A model for wetland hydrology: Description and validation

WETLANDS, a multidimensional model describing water now in variably saturated soil and evapotranspiration, was used to simulate successfully 3-years of local hydrology for a cypress pond located within a relatively flat Coastal Plain pine forest landscape. Assumptions included negligible net regional groundwater now and radially symmetric local now impinging on a truncated conical pond, deciduous cypress trees and shallow-rooted perennial undergrowth in the pond area, and pine trees in the upland area as well as within the outer 20% of the wetland area. A minimal observed parameter set of daily rainfall, daily air temperature, soil characteristics, and pond geometry provided model input. The model described temporal patterns of daily pond water and groundwater table elevations with relatively small average signed deviations of -2 and +11 cm, respectively. Potential exists for the model to be utilized as a predictive tool for wetland hydrology, even for conditions where available empirical data for a given site is minimal and appropriate simplifying assumptions are utilized.