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A generic system dynamics model for simulating and evaluating the hydrological performance of reconstructed watersheds
1Centre for Advanced Numerical Simulation (CANSIM), Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5A9, Canada
2Climate Research Division, Atmospheric Sciences and Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 3H5, Canada
Abstract. The mining of oil sands in northern Alberta, Canada, involves the stripping and salvage of surface soil layers to gain access to the oil mines. The oil sands industry has committed to reconstructing these disturbed watersheds to replicate the performance of the natural soil horizons and to reproduce the various functions of natural watersheds. The selection of the texture and thickness of the reconstructed soil cover layers is based primarily on the concept that all covers must have sufficient moisture for vegetation over the growing season. Assessment of the hydrological performance of the reconstructed soil covers is crucial to select the best cover alternative. A generic system dynamics watershed (GSDW) model is developed, based on the existing site-specific SDW model, and applied to five reconstructed watersheds located in the Athabasca mining basin, Alberta, Canada; and one natural watershed (boreal forest) located in Saskatchewan, Canada; to simulate the various hydrological processes; in particular, soil moisture patterns and actual evapotranspiration, in reconstructed and natural watersheds. The model is capable of capturing the dynamics of the water balance components in both reconstructed and natural watersheds. The developed GSDW model provides a vital tool, which enables the investigation of the utility of different soil cover alternative designs and evaluation of their performance. Moreover, the model can be used to conduct short- and long- term predictions under different climate scenarios.
Discussion Paper (PDF, 810 KB) Interactive Discussion (Closed, 5 Comments) Final Revised Paper (HESS)
Citation: Keshta, N., Elshorbagy, A., and Barr, A.: A generic system dynamics model for simulating and evaluating the hydrological performance of reconstructed watersheds, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., 5, 1441-1478, 2008. Bibtex EndNote Reference Manager
