A new version of the FLOWS agrohydrological model was developed by the University of Basilicata (UNIBAS) and University of Cagliari (UNICA) teams, partners of the NPP-SOL project. The new version was developed to improve the Graphical User Interface (GUI), now web-based, and to incorporate new modules for crop growth, ponding and exchange with the surrounding groundwater table.
The new development stemmed from the need to find Site-Specific Best Management Practices (SSBMPs) in the four Case Studies (CSs) of the NPP-SOL project: Arborea (Italy), the Gharb irrigated area (Morocco), the Lerma basin (Spain) and the Nahalal Stream (Israel). For example, regional groundwater exchange was incorporated for higher simulation accuracy in the Arborea CS, where the groundwater table is shallow. Ponding is strongly relevant for rice paddies in the Gharb irrigated area CS. The crop growth module is relevant to reduce the burden of model calibration.
The new version has already been applied to all four case studies for preliminary and test results. It is user-friendly and ready to be applied in different climates, groundwater conditions and agricultural practices.
The FLOWS web platform is available at https://flows.unica.it/welcome. Registration for user credentials will open soon, and a new version of the FLOWS handbook is being finalised.
NPP-SOL is part of the PRIMA Programme supported by the European Union.
More info on the study: