Hydrologie – Water in Drylands

Durchführung: Hydrologische Professuren

This course explains the specific hydrological characteristics of dry regions and exemplifies water management using case studies with real data.

In a first theoretical part, the components of the water balance are explained. Dry areas are defined by climatological indices, precipitation and evaporation are characterized. A first exercise determines the aridity of specific locations using real data. This includes both absolute quantities and variability across the years. A second exercise determines potential evaporation using different approximation methods. Results are evaluated depending on the available data. Then runoff generation is explained in detail and common estimation methods for runoff generation are presented. Afterwards, the water balance of dry regions is evaluated using examples of measured soil moisture data. For these data sets, a simple water balance model is developed and applied. Thereby, direct recharge is determined. For groundwater recharge also other estimation methods are introduced. Those include the chloride method and transmission losses in wadi systems which can also be estimated with the help of empirical estimation methods. Finally, water balances of aquifer systems are presented and exemplified by case studies of stressed (transboundary) systems.

In the second management part, traditional (historical) irrigation concepts (rainwater harvesting) are compared with new irrigation techniques including sustainability aspects, application areas and possible salinization hazards. Roof water harvesting potentials and possible usages are outlined using estimation models and water quality data. In a forth exercise, amounts of roof harvested water are assessed by empirical equations and by a simple data-driven model.

Sprache: englisch

Lehrformen

• Lectures
• Praktical exercises

Trinkwasserpumpe in der Wüste; Sterbender Wald