Note:

This calculator determines the Change in Water Storage (∆SLC) in a soil landfill cover, which is crucial for assessing the water balance and ensuring proper landfill management.

It is widely used in environmental engineering and landfill management to monitor water movement, prevent leachate formation, and ensure the stability of landfill covers.

Explanation of Parameters:

• Precipitation (P): The amount of water added to the landfill cover through rainfall or other sources, measured in inches.
• Runoff (R): The amount of water that flows over the surface of the landfill cover and does not infiltrate, measured in inches.
• Evapotranspiration (ET): The amount of water lost to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration, measured in inches.
• Percolation (PERsw): The amount of water that infiltrates through the landfill cover into the underlying waste, measured in inches.
• Change in Water Storage (∆SLC): The net change in the amount of water held in the landfill cover, calculated as ∆SLC = P – R – ET – PERsw, measured in inches.

Why Water Balance is Important?

Water balance helps in **predicting leachate generation**, **ensuring the stability of landfill covers**, and **preventing environmental contamination**. It is essential for **sustainable landfill management** and **regulatory compliance**.

Validations:

• Applicability: This formula applies to soil landfill covers and other porous media where water movement is a concern.
• Non-Negative Values: Precipitation, runoff, evapotranspiration, and percolation must be non-negative values.
• Valid Range: The sum of runoff, evapotranspiration, and percolation should not exceed precipitation.
• Limitations: This calculation assumes steady-state conditions and does not account for transient effects or spatial variability.

Real-life Applications:

• Landfill Management: Monitoring water balance to prevent leachate formation and ensure cover stability.
• Environmental Engineering: Designing landfill covers for optimal water retention and drainage.
• Hydrological Studies: Analyzing water movement in soil systems and landfill covers.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring that landfill operations meet environmental regulations.
• Research and Development: Developing new materials and methods for landfill cover design.

Conclusion:

The Water Balance calculation is a **critical tool in landfill management and environmental engineering**. Understanding it allows engineers and scientists to **improve landfill cover design**, **enhance environmental safety**, and **reduce the risk of contamination**.