Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID MI_2023_Dong

Estimation of Agricultural Return Flow and Groundwater Recharge Using Computation Model and Sensor Technology

Institute: Michigan
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2023-09-01 End Date: 2024-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $49,803 Total Non-Federal Funds: $49,809

Principal Investigators: Younsuk Dong

Project Summary: Michigan has experienced more frequency and magnitude of heavy precipitation events through climate change over the past decades. This has increased interest in how climate change has impacted groundwater recharge. In addition, there is growing interest in methods for estimating agricultural return flows from Michigan Water Use Advisory Council and Michigan Water Conservation and Efficiency Subcommittee. In the past, modeling and sensor technology have been utilized to estimate groundwater recharge and agricultural return flow, but those stuides are limited to their site-specific conditions and do not account for common Michigan soil types and structures. This proposed project aims to estimate groundwater recharge and agricultural return flow in common Michigan soils, utilizing HYDRUS model and soil moisture sensors. The objectives of this study are to 1) Estimate agricultural return flow and groundwater recharge using soil moisture sensors, 2) Develop a simulation approach for estimating agricultural return flow and groundwater recharge in common Michigan soils using HYDRUS, and 3) Evaluate soil moisture sensors and HYDRUS methods through field demonstration. This project will improve knowledge of how computational modeling (HYDRUS) and soil moisture sensor technology estimate agricultural return flow and groundwater recharge.