Modeling the Distribution of Water Saturation of the Soil Over Complex Terrain Based on Similarity Theory: Proposition of a Lagrangian Approach

Abstract

This work proposes a Lagrangian modeling of the distribution of water saturation of the soil based on the theory of topographical similarity of complex terrain, highlighting hydrometeorological aspects. The distribution of the precipitated water on the ground is obtained as a consequence of the conservation of mass flow, considered the hydrological similarity along drainage tracks under different topographic slope, catchment and infiltration. The distributor model allows advances in computational optimization of both the saturation deficit and water table. The applicability is exemplified with a surface of a gentle hill and also applied to discuss hydrology of the plain found northward of the Metropolitan Area of Rio de Janeiro. It is shown that a spatial resolution smaller than 90 m should be used to consider the details of the problem. The results highlighted the role of complex topography, including the hydrology of floodplains and anthropogenic modifications of the surface (in the form of urban runoff channels and urbanization) for a more complete understanding of the hydrological distribution of the Metropolitan Area of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.