Analytical element modelling (AEM) as a tool to quantify the impact of weirs on groundwater levels

Climate change can influence the hydrology of rural areas, affecting the availability of surface and groundwater along with potential flood and drought risks that impact people and even ecosystems. In these areas, a suitable design of ditch network accompanied by proper weir operation schemes is imperative to improve groundwater recharge that will alleviate water scarcity and also to minimize unwanted water surpluses on surface. Here, we show that analytic element modeling (AEM) can be performed as a less computationally intensive visual guide to determine (1) the best monitoring sites for ditch water and groundwater levels and (2) the predicted impacts of weir operations on these water levels during a hydrological year, given the proposed locations and scheduled periods of opening and closing of these weirs. With these, water resource managers in rural areas can use AEM as a preliminary tool to refine both the monitoring of ditches and the operation of weirs at landscape-scale level to minimize impending threats from future floods and droughts.

Links¶

TURQUOISE: https://www.uantwerpen.be/nl/projecten/turquoise/