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Sustainability of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System for over 2000 Years–A Numerical Investigation of the Water and Sediment Dynamic Diversions

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  • Xiaogang Zheng

    (State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
    Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK)

  • Ehsan Kazemi

    (Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK)

  • Eslam Gabreil

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Gharyan, Gharyan 52GG + FM, Libya)

  • Xingnian Liu

    (State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China)

  • Ridong Chen

    (State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China)

Abstract

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System (DIS), located in the western portion of the Chengdu Plain at the transitional junction between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Sichuan Basin, has been in operation for about 2300 years. The system automatically uses natural topographical and hydrological features and provides automatic water diversion, sediment drainage and intake flow discharge control, thus preventing disastrous events in the region in a ‘natural’ way. Using a numerical modeling approach, this study aims to investigate the reasons behind this natural behavior of the system and provide a better understanding of the complex mechanisms which have caused the sustainability of the DIS for over two millennia. For this purpose, a two-phase flow model based on the Shallow Water Equations (SWEs) is developed to simulate the fluid and sediment motions in the DIS. A coupled explicit-implicit technique based on the Finite Element Method is applied for the fluid flow and a Sediment Mass (SM) model in the framework of the Lagrangian particle method is proposed to simulate the sediment motion under different flow discharge conditions. The results show how different components of the DIS make full use of the hydrodynamic and topographical characteristics of the river to effectively discharge sediment and excess flood to the downstream and create an environmentally sustainable irrigation system.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaogang Zheng & Ehsan Kazemi & Eslam Gabreil & Xingnian Liu & Ridong Chen, 2020. "Sustainability of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System for over 2000 Years–A Numerical Investigation of the Water and Sediment Dynamic Diversions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:6:p:2431-:d:334741
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Komakech, Hans Charles & Mul, Marloes L. & van der Zaag, Pieter & Rwehumbiza, Filbert B.R., 2011. "Water allocation and management in an emerging spate irrigation system in Makanya catchment, Tanzania," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(11), pages 1719-1726, September.
    2. Ridong Chen & Songdong Shao & Xingnian Liu, 2015. "Water–sediment flow modeling for field case studies in Southwest China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 78(2), pages 1197-1224, September.
    3. Tesfai, Mehretab & Stroosnijder, Leo, 2001. "The Eritrean spate irrigation system," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 51-60, May.
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