Water infiltration or Water intake
-Process of downward movement of water into soil
-Infiltration (i)- soil surface not modified
-Intake-Soil surface modified
-Percolation-downward movement of water within soil
-Infiltration capacity-Maxm intake rate
-Initially i very high- decreases with time- at large t approaches constant
-Forces:
-Initially- Matric Potential i
and gravity
-Finally- Gravity
-Factor Affecting-
Soil surface condition
Time duration t
Vegetation
Tillage and management Practice
SMC, Texture, Structure of soil
Theory of water infiltration
Common Terms
-Infiltration rate, i:
The maximum rate at which water will enter the soil mass through the
surface at particular time. Also known as instantaneous infiltration rate (L/T)*.
-Cumulative infiltration, I:
The total quantity or depth of water that enters the soil in a given time
period. It is also known as accumulated water infiltration (L).
-Average Infiltration , Iav:
The average value of the infiltration in a given time Period (L/T)
-Basic infiltration, fo, ib :
Rate of infiltration decreases rapidly initially and tends to approach a
constant value at a large value of time .Approximately constant i at large t is
called basic or final infiltration rate.
Generally when the decrease in water infiltration is 5% in an hour
it is known as basic infiltration.
* L/T -represent dimensions , L- stands for length and T- for time
Relationship :
𝐼= 0 𝑖 𝑑𝑡
𝑡
Or i = dI/dt
Where
I = cumulative water infiltration and
i = instantaneous water infiltration rate
-If at time t1 I is I1 and at time t2 I is I2,
Then iav during time t1 to t2 is-
iav = ( I2 - I1 )/ ( t2 -t1 )
Empirical Equations
Horton Equation
i = a e –Bt
i = a e –Bt + c
Philip Equation dI 1
1
i St 2
A
dt 2
Kostiakov Equation
Kostiakov : i (t ) k t n , I (t )
k 1 n
t A t B
1 n
k 1 n
modified Kostiakov : i(t ) k t n C , I (t ) t C t A t B C t (Walker, 1989,
1 n FAO ID 45)
Soil Conservation Service Equations
I=atb +c ( C =0.275 for I inches, =0.695 for I in cm)
Where S, A, K, n, C, a, b and B are Coefficients ( n = 0 to 1)
Graphical variation
SCS Intake families- IF No ≂long term intake rate in
inches/hr
1.5cm, Өs
5cm,
rapid decrease in Ө
Ө- varies slowly with z& t
i- uniform, K -constant
Field saturation-0.8-0.9 Өs
Ө- sharp reduction
Very sharp moisture
gradient
Moisture Profile Under Pounded Infiltration into dry soil
1. The saturated zone:
Extends about 1.5 cm below surface –
has saturated water content.
2. The transition zone:
Region about 5 cm thick below saturated zone –
rapid decrease in water content occurs
3. The transmission zone:
Water content varies slowly with depth and time,
uniform hydraulic gradient
h. c. constant, Field saturation, 0.8 to 0.9 θs
4. The wetting zone:
Sharp reduction in water content
5. The wetting front:
Very steep moisture gradients -
Measurements of Infiltration
Different Methods
-Infiltrometers:
Single cylinder infiltrometers
Double cylinder infiltrometers
-Blocked furrow infiltrometers
-Inflow –outflow furrow methods or Volume balance
method
-Recycling furrow infiltrometers
-Pounding methods
-Sprinkler simulators
-Measurement of water infiltration from water advance
Infiltrometers
Hollow metal cylinder- 30cm dia and 45 cm long
Mdae of 2mm thick metal sheet.
Driven into the ground such that 15cm above
ground level.
