Comparison of Tension Infiltrometer, Pressure Infiltrometer, and Soil Core Estimates of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

Reynolds, W. D.; Bowman, B. T.; Brunke, R.; Drury, C. F.; Tan, C. S.

doi:10.2136/sssaj2000.642478x

Cited by 225 publications

(198 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Potential limitations include soil disturbance during ring insertion and possible edge flow along the ring wall (Reynolds et al, 2000). Furthermore, changes in soil permeability with depth can induce errors (Reynolds et al, 2000).…”

Section: Field-saturated Infiltration Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of conservation agriculture on catchment runoff and soil loss under changing climate conditions in May Zeg-zeg (Ethiopia)

Lanckriet

Araya

Cornelis

et al. 2012

Journal of Hydrology

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This study evaluates the practice of conservation agriculture (CA) in the May Zeg-zeg catchment (MZZ; 187 ha) in the North Ethiopian Highlands as a soil management technique for reducing soil loss and runoff, and assesses the consequences of future large-scale implementation on soil and hydrology at catchment-level. The study of such practice is important especially under conditions of climate change, since EdGCM (Educational Global Climate Model) simulation predicts by 2040 an increase in precipitation by more than 100 mm yr -1 in the study area. Firstly, field-saturated infiltration rates, together with soil texture and soil organic carbon contents, were measured. The relation with local topography allows to generate a pedotransfer function for field-saturated infiltration rate, and spatial interpolation with Linear Regression Mapping was used to map field-saturated infiltration rates optimally within the catchment. Secondly, on several farmlands, CA was checked against Plain Tillage (PT) for values of field-saturated infiltration rates, soil organic carbon, runoff and soil loss. Results show no significant differences for infiltration rates but significant differences for runoff and soil loss (as measured in the period [2005][2006][2007][2008][2009][2010][2011]. Runoff coefficients were 30.4% for PT and 18.8% for CA; soil losses were 35.4 t ha -1 yr -1 for PT and 14.4 t ha -1 yr -1 for CA. Thirdly, all collected information was used to predict future catchment hydrological response for full-implementation of CA under the predicted wetter climate (simulation with EdGCM). Curve Numbers for farmlands with CA were calculated. An area-weighted Curve Number allows the simulation of the 2011 rainy season runoff, predicting a total runoff depth of 23.5 mm under CA and 27.9 mm under PT. Furthermore, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation management factor P was calibrated for CA. Results also show the important Lanckriet, S., Tesfay Araya, Cornelis, W., Verfaillie, E., Poesen, J., Govaerts, B., Bauer, H., Deckers, S., Mitiku Haile, Nyssen, J., 2012. Impacts of conservation agriculture on runoff and soil loss under changing climate conditions in May Zeg-zeg (Ethiopia). Journal of Hydrology, influence of increased surface roughness on water ponding, modeled with a hydrologic conservation balance. By coupling this model with the infiltration rate map, a 'ponding map' of the catchment was established. Finally, a sediment budget for a full future implementation scenario of CA has been estimated, predicting a large impact of CA on sheet and rill erosion rates, since total soil loss due to sheet and rill erosion in cropland would become 581 t yr -1 instead of 1109 t yr -1 , if CA would be practiced in MZZ. Simulation of several policy scenarios shows that especially under a future wetter North-East-African climate, CA would be a beneficial alternative for the current plain tillage, as it will increase infiltration and keep runoff coefficients under control.

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Section: Field-saturated Infiltration Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, changes in soil permeability with depth can induce errors (Reynolds et al, 2000). Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity K fs (m s -1 ) was calculated from q s by the equation of Reynolds and Elrick (1990) for ponded infiltration from a single ring with steady flow and constant head:…”

Section: Field-saturated Infiltration Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of conservation agriculture on catchment runoff and soil loss under changing climate conditions in May Zeg-zeg (Ethiopia)

Lanckriet

Araya

Cornelis

et al. 2012

Journal of Hydrology

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“…Although performing infiltration experiments at the same location for several tensions can affect infiltration rates, TI causes relatively little disturbance of the soil macrostructure. Still the tension disc method yielded lower K s values under high-permeability conditions relative to other methods, because the ring may be too small to adequately sample cracking clay loam soil (Reynolds et al, 2000).…”

