INFILTRATION AND PERCOLATION:

PROCESSES AND MEASUREMENT

INFILTRATION FACTORS AFFECTING INFILTRATION

- Process by which water
enters the soil surface 1. SLOPE OF THE LAND
The steeper the slope = more
Infiltration Rate run-off and less infiltration
- The rate at which water actually
enters the soil during a storm  Water needs time to
- measured as mm/hr or inches/hr infiltrate, if the water moves
Infiltration Capacity too quickly, it does not have
- The maximum rate at which time to get into the ground.
water can enter the soil
surface and is denoted by ‘f’ 2. DEGREE OF SATURATION
- Infiltration capacity of a soil More saturation = more run-
depends on several factors off and less infiltration
including texture, structure,
surface conditions, the nature  Dry soils has greater room
of soil colloids, organic matter inside to hold the water.
content, soil depth of the
presence of impermeable 3. POROSITY
layers and the presence of Greater porosity = greater
macropores within the soil. amount of infiltration

Macropores – small channels or  Porosity – percentage of open

pipes within a soil created by space (pores and cracks) in
processes such as earthworm the earth surface
activity, decaying plant roots, etc  The more open space, the
more water to infiltrate
if i ≥ f then fa = f
if i < f then fa = i
Where fa = actual rate of infiltration
i = rainfall intensity
f = infiltration capacity
4. VEGETATION FLOODING TYPE INFILTROMETER
More vegetation = more - This type uses a cylindrical
infiltration driven into the soil. Water is
added and maintained at a
 Vegetation intercepts falling specified depth (usually 10
precipitation and slows it cm) in the cylinder and the
down from running. amount of water needed to
maintain the constant depth
5. LAND USE is recorded at specific times.
The more we cover the - By measuring the rate at
ground = more run-off which the level of ponded
water decreases, one can
6. TEMPERATURE obtain an estimate of the
At High temp, viscosity infiltration capacity as a
decreases = infiltration function of time.
increases - There are two types of
flooding type infiltrometer:
MEASUREMENT OF INFILTRATION
Infiltration rates or capacities 1. SINGLE RING INFILTROMETER
are estimated experimentally by - In a simple/single ring
measuring the surface run-off from infiltrometer, infiltrated
a small plot test subjected to either water spreads out in outer
natural or artificial rain. adjoining area leading to
The infiltration capacity of a over estimation.
soil can be estimated in the field 2. DOUBLE RING
with infiltrometers. INFILTROMETER
The two most common of - In double ring type, the
which are: outer ring provides water
 FLOODING TYPE jacket to the infiltrating
 RAINFALL-RUNOFF water from the inner ring,
PLOT TYPE hence prevents the
With either instrument, the spreading out of the
entry of water into the soil surface infiltrating water from the
is measured on a small plot of soil. inner ring.
RAINFALL RUNOFF PLOT METHOD rainfall intensities. Rainfall
- Water is applied to the soil intensities are increased until
surface in a way that surface ponding of surface
simulates rainfall (sprinklers) runoff occurs at which time
or natural rainfall events are the infiltration capacity has
evaluated. been reached.
- the runoff plot has a
boundary strip that forces any PERCOLATION
surface runoff to flow - Process by which water
through a measuring device. enters and is filtered through
Rainfall stimulators can be soil particles and porous
adjusted to represent materials.
different drop sizes and