Water ponded in infiltrometers and
depth or the volume of water entered into soil
at different values of time measured
i) Measurement with infiltrometer
CYLINDER INFILTROMETER DATA
Time Readings Gauge Readings i iav ∆t ∆I
Clock Cumulative Gauge Cumulative mm/hr mm/min min mm
hrs Min, t (1) mm mm, I (2) (∆I/∆t)*60 I/t
0800 0 187 ∑∆ I 0 0
0801 1 183 1-0=1 187-183=4
0802 2 182 2-1=1 183-182=1
0804 4 181
0806 6 180
0810 10 179
0820 20 177
0830 30 176
0900 60 173
1000 120 169
1100 180 166
1200 240 163
1400 360 158
1600 480 153
1800 600 149
i) Measurement with infiltrometer
CYLINDER INFILTROMETER DATA
Time Readings Gauge Readings i iav ∆t ∆I
Clock Cumulative Gauge Cumulative mm/hr mm/min min mm
hrs Min, t (1) mm mm, I (2) (∆I/∆t)*60 I/t
t vs I [Link]
0800 0 187 0
0801 1 183 4 4/1*60=240 1 4
0802 2 182 5 60 1 1
0804 4 181 6 30 2 1
0806 6 180 7 30 2 1
0810 10 179 8 15 4 1
0820 20 177 10 12 10 2
0830 30 176 11 6 10 1
0900 60 173 14 6 30 3
1000 120 169 18 4 60 4
1100 180 166 21 3 60 3
1200 240 163 24 3 60 3
1400 360 158 29 2.5 120 5
1600 480 153 34 2.5 120 5
1800 600 149 38 2 120 4
2400 960 137 50 2 360 12
0300 1140 131 56 2 180 6
0600 1320 126 61 1.667 180 5
0840 1480 122 65 1.5 160 4
Equation Fitting and curve tracing
Technique of calculating constants in empirical equations and drawing
representative curve to experimental data.
i) Convert the equation to a straight line form- Y= c + bX
Equation- i = ktn - log i = log K + n log t
i = a ebt - Ln i = Ln a + b t
i = K tn + c – log( i-c) = log K + n log t
ii) Calculate coefficients by following methods
a)Visual observations b) Method of averages c) Method of least square
i=N/2 i=N/2 i=N i=N
Method of averages- ∑ Y = N/2 C +b ∑ X ∑ Y = N/2 C +b ∑ X
i=1 i=1 i=N/2 +1 i=N/2 +1
i=N i=N i=N i=N i=N
Method of LS- ∑ Y = N C +b ∑ X ∑Y X= C∑X + b∑X2
i=1 i=1 i=1 i=1 i=1
Blocked Furrow Infiltrometer
Portion of furrow- about 1m long-
blocked by metal plates .
Water is pounded in the blocked portion
Measurements of depth of water entered into
soil at different times are made.
furrow plate 60cm
1m
90 cm
Inflow-outflow method
-Selected about 30m length of furrow-
measure Inflow and out flow
- Difference of inflow and the outflow at different
time-
represent the water infiltration into the soil.
- Volume of Water Infiltration= Q in – Q out
- Depth of infiltration =
Volume/ Cross-sectional area of infiltration
C/S area of infiltration = W*L or =P*L
Where- W= Width, L= Length, P = Wetted parimeter
ii) Furrow Inflow- outflow
The following table gives data for furrow inflow-outflow test
measurements. The test length of the furrow was 30m and spacing was
1m.
W = 1m, = 100 cm, L = 30 m , = 3000 cm
Clock Elapsed time (min) , t Inflow Outflow Intake
time u/s d/s Average lpm lpm Lpm,q
9.00 0 - - 16.0 - -
9.30 30 2 16 16.0 5.00 11
10.00 60 32 46 16.0 9.1 6.9
10.30 90 62 76 16.0 12.0 4.0
11.00 120 92 106 16.0 12.2 3.8
11.30 150 122 136 16.0 12.4 3.6
12.00 180 152 166 16.0 12.8 3.2
13.00 240 212 216 16.0 13.2 2.8
Calculation for t= 16 min
Intake volume = q*t =16* 11*1000=1760000 cm3
Depth of inf, I = q*t/W*L = 1760000/100*3000 =0.5867 cm
Volume balance method
-Measurements made for inflow and
surface water storage at different time.
