Discussion of 'Two-Dimensional Coupled Model of Surface Water Flow and Solute Transport for Basin Fertigation' by Di Xu, Shaohui Zhang, Meijian Bai, Yinong Li, and Qingfu Xia

摘要

The discussers would like to thank the authors for developing a two-dimensional model for basin fertigation. The discussers, however, would like to add a few points: 1. Based on Eq. (6) in the original paper, the solute dispersion coefficients along the x and y directions (D_x and D_y, respectively) were assumed to be the same. However, the water velocity along the x and y directions might be different because of different longitudinal and transverse slopes of the experimental basins. Thus, the dispersion coefficients could be different. 2. Manning roughness coefficient was estimated by an inverse approach using advance and recession data and measured Kostiakov infiltration parameters. This estimated value caused a close relationship between the measured and simulated values of water flow (such as advance and recession times) and solute transport. In fact, the developed model was calibrated in an indirect way.