The Journal of
the Korean Society on Water Environment

The Journal of
the Korean Society on Water Environment

Bimonthly
  • ISSN : 2289-0971 (Print)
  • ISSN : 2289-098X (Online)
  • KCI Accredited Journal

Editorial Office

Title Comparison of Field- and Lateral-Scale SWMM Models for Simulating Water Supply and Irrigation in Agricultural Reservoir Service Areas
Authors 이준영(Junyoung Lee) ; 신안국(Ankook Shin) ; 김찬겸(Changyeom Kim) ; 위선민(Sunmin We) ; 정연지(Yeonji Jeong) ; 진영규(Youngkyu Jin) ; 이동준(Dongjun Lee) ; 한정호(Jeongho Han) ; 임경재(Kyoung Jae Lim)
DOI https://doi.org/10.15681/KSWE.2026.42.1.65
Page pp.65-76
ISSN 2289-0971
Keywords Agricultural water supply; Field-scale SWMM; Hydrological modeling; Paddy irrigation analysis; Water distribution management
Abstract Efficient irrigation water management is essential for sustainable agricultural practices in paddy-dominant irrigation districts, where reservoir releases and conveyance losses significantly impact field-scale ponding. This study developed a field-scale Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) framework to improve the spatial resolution and hydro-hydraulic fidelity of irrigation and water delivery processes. Its performance was compared with a conventional lateral-scale model in the Baekma Reservoir watershed, a standard test basin designated by the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC). The field-scale SWMM was parameterized using field survey data and GIS-derived information that reflected plot-level irrigation demand, canal network connectivity, and operational constraints. Model performance was assessed against observed canal water levels using the coefficient of determination (R²) and Nash?Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE). The field-scale models accurately replicated upstream stage dynamics, achieving statistically significant agreement (p < 0.05), which indicates a reliable representation of inflow and upper-network hydraulics. However, simulation accuracy diminished in downstream reaches, primarily due to the lack of water-gate operation data and incomplete downstream boundary condition specifications. These factors may disrupt hydraulic continuity and introduce uncertainty in delivery timing. Despite these limitations, the field-scale model effectively captured the spatial heterogeneity of irrigation distribution and maintained continuity in downstream supply, highlighting a clear imbalance with reduced irrigation in lower reaches. Many downstream paddy fields struggled to maintain the target ponding depth and were classified as insufficient for ponding maintenance.