Impact of roof rain water harvesting of runoff capture and household consumption

In recent years, the occurrence of floods is one of the most important challenges facing in Hamadan city. In the absence/inefficiency of urban drainage systems, rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems as low-impact development (LID) methods can be considered as a measure to reduce the floods. In this study, three scenarios concerning the RWH from the roof surfaces are studied to evaluate the type of the harvested water on reducing flooding. In the first scenario, which indicates the current situation in the studied area, it is indicated that there is no harvest of the roof surfaces in the studied area. The second scenario is about the use of water harvested from the roof surfaces for household purposes. The third scenario also refers to the use of harvested water for irrigation of gardens. The simulation results of these three scenarios using the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) method in the Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) model reveal that if the second scenario is implemented, the runoff volume decreases from 28 to 12% for the return period from 2 to 100 years. However, in the third scenario, this reduction in runoff volume will be 48 and 27% for return periods of 2 to 100 years, respectively. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that the use of harvested water can also affect the reduction on runoff volume.

Soil erosion modelling: A global review and statistical analysis

To gain a better understanding of the global application of soil erosion prediction models, we comprehensively reviewed relevant peer-reviewed research literature on soil-erosion modelling published between 1994 and 2017. We aimed to identify (i) the processes and models most frequently addressed in the literature, (ii) the regions within which models are primarily applied, (iii) the regions which remain unaddressed and why, and (iv) how frequently studies are conducted to validate/evaluate model outcomes relative to measured data. To perform this task, we combined the collective knowledge of 67 soil-erosion scientists from 25 countries. The resulting database, named 'Global Applications of Soil Erosion Modelling Tracker (GASEMT)', includes 3030 individual modelling records from 126 countries, encompassing all continents (except Antarctica). Out of the 8471 articles identified as potentially relevant, we reviewed 1697 appropriate articles and systematically evaluated and transferred 42 relevant attributes into the database. This GASEMT database provides comprehensive insights into the state-of-the-art of soil- erosion models and model applications worldwide. This database intends to support the upcoming country-based United Nations global soil-erosion assessment in addition to helping to inform soil erosion research priorities by building a foundation for future targeted, in-depth analyses. GASEMT is an open-source database available to the entire user-community to develop research, rectify errors, and make future expansions.

Soil erosion modelling: A bibliometric analysis

Soil erosion can present a major threat to agriculture due to loss of soil, nutrients, and organic carbon. Therefore, soil erosion modelling is one of the steps used to plan suitable soil protection measures and detect erosion hotspots. A bibliometric analysis of this topic can reveal research patterns and soil erosion modelling characteristics that can help identify steps needed to enhance the research conducted in this field. Therefore, a detailed bibliometric analysis, including investigation of collaboration networks and citation patterns, should be conducted. The updated version of the Global Applications of Soil Erosion Modelling Tracker (GASEMT) database contains information about citation characteristics and publication type. Here, we investigated the impact of the number of authors, the publication type and the selected journal on the number of citations. Generalized boosted regression tree (BRT) modelling was used to evaluate the most relevant variables related to soil erosion modelling. Additionally, bibliometric networks were analysed and visualized. This study revealed that the selection of the soil erosion model has the largest impact on the number of publication citations, followed by the modelling scale and the publication's CiteScore. Some of the other GASEMT database attributes such as model calibration and validation have negligible influence on the number of citations according to the BRT model. Although it is true that studies that conduct calibration, on average, received around 30% more citations, than studies where calibration was not performed. Moreover, the bibliographic coupling and citation networks show a clear continental pattern, although the co-authorship network does not show the same characteristics. Therefore, soil erosion modellers should conduct even more comprehensive review of past studies and focus not just on the research conducted in the same country or continent. Moreover, when evaluating soil erosion models, an additional focus should be given to field measurements, model calibration, performance assessment and uncertainty of modelling results. The results of this study indicate that these GASEMT database attributes had smaller impact on the number of citations, according to the BRT model, than anticipated, which could suggest that these attributes should be given additional attention by the soil erosion modelling community. This study provides a kind of bibliographic benchmark for soil erosion modelling research papers as modellers can estimate the influence of their paper.

