Water Balance

Schematic diagram of the water balance within the present alley farming system with the proposed redirection and utilisation of surplus surface runoff from traditional agriculture, identifying the upslope annuals (right hand side) and downslope perennials (left hand side).

The blue text identifies the proposed diversion of surplus surface runoff and redirection towards the downslope perennials.

For the purpose of identifying all processes involved, the unsaturated zone has been divided into the superficial soil water zone and the regolith unsaturated zone.

• Arrows represent the transfer of water between stores,
• arrow width is proportional to the volume of water being transferred
• dashed line arrow representing the minimum
• solid line arrows the maximum volume
• Δh is the difference in hydraulic head between the two saturated zones
• rectangles represent respective stores
• hexagons contain biomass related information.

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