Rain energy and soil amendments effects on infiltration and erosion of three different soil types

Abstract

The effect of rain kinetic energy and soil amendments on infiltration and erosion from three Israeli soils was studied using a drip-type simulator. The soil samples were from the top layer (0-250 mm depth) of cultivated fields differing in their texture, specific surface area and lime content. Three kinetic energies of raindrops were obtained by varying heights of fall (h = 0.4, 1-0 and 1.6 m) of 3 mm diameter drops. The soil types studied were Typic Chromoxerert, Typic Rhodoxeralf and Calcic Haploxeralf. Soil amendments were phosphogypsum (PG) and a combined application of an anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) with PG. An increase in the impact energy of the raindrops reduced depth of rain before ponding, final infiltration rate (FIR), cumulative infiltration (i.e. infiltration parameters) and increased soil erosion. The addition of PAM+PG to the soil surface significantly increased the infiltration parameters and reduced erosion compared with the PG and control treatments. The Typic Chromoxerert was the least susceptible of the three soils to sealing, probably because of its high smectitic clay content, high specific surface area and high CaCO3 content which stabilize soil structure. The Typic Rhodoxeralf with the lowest specific surface area was the most susceptible to clay dispersion, and seal formation. Relative to the Typic Chromoxerert and the Typic Rhodoxeralf, the Calcic Haploxeralf was intermediate in its susceptibility to seal formation.

Polyacrylamide in Agriculture and Environmental Land Management

“…Shainberg et al (1990Shainberg et al ( , 1992 applied three rates of PAM on dry soil in a smalltray laboratory study prior to sprinkling in a rainfall simulator and reported that 20 kg ha -I PAM best maintained high-infiltration rates. Smith et al (1990) and Levin et al (1991), in similar studies, found that 20 kg ha -I of PAM increased infiltration and greatly reduced runoff and erosion. Peterson et al (2001Peterson et al ( , 2002) also found in small-tray studies that PAM sprayed on soil prior to simulated rainfall reduced runoff and erosion.…”

“…PAM, however, limits aggregate disruption caused by water drop impacts. Smith et al (1990) and Levin et al (1991) reported that the relative effect of PAM on aggregate stability increased with increasing kinetic energy of the water drops. This may be related to the finding that only the outer surfaces of aggregates are stabilized by PAM treatment due to the relatively shallow penetration of the macromolecule (Ben-Hur and Keren, 1997; Malik and Letey, 1991).…”

Controlling Sprinkler Irrigation Runoff, Erosion, and Phosphorus Loss With Straw and Polyacrylamide

“…Greater amounts of PAM are needed to control sprinkler irrigation induced soil erosion, and results generally are not as dramatic. Spraying a high PAM concentration liquid on the soil at 20 kg PAM ha-1 before simulated rainfall significantly reduced runoff and soil erosion (Ben-Hur, 1994;Levin et al, 1991). Zhang and Miller (1996) also used a high concentration PAM solution at 15 and 30 kg ha-1 and measured increased infiltration and decreased erosion, but the effects decreased with subsequent simulated rains.…”

Multiple Polyacrylamide Applications for Controlling Sprinkler Irrigation Runoff and Erosion

“…However, runoff can be a problem because the water application rate often exceeds the soil infiltration rate (Gilley and Mielke, 1980;Kincaid et al, 1969). Runoff on a center pivotirrigated field generally does not flow from the field, but ponds and infiltrates in low areas within the field, resulting in reduced irrigation uniformity.Several laboratory studies have shown that spraying concentrated PAM solutions [500 mg L-1 (0.05%)] on the soil surface at rates equal to or greater than 20 kg ha-1 (18 lb a-1 ) increased final infiltration rate and decreased soil erosion during simulated rainfall (Ben-Hur and Keren, 1997;Levy and Agassi, 1995;Levin et al, 1991;Smith et al, 1990). Spraying PAM directly on the soil, however, requires a large volume of solution (i.e., > 5000 L ha-1 or 530 gal a-1 ) or a high viscosity solution.…”

“…Several laboratory studies have shown that spraying concentrated PAM solutions [500 mg L-1 (0.05%)] on the soil surface at rates equal to or greater than 20 kg ha-1 (18 lb a-1 ) increased final infiltration rate and decreased soil erosion during simulated rainfall (Ben-Hur and Keren, 1997;Levy and Agassi, 1995;Levin et al, 1991;Smith et al, 1990). Spraying PAM directly on the soil, however, requires a large volume of solution (i.e., > 5000 L ha-1 or 530 gal a-1 ) or a high viscosity solution.…”