Modelling infiltration and geostatistical analysis of spatial variability of sorptivity and transmissivity in a flood spreading area

Abstract

Knowledge of infiltration characteristics is useful in hydrological studies of agricultural soils. Soil hydraulic parameters such as steady infiltration rate, sorptivity, and transmissivity can exhibit appreciable spatial variability. The main objectives of this study were to examine several mathematical models of infiltration and to analyze the spatial variability of observed final infiltration rate, estimated sorptivity and estimated transmissivity in flood spreading and control areas in Ilam province, Iran. The suitability of geostatistics to describe such spatial variability was assessed using data from 30 infiltration measurements sampled along three lines. The Horton model provided the most accurate simulation of infiltration considering all measurements and the Philip's two-term model provided less accurate simulation. A comparison of the measured values and the estimated final infiltration rates showed that the KostiakovLewis, Kostiakov, and SCS models could not estimate the final infiltration rate as well as Horton model. Estimated sorptivity and transmissivity parameters of the Philip's two-term model and final infiltration rate had spatial structure, and were considered to be structural variables over the transect pattern. The Gaussian model provided the best-fit theoretical variogram for these three parameters. Variogram values ranged from 99 and 88 m for sorptivity and final infiltration rate to 686 (spherical) and 384 m (Gaussian) for transmissivity. Sorptivity, transmissivity and final infiltration attributes showed a high degree of spatial dependence, being 0.99, 0.81 and 1, respectively. Results showed that kriging could be used to predict the studied parameters in the study area.

Effect of coal gasification coarse slag on soil water and nutrition at an arid opencast coal mine site in Northwest China

“…Soil water infiltration is one of the main soil physical properties, determining surface runoff and having a considerable influence on soil erosion. The better the soil water infiltration, the less surface runoff and soil erosion (Chartier et al, 2011; Haghighi‐Fashi et al, 2014). Soil water infiltration is the continuous deep flow of water into the soil.…”

Soil water infiltration of Subalpine Shrub Forest in Qilian Mountains, northwest of China

“…It determines surface runoff directly and can influence soil erosion significantly. The better the soil water infiltration is, the less surface runoff and soil erosion will be (Chai, Wang, Chen, Wang, & Zhou, 2008;Fashi, Sharifi, & Kamali, 2014).…”

Estimation of Infiltration Models’ Parameters Using Regression Analysis in Irrigation Fields of Northern Ghana

“…Negative values, for assessed transmissivity, indicate extra infiltration took place and/or exudation of water from the ground was realized as noted by [27] [28]. However, it has been noted to be impossible to interpret the negative value for transmissivity physically.…”