original SWAT and paddy-adapted SWAT-MD models.

Contributions

• Development of a modified SWAT model specifically designed for simulating coupled hydrological and water quality processes in polder systems.
• Improved understanding of the role of pumping stations, sluice gates, and ponds in regulating hydrological processes and NPS pollution regimes in polders.

Funding

• This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52109244).

Citation

@article{Haitao2026Improvement,
  author = {Haitao, 武海涛 WU and Peng, Zenglin and Xiang, Meng and Yufeng, Luo and Cui, Yuanlai},
  title = {Improvement and testing of the SWAT model for simulating hydrological processes and non-point source pollution in the paddy-dominated polder},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136423},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136423}
}