TRAINING.

Overview

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

• UnderstandSoil Water Dynamics: Gain a thorough understanding of the basics of soil water balance, including key concepts such as porosity, field capacity, wilting point, and available water capacity.
• Master HYDRUS-1D Software: Develop proficiency in using HYDRUS-1D, from setting up the software environment to creating and running models.
• Apply Practical Water Management Techniques: Learn how to calculate irrigation needs based on soil moisture deficits and effectively schedule irrigation to enhance water use efficiency and crop yield.
• Model Complex Irrigation and Drainage Scenarios: Acquire the capability to simulate complex irrigation systems, such as drip and sprinkler systems, and adjust models based on different soil types and crop requirements.
• Integrate Software Outputs with Agricultural Management Tools: Understand how to utilize HYDRUS-1D outputs to inform broader agricultural management strategies, integrating data-driven insights with practical field applications.

Description
HYDRUS is a suite of advanced simulation software designed to model water, heat, and solute transport in variably saturated porous media. Developed by a team of researchers at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory and international collaborators, HYDRUS offers a robust computational framework that can accommodate one-, two-, or three-dimensional spatial geometries.

The software is primarily utilized by hydrologists, agronomists, and environmental engineers to simulate the behavior of water flow and the transport of contaminants through soils and groundwater. Its applications range from designing efficient irrigation schedules and drainage systems in agriculture to predicting the movement of environmental pollutants and the dynamics of ecosystems. HYDRUS's capabilities extend to complex issues, such as the interaction of plant root water uptake and the movement of salts and nutrients, making it an indispensable tool in environmental research and sustainable resource management.

The software's ability to provide detailed temporal and spatial predictions of subsurface flows greatly enhances our understanding of critical water-related processes in both natural and engineered hydrological systems.

Who Should Attend

The courses on HYDRUS software are ideally suited for a diverse group of professionals and students, including:

• hydrologists
• agronomists
• environmental engineers
• soil scientists
• water resource managers
• urban planners
• ecologists
• policymakers
• graduate students and academic researchers in related fields.

These sessions are particularly beneficial for those involved in water, soil, and environmental management and research, requiring participants to have a basic knowledge of soil physics to fully grasp the advanced modelling techniques taught. This foundational understanding is crucial for effectively applying HYDRUS to real-world challenges such as irrigation efficiency, contaminant transport, soil salinity management, and ecohydrological studies, enhancing their professional capabilities and decision-making processes.

Materials Provided

Course notes
- HYDRUS-1D software installation files
- Case studies and example files for hands-on training

Pre-requisites

 - Basic knowledge of soil science and hydrology
- Familiarity with Windows operating system environments

Please note: You can check other time zones here.

Syllabus

Introduction to Soil Water Balance

Fundamentals of Soil Water Dynamics
- Definitions and concepts: porosity, field capacity, wilting point, available water capacity
- Mechanisms of water movement: infiltration, evaporation, and transpiration

Factors Affecting Soil Water Balance
- Influence of soil types and structures
- Impact of climatic factors on soil water.

Practical Applications in Agriculture

Irrigation Management Techniques
- Calculating irrigation needs based on soil moisture deficits
- Case studies on effective irrigation scheduling.

Drainage and Its Role in Soil Water Management
- The importance of adequate drainage in agricultural systems
- Techniques to optimize drainage for crop yield and water use efficiency.

Modeling with HYDRUS-1D

Introduction to HYDRUS-1D
- Overview of the software capabilities
- Setting up the software environment.

Basic Modeling Techniques
- Input parameters: soil hydraulic properties, boundary conditions, initial conditions
- Running and interpreting a basic simulation.

Advanced Modeling and Practical Examples

Complex Irrigation Scenarios
- Modeling techniques for drip and sprinkler irrigation systems
- Adjusting models for different soil types and crop requirements

Drainage Modeling and Water Quality Assessments
- Using HYDRUS-1D for soil salinity management and nutrient leaching
- Integration of HYDRUS-1D outputs with other agricultural management tools

Instructor

Silvio J. Gumiere, Ph.D.

Professor Gumiere studied mechanical engineering with a major in fluid and thermodynamics.

He obtained a master’s degree in hydrological sciences from Sao Paulo University in 2003. In 2009, he received his Ph.D. in hydrological and erosion modelling from the SupAgro, Montpellier, France. In 2011, he became a professor at the Department of Soil Sciences at Laval University. He teaches soil physics, hydrology and drainage, and solute transport in porous media. Since 2006, he has worked on various aspects of soil erosion, hydrology and soil physics, and the development of modelling tools for water and soil management in agricultural systems.

His research projects go from increasing crop water efficiency to understanding the impact of agricultural activities on the hydrological processes of watersheds and soil erosion modelling at various scales, including particle tracking and image processing. All these processes include applying R-based numerical, statistical and geostatistical methods, such as time series analyses, image and signal processing, erosion modelling and spatial hydrology and spatial interpolation methods.

He is a Guest Editor for several special issues on hydrological modelling and machine learning techniques for solving applied science problems in hydrology, soil sciences, soil hydrology and environmental journals.