Modeling and geophysical monitoring to uncover surface and subsurface water flows in post-fire management

The study investigates different post-fire forest restoration methods, including varying postfire structure densities, as well as mulching and physical barriers typology with a particular focus on field sites with high ecological values located in Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain). To date, there is limited empirical support for the efficacy of these management strategies in reinstating the water cycle to promote vegetation health and erosion prevention, despite substantial financial investment. The presentation will discuss the limitations of interpreting data from current point sensors and will cover development strategies for an effective survey technique, incorporating automatic geophysics (permanent Electrical Resistivity Tomography), to improve data collection for monitoring subsurface water dynamics. The prospection strategy is informed by preliminary modeling results derived from energy and water balance models, which predict evapotranspiration (ET) and plant water availability as well as groundwater recharge and flow.