-Different of inflow and surface storage at
different time represent water infiltration
-Inflow enters at upstream end -
and is maintained constant
Volume of Water Infiltration= Q in – Volume of
surface water storage
Volume Balance:
Data obtained from a test furrow in a sandy loam soil are given below
Inflow Distance of Time of Wetted Furrow cross
stream size, water water perimeter, sectional area,
l/min advance, m advance, cm cm2 , A
q x min, t
92 20 1.75 25.39 60
40 5.75 25.82 93
60 10.91 26.39 103
80 17.83 26.70 108
100 23.67 27.11 11.65
110 27.75 27.42 112.28
Inflow volm, vi = q*t = 92*1.75*1000 = 161000 cm3 - (calculation for t=1.75 min
Surface storage vs = x *A = 20 *100*60 =120000 cm3
Infil. Volume vinf = vi –vs = 161000 – 120000= 41000 cm3
Depth of inf , I = vinf/wetted perimeter area= 41000/ 25.39 *20*100= 0.807 cm
Recycling furrow infiltrometer
-A sump is excavated at each end of a furrow section
roughly 5 to 6 m in length
-Water is released from the water supply reservoir by
opening gate valve, and then regulated using globe valve.
- Centrifugal pump then discharges water via a hose
into furrow inflow sump
- Water advances across furrow test section and
collected in a tail water sump.
-Sump pump then discharges tail water back into water
supply reservoir.
-Discharge volume from sump pump is regulated by a float
valve so that a constant water level is maintained in
tail water sump.
water balance at any time after completion of advance phase:
Qin = Qz + Q tw
Qin = discharge into the inflow sump, Qz = discharge rate infiltrating into
the soil Qtw = tailwater being discharged by the sump pump
infiltration discharge rate can also be written as
Qz = Af i
i =infiltration rate , Af =ground surface area of furrow.
Rate of fall in water supply reservoir is also a measure of infiltration
rate, Qz,
Qz = Ar dh/ dt
Ar = cross-sectional area of water supply reservoir
dh/dt = recession rate of the water level in supply reservoir
Af i = Ar dh/ dt or i = Ar/Af dh/dt = C dh/dt
cumulative infiltration in meters becomes
Z =C h
h = total change in water level drop in water supply reservoir.
Calculate water infiltration rate for the following data recorded in a Recycling Furrow
Infiltrometer.
i) Decline in water level in water supply tank in 10 min = 2.1 cm
ii) Diameter of circular Water supply tank = 100 cm
iii) Length of Furrow = 6m
iv) Wetted Perimeter of the Furrow =35 cm
Pounding methods
-Small area, about 1 m2, is encircled by small
ridges at the soil surface and
-Water is pounded in the encircled area
-Measurements of water infiltration are made in
pounded water.
Sprinkler simulators
-Water is sprayed with sprinklers
-Measurement of water infiltration are made by
observing the water falling at the soil surface such
that there is sufficient depth of water application
to meet the water infiltration of soil but no
runoff or accumulation of water at soil surface
-The intensity of water application is measured
by putting catch cans at a grid radially from the
sprinkler.
Water infiltration from water advance
-Distance of water advance at different times is
measured
-Water infiltration is calculated using the principle
Total volume of water applied into field at any time =
surface storage + subsurface storage
-Using the principle-
Relationship for water infiltration was obtained
(Singh and Chauhan, Transactions of the ASAE, 1973)
qt
I = --------------------------------------- - C
atb ѓ (1 + b) ѓ (2 - b )
I = cumulative water infiltration at time t,
q = inflow discharge per unit width of border
b and a = exponent and coefficient of
water advance function
X = atb
ѓ = symbol for Gama function and
X= distance of water advance in time t
calculated from Manning’s Equation, C = Υs ( q n/S0.5)0.6
C = average depth of surface flow, assumed constant,
Υs = Surface flow shape factor, n = manning’s roughness coefficient,
S= longitudinal slope in fraction , q = inflow discharge per unit width in
3
- Surface and Sprinkler irrigation - water infiltration
one dimensional- infiltrometer and ponding
methods more suitable
-Sprinkler simulators- simulates sprinkler irrigation-
represent infiltration better
Furrow irrigation - water flow two dimensional -
blocked furrow infiltrometer, inflow-outflow or
recycling furrow infiltrometer better
-Infiltration measurement with water advance
made with water flowing at the soil surface-
more representative for surface irrigation.
- Drip irrigation water flow is three dimensional.