Hydraulic Similitude for Variably-Saturated Media

We introduced a dimensionless formulation for water flow in variably-saturated media that provides a basis for similitude between domains of various sizes, anisotropy ratios, hydraulic conductivities, and capillary properties. The formulation indicated, for example, that short coarse-textured domains behave similarly to tall fine-textured domains. It also indicated that the hydraulics in a high conductivity beach subjected to a fast rising tide is similar to that in a low conductivity beach subjected to a slow rising tide. Measurements of water level and solutes (salt, nutrients) at two beaches in the Prince William Sound, Alaska, were modeled using the MARUN model, a 2D finite element code for flow in variably-saturated media, and were then generalized using the dimensionless formulation.