Water Budget IV:

Soil Water Processes

P = Q + ET + G + S

Infiltration
Infiltration capacity: The
maximum rate at which water
can enter soil.
Infiltration capacity curve: A
graph showing the timevariation of infiltration capacity
if the supply were continually in
excess of infiltration capacity.
Infiltration rate
The rate at which infiltration takes
place expressed in depth per unit
time.
Converted to volume (ft3/s, m3/d)
by multiplying rate times area

Infiltration

Movement of water into the

soil
Water moves through old
Water moves through
root channels, animal
spaces between soil
burrows, and between soil
particles (SLOW)
blocks (FAST)

Percolation is the movement of water through soil

Wetting Profiles

Matrix Potential
Capillary forces
Water has high surface
tension

Leads to zone above the

water table that where
pores are saturated
Capillary Rise
Varies from a few cm to m
(!)
Texture dependent

Also accelerates
infiltration into

Matrix +
Gravity

HORTON EQUATION:
fo = Initial infiltration
capacity
fp = Infiltration capacity
fc = Equilibrium
infiltration capacity
If precipitation rate (L/T)
< fc (L/T), then all rain
infiltrates

When soil is
saturated matrix
force = 0

Generation
of Overland
Flow
What is contour
tillage?
What does it
do?

Soil Texture

What is the implicit assumption here?

How might a shallow water table violate

During a rainfall,
millions of drops fall
at velocities
reaching 30 feet per
second. They
explode against the
ground, splashing
exposed soil as high
as 3 feet in the air
and as far as 5 feet
from energy
Impact
where
breaks
they
up soil
hit.
particles into smaller units that

The forest floor plays a key role in the

infiltration process by adsorbing the energy of
the rainfall (throughfall) preventing dispersed
colloidal material from clogging soil pores and
detaining water to give it time to infiltrate.

Heavy Machinery Affects Soil Infiltration

Capacity
Infiltration rate (cm/
hour)

80
60
40
20
0
0

10

20

Number of Vehicle Passes

 Compaction reduces infiltration and increases

runoff.
Wet & fine textured soils compact the most.
Most of the compaction occurs in the first 3 trips.
Compaction reduces root growth, nutrient and gas
exchange, and site productivity (46% less volume for
loblolly in N.C.).
Soils may recover in 3-10 years if undisturbed.

10x

P=Q+ET+G+
S
Calculating S from soil moisture
data
S = storage end storage
begin
In this example the watershed soil
is 1 meter deep and is unsaturated
at end and saturated at beginning.
How do we determine S as
Equivalent Surface Depth (ESD) ?

Soil Moisture Terms

Porosity
Total volume of pores per
volume soil
Soil is saturated when pores
are filled

Volumetric soil moisture

(V)
Volume of water per volume
of soil
Maximum is porosity

Field capacity
V soil moisture after free
drainage
What soil can hold against
gravity

Wilting point

Available Water Capacity

unsaturated soil ESD = v x soil depth

For saturated soil ESD = Porosity x soil
depth
S= ESD end ESD
begin

If soil saturated at beginning and unsaturated

at end, what will be the sign of S?

Calculating volumetric soil

moisture
v= Vw / Vs volume
water/volume soil (1 g water = 1
cm3)

1.Sample a known volume

2.weigh-dry-weigh

Cylinder Volume= 20cm3

Wet weight = 30g
Dry weight = 25g
v= (30-25) / 20cm3=
0.25g/cm3

Equivalent Surface Depth of Soil

Moisture (ESD) for unsaturated
conditions
ESD= Volumetric soil moisture * depth
of soil

= 0.25g/cm3 or just
0.25
Soil depth = 1.00m
ESD= 0.25m
This concept (yield of water per unit
area) is also called the specific yield

Calculating ESD of
saturated soil

Porosity= volume of voids / total

volume
Method
A

Saturate known soil volume, weigh, dry, weigh.

Method B

Determine Bulk density and use:

Porosity =
1-

Bulk
Density
2.6
5

Bulk = Dry Soil

(g)Volume
Densit Soil
yCylinder Volume
= 3)
(cm
20cm3

Wet weight = 30g

Dry weight = 25g

25g
= 1.25 g/cm3
20cm3

Porosity= 1-(1.25 / 2.65)=

0.53
0.53 * 1m soil = 0.53m ESD
for saturated conditions.
For unsaturated conditions the
ESD was 0.25 m.
End S (unsaturated) = 0.25m
Begin S (saturated ) = 0.
53m
S= 0.25m 0.53m =
-0.28m

Soil texture Total

porosity
Sand
35-50%

Drained
porosity
~35%

Bulk Density
g/cm3
1.5

Silts &Clay

40-60%

15-25%

1.0

Organic

>60%

variable

0.1

Wet
BMP

Skidding Cycles

Compacted
Soils:
Less
infiltration
More runoff
Less Storage
More
erosion
Less tree
growth

Next Time
Mid Term Exam