| Model coupling requires a thorough conceptualisation of the coupling
strategy, including an exact definition of the individual model domains, the
"transboundary" processes and the exchange parameters. It is shown here that
in the case of coupling groundwater flow and hydrological models – in
particular on the regional scale – it is very important to find a common
definition and scale-appropriate process description of groundwater recharge
and baseflow (or "groundwater runoff/discharge") in order to achieve a
meaningful representation of the processes that link the unsaturated and
saturated zones and the river network. As such, integration by means of
coupling established disciplinary models is problematic given that in such
models, processes are defined from a purpose-oriented, disciplinary
perspective and are therefore not necessarily consistent with definitions of
the same process in the model concepts of other disciplines. This article
contains a general introduction to the requirements and challenges of model
coupling in Integrated Water Resources Management including a definition of
the most relevant technical terms, a short description of the commonly used
approach of model coupling and finally a detailed consideration of the role
of groundwater recharge and baseflow in coupling groundwater models with
hydrological models. The conclusions summarize the most relevant problems
rather than giving practical solutions. This paper aims to point out that
working on a large scale in an integrated context requires rethinking
traditional disciplinary workflows and encouraging communication between the
different disciplines involved. It is worth noting that the aspects
discussed here are mainly viewed from a groundwater perspective, which
reflects the author's background. |