Section: Tension Disc Infiltrationmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…On the other hand the method is simple, inexpensive, and convenient. Despite potential limitations, the method remains as one of the most popular means for measuring K s and is often used as a benchmark for evaluating other methods (Reynolds et al, 2000).…”

Section: Steady-state Laboratory Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determining Soil Hydraulic Properties

Durner

Lipsius

2005

Encyclopedia of Hydrological Sciences

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Hydraulic properties are required for modeling water and solute transport in unsaturated soils. The bottleneck for the successful application of numerical simulation models lays usually in their parameter estimation requirements. Methods to determine hydraulic properties can be classified into indirect and direct approaches. Indirect methods encompass the estimation of hydraulic properties by pedotransfer functions from more easily measured soil properties, and the prediction of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function from the water retention curve ( WRC ). In direct methods, observations of flow attributes from laboratory or field experiments are evaluated. This article reviews common methods to estimate the hydraulic conductivity function from the water retention characteristic and various direct measurement techniques in the laboratory and the field. We conclude with an outlook on contemporary developments in measurement techniques, stressing the key role of inverse modeling of experiments to derive optimum hydraulic properties and the importance of a future combination of noninvasive measurement techniques with inverse modeling by stochastic data fusion.

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“…The single-ring pressure infiltrometer (PI) ) is a practically simple device that has frequently been applied in the field in the past 20 years (Vauclin et al, 1994;Ciollaro and Lamaddalena, 1998;Bagarello and Iovino, 1999;Angulo-Jaramillo et al, 2000;Bagarello et al, 2000Bagarello et al, , 2013aBagarello et al, , 2014Reynolds et al, 2000;Bagarello and Sgroi, 2004;Mertens et al, 2002;Gómez et al, 2005;Verbist et al, 2009Verbist et al, , 2010Verbist et al, , 2013. This technique uses a small radius metal ring that is inserted into the soil to a short depth.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing steady-state analysis of single-ring and square pressure infiltrometer data

2016

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Testing reliability of the saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, K s , estimated by applying the steady-state singlering (SR) model to the quasi steady-state infiltration rates obtained with a single-ring pressure infiltrometer (PI) increases confidence in the estimated K s values. Determining a means to estimate K s from infiltration data collected with a square infiltrometer allows the use of sources of different shapes. Using numerically simulated infiltration rates for six homogeneous soils ranging in texture from sand to silty clay loam, this investigation suggested an overall good performance of the SR model, with estimated K s values differing by not more than 25% from the true values for the 90% of the 96 considered runs. Larger errors were generally obtained for the silty clay loam soil. Even in this case, however, a small ring radius (0.038 m), a relatively high initial soil water content (initial effective saturation = 0.4) and a relatively high depth of ponding (0.10 m) allowed the obtainment of accurate predictions of K s (error = 13%) with a run of practically sustainable duration (4 h). The SR model was also usable to analyze quasi steady-state infiltration data collected with a square infiltrometer when infiltration was assumed to occur through a circular source having the same area of the square infiltrometer. With this assumption, the estimates of K s differed from the true values by not more than a practically negligible 16%. The results of this investigation should help better interpret K s values obtained with the PI and also improve the experimental methodology, depending on the soil. Moreover, a wider applicability of the infiltrometer techniques, i.e. not limited to a circular source, can be expected. Soil heterogeneity should be taken into account in the future since heterogeneity is common in the field.

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Comparison of Tension Infiltrometer, Pressure Infiltrometer, and Soil Core Estimates of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

Cited by 225 publications

References 26 publications

Impact of conservation agriculture on catchment runoff and soil loss under changing climate conditions in May Zeg-zeg (Ethiopia)

Impact of conservation agriculture on catchment runoff and soil loss under changing climate conditions in May Zeg-zeg (Ethiopia)

Determining Soil Hydraulic Properties

Testing steady-state analysis of single-ring and square pressure infiltrometer data

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