Field determination of the water balance of the Areuse River delta,Switzerland |
| |
| Authors: | ABDALLAH MDAGHRI-ALAOUI WERNER EUGSTER |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Institute of Geography, Soil Science Section, University of Bern , Hallerstrasse 12, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland;2. Institute of Geography, Climatology and Meteorology Research Group, University of Bern , Hallerstrasse 12, CH—3012, Bern, Switzerland E-mail: eugster@giub.unibe.ch |
| |
| Abstract: | Abstract The water balance during a period of one year (15 October 1990–15 October 1991) was determined at an experimental site in the Areuse River delta (Switzerland). The groundwater recharge rates were found to be 36 and 33% of total precipitation according to evapotranspiration estimates based on the Primault (1962) and the Penman-Monteith methods, respectively. Variations in the water storage were obtained by weekly measurements with a neutron probe. Observed hydraulic gradients indicated a zero-flux plane between depths of 0.55 and 1.02 m that separated the infiltration zone from the zone of evapotranspiration in all seasons. |
| |
| Keywords: | unsaturated zone evapotranspiration water balance groundwater recharge porous media Neuchâtel Switzerland |
|
|
