Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2014ND285B

Quantification of Spatio-temporal Distribution of Surface Ponding and Related Dynamic Processes

Institute: North Dakota
Year Established: 2014 Start Date: 2014-03-01 End Date: 2015-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $4,100 Total Non-Federal Funds: $8,200

Principal Investigators: Xuefeng Chu

Project Summary: Surface topography of the Red River basin is characterized by numerous depressions (potholes). These depressions/potholes and the relevant surface ponding dynamics have unique hydrologic features and play important roles in the occurrence of floods and droughts, the hydrodynamics and ecological functions of the associated wetlands, and the sustainability of the related agricultural systems in North Dakota. Snow melt and the unique surface topography are the main cause of spring flooding in North Dakota although other factors such as soil, soil moisture, and climatic conditions also affect the flooding.This proposed study will focus on surface ponding, depression filling-spilling-merging processes, and discontinuous overland flow. The study will quantify surface depressions and surface ponding across temporal and spatial scales using the Puddle to Puddle (P2P) modeling system and examine surface ponding dynamics and overland flow generation under the influence of a number of factors, including surface microtopography or roughness, rainfall features, soil properties, and initial soil moisture contents.