Integrating coupled surface–subsurface modeling and field measurements: insights for rewetting a degraded fen peatland

Abstract. Peatlands play a crucial role in regional water balance and carbon dynamics but are often degraded due to drainage and agricultural use. In Germany, many drained peatlands have shifted from carbon sinks to CO₂ sources. Rewetting these ecosystems is therefore essential to restore their ecological functions and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. However, effective rewetting requires a detailed understanding of peatland hydrology and its response to climatic and management conditions. To address this need, this study employs a fully coupled surface–subsurface hydrological model (HydroGeoSphere) to analyze the complex hydrological functioning of a typical degraded fen peatland site (11.6 ha) in Brandenburg, Germany. The model-based quantification of hydrological fluxes is basis for assessing peatland vulnerability to climate variability and land use while informing potential rewetting strategies aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions. The studied peatland is connected to a regional aquifer and intensively drained by a system of ditches. Simulations used daily meteorological inputs and detailed field measurements from 2015 to 2023. Evapotranspiration (ET) was parameterized using field-measured vegetation dynamics (seasonal leaf area index and management schedules), while measured ditch water levels served as hydraulic boundary conditions. The site was spatially divided into different management units with distinct vegetation parameters. The peat profile was represented by two layers (a 0.3 m highly degraded surface peat overlying a 0.7 m less degraded layer) overlying sand (aquifer) and till (aquifer base). The model was evaluated from different angles against eddy covariance ET and groundwater table dynamics during a calibration period (2016–2020) and a validation period (2021–2023) using a multi-metric approach. The model successfully reproduced seasonal water-table fluctuations and ditch–peatland interactions, including ET-driven hydraulic gradient dynamics between summer and winter. Simulated ET closely matched eddy covariance measurements, with RMSE values of 64 mm yr⁻¹, 10.2 mm month⁻¹, and 1.01 mm d⁻¹, and showed only minor biases during dry conditions, while over the year seasonal dynamics of ET were also well captured by the model. The model reproduced groundwater variations with sufficient accuracy, achieving KGE values of 0.80–0.85, NSE of 0.83–0.86, and RMSE of 0.15 m during calibration and validation. The analysis of seasonal and interannual water-storage changes showed pronounced shifts between hydrological surplus and deficit, demonstrating that drained fens are highly sensitive to evapotranspiration demand and prolonged drought. The modeling approach captured key hydrological processes with high robustness. The model’s water balance analysis provides an initial assessment of potential management measures, under the given climatic and hydrological conditions, that could enable effective rewetting of the peatlands. These findings support ongoing peatland restoration initiatives on drained peatlands in Europe.