| Title: | Hydropedological insights when considering catchment classification |
| Authors: | Bouma, J., P. Droogers, M.P.W. Sonneveld, C.J. Ritsema, J.E. Hunink, W.W. Immerzeel and S. Kauffman |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Journal: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Volume (Issue): | 15(6) |
| Pages: | 1909-1919 |
| Article ID: | |
| DOI: | 10.5194/hess-15-1909-2011 |
| URL (non-DOI journals): | |
| Model: | SWAT |
| Broad Application Category: | hydrologic only |
| Primary Application Category: | blue, green and/or gray water, or crop water productivity |
| Secondary Application Category: | evapotranspiration assessment |
| Watershed Description: | Upper Tana, Kenya and 57,000 km^2 Guadalquiver in southern Spain |
| Calibration Summary: | |
| Validation Summary: | |
| General Comments: | |
| Abstract: | Soil classification systems are analysed to explore
the potential of developing classification systems for catchments.
Soil classifications are useful to create systematic
order in the overwhelming quantity of different soils in the
world and to extrapolate data available for a given soil type to
soils elsewhere with identical classifications. This principle
also applies to catchments. However, to be useful, soil classifications
have to be based on permanent characteristics as
formed by the soil forming factors over often very long periods
of time. When defining permanent catchment characteristics,
discharge data would therefore appear to be less suitable.
But permanent soil characteristics do not necessarily
match with characteristics and parameters needed for functional
soil characterization focusing, for example, on catchment
hydrology. Hydropedology has made contributions towards
the required functional characterization of soils as is
illustrated for three recent hydrological catchment studies.
However, much still needs to be learned about the physical
behaviour of anisotropic, heterogeneous soils with varying
soil structures during the year and about spatial and temporal
variability. The suggestion is made therefore to first focus
on improving simulation of catchment hydrology, possibly
incorporating hydropedological expertise, before embarking
on a catchment classification effort which involves major input
of time and involves the risk of distraction. In doing so,
we suggest to also define other characteristics for catchment
performance than the traditionally measured discharge rates.
Such characteristics may well be derived from societal issues
being studied, as is illustrated for the Green Water Credits
program. |
| Language: | English |
| Keywords: | |