Global BROOK90 R Package: An Automatic Framework to Simulate the Water Balance at Any Location

A Technical Note on the Application of a Water Budget Model at Regional Scale: A Water Manager’s Approach towards a Sustainable Water Resources Management

Evaluating the quantitative status of groundwater has always represented an attractive method of modelling development for scientific research purposes and, at the same time, an essential planning tool for water managers. Today, in addition to the traditional modelling and management applications, the quantification of groundwater resources increasingly aims at evaluating effective water bodies’ health. In fact, the founding principles introduced by the most recent international directives in terms of water protection are specifically addressed to natural ecosystems’ protection complying with different socio-economic conditions. In this context, Acea Ato2, a water utility operating in central Italy, here proposes the implementation of an analytical water budget model for the assessment of the groundwater potential recharge status throughout its managed area.

Pseudo-Spatially-Distributed Modeling of Water Balance Components in the Free State of Saxony

Highly-resolved data on water balance components (such as runoff or storage) are crucial to improve water management, for example, in drought or flood situations. As regional observations of these components cannot be acquired adequately, a feasible solution is to apply water balance models. We developed an innovative approach using the physically-based lumped-parameter water balance model BROOK90 (R version) integrated into a sensor network platform to derive daily water budget components for catchments in the Free State of Saxony. The model is not calibrated, but rather uses available information on soil, land use, and precipitation only. We applied the hydro response units (HRUs) approach for 6175 small and medium-sized catchments. For the evaluation, model output was cross-evaluated in ten selected head catchments in a low mountain range in Saxony. The mean values of Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE) for the period 2005–2019 to these catchments are 0.63 and 0.75, for daily and monthly discharge simulations, respectively. The simulated evapotranspiration and soil wetness are in good agreement with the SMAP_L4_GPH product in April 2015–2018. The study can be enhanced by using different data platforms as well as available information on study sites.