Hydrology and Water Management for Agriculture

To learn about the main hydrological processes, the quantities that characterize them, the instrumentation and technologies for their measurement. To learn methods of investigation and monitoring techniques to describe the dynamics of water fluxes in the soil-crop-atmosphere system, in order to be able to estimate irrigation requirements and to schedule irrigation events in a rational way. To learn methods of investigation and monitoring techniques to characterize high intensity precipitation events and to describe processes of flood generation, for the design of hydraulic defense structures and river restoration interventions. To learn about the infrastructural components of collective irrigation systems: diversion infrustructures, convey and distribution networks, drainage networks. To investigate the management aspects and the hydraulic and hydrological problems associated with each individual component, also in relation to the interactions between urban centers and rural areas. To learn about the main planning tools for irrigation and reclamation at the regionale scale. To acquire awareness of the link among water use, agricultural production and energy consumption with a view to sustainable use of natural resources.

The student will develop expertise related to the acquisition and analysis of meteorological and hydrological data; to the use of GIS software for the processing of spatial information at the farm and territorial scales; to the implementation of a dynamic water balance model for the simulation of the soil-crop-atmosphere system and its use for the scheduling of irrigation events; to the implementation of a dynamic model for the estimation of the flood hydrogram at the closing section of a hydrographic basin and its use for the design of hydraulic defense structures and river restoration interventions. Additionally, the student will acquire the ability to elaborate hydrometric series of river flows for the evaluation of the divertable flow discherges in respect of the ecological river flow, to estimate irrigation needs at the irrigation district and regional scales, to evaluate the efficiency of convey and distribution networks and irrigation methods, and to estimate groundwater recharge and irrigation tailwater at the territorial scale.