Distributed human-water relationship model based on the "four processes" of the human-water system

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Hydrology
• Water Resource Management

Background:

• The human-water relationship is a critical interdisciplinary research area.
• Developing fundamental equations and models is essential for understanding these complex interactions.
• Existing models often lack comprehensive integration of diverse system processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel framework for the human-water system based on four core processes.
• To develop and validate a distributed human-water relationship (DHWR) model.
• To assess the model's accuracy in simulating river basin hydrology and water quality.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic review to identify key processes within the human-water system.
• Defined basic equations, coupling mechanisms, and computational methods for four proposed processes: water cycle, material cycle, biological, and humanistic.
• Developed a distributed human-water relationship (DHWR) model integrating these processes.

Main Results:

• The DHWR model demonstrated high accuracy in the Qinhe River Basin, China.
• Runoff simulations achieved R² values from 0.62 to 0.81 and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) from 0.67 to 0.82.
• Water quality simulations for ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus showed NSE values from 0.64 to 0.91 and R² values from 0.76 to 0.95.

Conclusions:

• The developed DHWR model accurately captures the dynamics of human-water interactions.
• Ecological pressure indices and water diversion data effectively represent biological and human impacts.
• This research provides a robust foundation for advancing human-water relationship studies and modeling.