Field Data and Water-Balance Predictions for a Monolithic Cover in a Semiarid Climate

Abstract

Water-balance predictions made using four codes (UNSAT-H, VADOSE/W, HYDRUS, and LEACHM) are compared with water-balance data from a test section located in a semiarid climate simulating a monolithic water-balance cover. The accuracy of the runoff prediction (underprediction or overprediction) was found to affect the accuracy of all other water-balance quantities. Runoff was predicted more accurately when precipitation was applied uniformly throughout the day, the surface layer was assigned higher saturated hydraulic conductivity, or when Brooks-Corey functions were used to describe the hydraulic properties of the cover soils. However, no definitive or universal recommendation could be identified that would provide reasonable assurance that runoff mechanisms are properly simulated and runoff predictions are accurate. Evapotranspiration and soil-water storage were predicted reasonably well (within