Evaluación del índice de pobreza hídrica (WPI) en la cuenca de Borujerd-Dorood (Irán) para reforzar los planes de gestión del territorio

El Índice de Pobreza Hídrica (WPI) se considera, en general, una herramienta simple y clara para evaluar los efectos de factores combinados sobre la escasez de agua y la tensión de los recursos hídricos. En esta investigación, intentamos centrarnos en las problemáticas hídricas en las cabeceras de montaña de la cuenca de Karoon en Irán para analizar el estado de los recursos hídricos. Para este propósito, los datos requeridos se obtuvieron en primer lugar mediante la preparación de un informe de la Autoridad del Agua, la parte Agrícola y la Organización de Agua y Saneamiento del Condado de Borujerd. Luego, se estimó el valor del WPI a escala de subcuenca del río Karoon considerando como recurso la posibilidad de acceso, capacidad socioeconómica, usos y criterios de calidad ambiental. Los resultados de esta investigación indicaron un rango de variación entre 6,6 y 18,2, obteniendo el punto más bajo por su condición ambiental actual y el punto más alto por el fácil acceso. Los valores más altos de cada criterio muestran las mejores condiciones que conducen a una menor pobreza hídrica en esa subcuenca. En general, el valor de WPI es aproximadamente 67,65, según la clasificación del centro de Ecología e Hidrología de Wallingford, esta subcuenca se ubica en un rango de pobreza hídrica de baja a moderada. Dado el carácter multidimensional del WPI y considerando todos los factores que afectan a la disponibilidad o falta de recursos hídricos, así como las implicaciones económicas y sociales para la población dedicada, principalmente a la agricultura y la ganadería, podemos concluir que este índice puede ser considerado como una herramienta útil para esta región priorizar las áreas críticas y un paso efectivo para el desarrollo y uso óptimo de sus recursos hídricos.

Field measurement of effects of individual and combined application of biochar and polyacrylamide on erosion variables in loess and marl soils

Controlling soil erosion, especially in its initial stages, is greatly important in natural resources management. Consequently, the present research aimed to control splash and interrill erosion in two soil types (marl at Marzan-Abad and loess at Maraveh-Tapeh sites in northern Iran) using biochar (BC) and polyacrylamide (PAM). We established 0.5 × 0.5-m plots and applied BC (800 g·m^-2), PAM (2 g·m^-2), and BC + PAM (800 g·m^-2 + 2 g·m^-2) with control plots and three replications on a slope of ~25%. We used a rainfall simulator to achieve rainfall intensity of 50 mm·h^-1 with 30-min duration in the experiments. Analysis of the results obtained from the variables of splash and interrill erosion during the rainfall-runoff process showed that the PAM significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased all study variables of splash erosion. For interrill erosion, it reduced the variables of soil loss and sediment concentration. However, the difference was not significant (p > 0.05) compared to the control plot and runoff from the two treatment sites increased relative to that from the control plots. The plot treated with BC showed decreased runoff volume, runoff coefficient, and soil loss compared to the control plot at the Marzan-Abad site, but the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). However, the plot in which loess soil was treated with BC at the Maraveh-Tapeh site exhibited considerably (p ≤ 0.05) increased runoff and soil loss compared to the control plot. The entire results verified a wide range for benefit reduction of study treatments from +25.09 to -37.49% for runoff and from +38.59 to -231% for soil loss with more effectiveness for Maraveh-Tapeh Loess soil as well as combined application of BC and PAM. These findings contribute to improved understanding of proper application of soil amendments to control runoff and soil loss in loam and loess soils.

Practicing land degradation neutrality (LDN) approach in the Shazand Watershed, Iran

Neutralizing land degradation due to overexploitation of natural resources is an acceptable strategy under developing conditions. However, this important approach has not been adequately introduced and adopted in the world. The present study therefore aimed to calculate Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) for the Shazand Watershed with an area about 1740 km² located in central arid and semi-arid region of Iran. The LDN status was basically assessed using three indicators, viz. land use and land cover, soil organic carbon and land productivity using Land Cover/Use Changes (LUC), Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and Net Primary Productivity (NPP) metrics for two sub-periods during 2000 to 2016. Towards this, 140 soil samples were then taken from the top 30-cm of the soil from homogeneous units representing an area ≥ 1-km² for four different main land uses including irrigated farms, rain fed farms, range lands, and orchards. Consequently, SOC and various soil properties such as sand, silt, clay, gravel, bulk density (BD), pH, electrical connectivity (EC), calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and nitrogen (N) were analyzed. NPP metric was also obtained using MODIS satellite images for three periods of 2000-2008, 2008-2016, and 2000-2016. The results of combination of study metrics indicated that net loss occurred in irrigated lands, rain fed lands, and range lands in the first eight-year period (2000-2008) and in contrary a balanced and stable situation in the second eight-year period (2008-2016). Overall, the LDN status in the Shazand Watershed was in a net loss situation during the period from 2000 to 2016 in irrigated lands, rain fed lands, and range lands covered areas of 12,290, 44,170 and 66,630 ha, respectively.