Water cycle analysis is important in assessing the healthiness of water cycle by quantifying various elements of water cycle including evapotranspiration, infiltration, and runoff. Only after such assessment of water cycle is made, one can devise an i...
Water cycle analysis is important in assessing the healthiness of water cycle by quantifying various elements of water cycle including evapotranspiration, infiltration, and runoff. Only after such assessment of water cycle is made, one can devise an improvement plan to address the problems identified. In this study, water cycle analysis was performed for Gunja drainage located in metropolitan Seoul using Aquacycle model developed in Australia to assess the problems of urban water cycle. In addition, feasibility analysis of reuse scenarios such as rainwater use and wastewater reuse was performed to examine their influences on improving the water cycle.
From the analysis of water cycle of Gunja drainage, it was shown that hydrologic components such as evapotranspiration and surface runoff were highly dependent upon the change of impervious area. From the simulation of urban water cycle, it was found that, of total of 1,388 rainfall, 306 was lost through evapotranspiration. Surface runoff of 1,044 occurred, of which 937 at impervious area and 107 at pervious area. Finally, 99 of rainfall was recharged into groundwater. In summary, 75% of total rainfall occurred in the form of surface runoff, and groundwater recharge only accounted for about 7%. This suggests serious distortion of water cycle which can be attributed to urbanization. When compared to the water cycle in rural region (Pyungtaek in the vicinity of Seoul), it was found that impervious area of urban region was 9 times bigger, thereby reducing evapotranspiration by 39% and increasing surface runoff by 154%, and groundwater recharge has decreased by 75%.
Along with water cycle analysis, the effect of rainwater use and wastewater reuse on water cycle was also evaluated using Aquacycle model for the study area. Reusable water was confined to use with irrigation and toilet water, and the analysis showed that the amount of reusable water was 890 combining rainwater and wastewater reuse. For the reuse, rainwater storage with a capacity of 20,000 was determined as optimal capacity in case of rainwater use and the wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 2,700 in case of wastewater reuse.
With rainwater use, it was shown that imported water supply of 312 can be saved through rainwater use, and that is water supply savings of 10% and surface runoff reduction of 26%. On the other hand, with wastewater reuse, it was shown that water supply savings of 31% and wastewater reduction of 30% can be achieved. There is not much rainfall except during summer season in Korea whereas the amount of wastewater occurs steadily in large volume throughout the year. For this reason, it can be said that wastewater reuse has an advantage over rainwater use in providing consistent water supply.
The groundwater store level is getting low about 11cm per a year due to the forced pumping and groundwater use. Thereby river dry steam is on going. Also the groundwater recharge evaluated with SCS-CN was shown differences 4.2% of total rainfall according to soil classes in the study area.
This study summarizes the application results of Aquacycle model as a tool for water cycle assessment and feasibility analysis of various reuse alternatives. With gloomy outlook on water supply for the future, the interest in alternative water resources such as rainwater and treated wastewater has increased substantially. As a science-based approach to shaping up of reuse options and comparing alternatives, Aquacycle looks to be a promising tool that can provide analytical muscle needed in both planning and implementation stage of water recycling program.