Hydrology

21 pages, 5045 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Water Level Variability Under Different Sluice Gate Operation Strategies: A Case Study of the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, Vietnam

by Dinh Van Duy, Nguyen Thai An, Tran Van Ty, Lam Tan Phat, Ngo Thanh Toan, Huynh Vuong Thu Minh, Nigel K. Downes and Hitoshi Tanaka

Hydrology 2025, 12(5), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12050102 - 23 Apr 2025

Abstract

The Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) faces increasing challenges due to upstream hydrological fluctuations and climate change, necessitating optimized water management strategies. Sluice gates play a critical role in regulating water levels, yet their effectiveness under different operational modes remains insufficiently assessed. This study examines water level fluctuations under three sluice gate operation scenarios implemented along the West Sea dike in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, Kien Giang Province, using the MIKE 11 hydrodynamic model. The model was calibrated and validated using the observed data, yielding high accuracy at key sluice gates, including Kien River and Ba Hon. Three sluice gate management scenarios were tested: (1) the current automatic and partially forced operation, (2) fully automatic gate control, and (3) fully forced hydraulic operation. The simulation results indicate that Scenario 3 maintained water levels above +0.6 m more frequently, ensuring better water availability for irrigation and domestic use, while Scenarios 1 and 2 resulted in lower water levels at certain locations. Additionally, forced operation led to higher gate opening and closing frequencies at key sluices, allowing for more adaptive control over water levels. These findings emphasize the benefits of proactive sluice gate management in improving water regulation and mitigating the water scarcity risks. This study is among the first to provide empirical, scenario-based evidence comparing fully forced, automatic, and mixed sluice gate strategies under varying hydrological conditions in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Water Resources and Risk Management)

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22 pages, 8440 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison and Prediction of the Ecological Footprint of Water Resources—Taking Guizhou Province as an Example

by Yongtao Wang, Wenfeng Yang, Jian Liu, Enhui Lu, Ye Li and Ning Chen

Hydrology 2025, 12(5), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12050099 - 22 Apr 2025

Abstract

Water resources are considered to be of paramount importance to the natural world on a global scale, being critical for the sustenance of ecosystems, the support of life, and the achievement of sustainable development. However, these resources are under threat from climate change, population growth, urbanization and pollution. This necessitates the development of robust and effective assessment methods to ensure their sustainable use. Although assessing the ecological footprint (EF) of urban water systems plays a critical role in advancing sustainable cities and managing water assets, existing research has largely overlooked the application of geospatial visualization techniques in evaluating resource allocation strategies within karst mountain watersheds, an oversight this study aims to correct through innovative methodological integration. This research establishes an evaluation framework for predicting water resource availability in Guizhou through the synergistic application of three methodologies: (1) the water-based ecological accounting framework (WEF), (2) ecosystem service thresholds defined by the water ecological carrying capacity of water resources (WECC) thresholds, and (3) composite sustainability metrics, all correlated with contemporary hydrological utilization profiles. Spatiotemporal patterns were quantified across the province’s nine administrative divisions during the 2013–2022 period through time-series analysis, with subsequent WEF projections for 2023–2027 generated via Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) temporal forecasting techniques. Full article

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18 pages, 5765 KiB

Open AccessArticle

River Meanders, Tributary Junctions, and Antecedent Morphology

by Jonathan D. Phillips

Hydrology 2025, 12(5), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12050101 - 22 Apr 2025

Abstract

Tributaries to meandering rivers rarely join the river on the interior of bends. The limited drainage area on bend interiors explains why tributaries seldom form there, but not why existing tributaries are redirected as meanders develop. Other relevant factors include flow dynamics at junctions, runoff partitioning on inner vs. outer bends, and tributary deflection as the main channel migrates laterally. This study investigated whether the lack of confluences on bend interiors applies to lower coastal plain rivers in South and North Carolina, USA, where the factors above are not necessarily active, and if so how tributaries at sites of developing meanders are redirected. Of the 121 confluences examined using GIS data supplemented with field observations, none occurred on meander bend interiors. A total of 17 cases of potentially deflected tributaries were identified. Of these, 11 had sufficient evidence for a confident interpretation of how redirection occurred. In all 11 cases, pre-bend river paleochannels were involved in redirecting the tributaries away from the bend interior. This is explained by a model showing that the local slope gradient and mean depth advantages of the paleochannels provide velocity, stream power, and shear stress advantages over extension of the tributary channel into the bend interior. The results illustrate the importance of local hydraulic selection, and the influence of antecedent morphology on river hydrology and geomorphology. Full article

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20 pages, 1702 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimation of Hydraulic Properties of Growing Media from Numerical Inversion of Mini Disk Infiltrometer Data

by Hadi Hamaaziz Muhammed, Ruediger Anlauf and Diemo Daum

Hydrology 2025, 12(5), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12050100 - 22 Apr 2025

Abstract

Accurately determining the hydraulic properties of soilless growing media is essential for optimizing water management in container-based horticulture and agriculture. The very rapid estimation of hydraulic properties using a Mini Disk Infiltrometer has great potential for practical use compared to the very time-consuming standard methods. The objectives of this study were (1) to calibrate simulated cumulative stepwise infiltration under different suctions with the measured data from Mini Disk Infiltrometer, (2) to evaluate the efficiency of the Hydrus-2D inverse model to predict water dynamics through substrates, (3) to compare the substrate hydraulic parameters obtained through the numerical inversion model to those obtained via laboratory methods, and (4) to provide recommendations on how to effectively use the MDI-based method for practical applications. This study employs numerical inversion of Mini Disk Infiltrometer (MDI) data to estimate the hydraulic parameters of three different growing media, namely white peat, thermally treated wood fibre (WF4), and Seedling substrate. Infiltration experiments were conducted under suction-controlled conditions using varying initial moisture contents, followed by numerical simulations using the Hydrus-2D model and the Van Genuchten equation to describe the hydraulic parameters. The results demonstrated strong agreement between observed and simulated infiltration data, particularly under moistened conditions, with high R² > 0.9 values indicating the model’s effectiveness. However, discrepancies were observed for substrates in their initial dry state, suggesting limitations in capturing early-stage infiltration dynamics. The findings highlighted the potential of numerical inversion methods for estimating substrate hydraulic properties but also revealed the need for methodological refinements. Modifying the Van Genuchten model or exploring alternative approaches such as the Brooks and Corey model may enhance accuracy. Extending the suction range of measurement techniques is also recommended to improve parameter estimation. This study provides important evidence that the inverse method based on MDI is an effective tool for rapidly determining the hydraulic functions of substrates, which are important in promoting sustainable horticultural practices. Future research should focus on refining parameter estimation methods and addressing model limitations to enhance the reliability of hydraulic property assessments in soilless growing media. Full article

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Hydrology, Volume 12, Issue 5 (May 2025) – 4 articles

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