Horton Infiltration Method

Precipitation losses, initial abstraction (interception and depression storage) and infiltration are simulated in the
FLO-2D model. The initial abstraction is filled prior to simulating infiltration and typical initial abstraction values
are presented in Table 2. Infiltration is simulated using either the Green-Ampt infiltration model, the SCS curve
number method or the Horton model. The infiltration parameters can be assigned globally or with spatial
variable parameters assigned to each grid element. There are a number of GDS tools to select or interpolate
spatially variable infiltration data. No infiltration is calculated for assigned streets, buildings or impervious
surfaces in the grid elements. Surface depression storage is an initial loss (a portion of the initial abstraction)
from the potential surface flow (TOL value in TOLER.DAT). This is the amount of water stored in small surface
depressions (puddles) that does not become part of the overland runoff or infiltration. The assignment of initial
abstraction should consider the depression storage represented by the TOL value and be appropriately reduced.

Channel infiltration can be simulated using the Green-Ampt. Although channel bed and bank seepage is usually
minor during an infrequent flood event, it can affect the floodwave progression over a long river reach. The
surface area of a natural channel is used to approximate the wetted perimeter to compute the infiltration
volume. Limiting infiltration depth and a exponent decrement of the hydraulic conductivity can be applied for
channel losses.

The Green-Ampt (1911) equation was selected to compute infiltration losses in the FLO-2D model because it is
sensitive to rainfall intensity. When the rainfall depth exceeds the potential infiltration, then runoff is
generated. The transmission infiltration loss continues after the rainfall has ceased until all the available water
has run off or has been infiltrated.

The Green-Ampt equation is based on the following assumptions:
Air displacement from the soil has a negligible effect on the infiltration process;
Infiltration is a vertical process represented by a distinct piston wetting front;
Soil compaction due to raindrop impact is insignificant;
Hysteresis effects of the saturation and desaturation process are neglected;
Flow depth has limited effect on the infiltration processes.

A derivation of the Green-Ampt infiltration modeling procedure can be found in Fullerton (1983). To utilize the
Green-Ampt model, hydraulic conductivity, soil suction, soil moisture deficiency, limiting soil storage depth and
the percent impervious area must be specified. Typical hydraulic conductivity, porosity and soil suction
parameters are presented in Tables 3 and 4. The soil moisture deficiency is evaluated as the difference between
the initial and final soil saturation conditions (See Table 5). Some agencies will use the volumetric soil moisture
deficiency (soil moisture deficiency times the porosity) to specify the available infiltration storage in the soil.

An optional infiltration soil depth storage limitation can be assigned globally or as a spatially variable parameter
for each grid element to limit the infiltration. When the wetting front reaches the infiltration storage depth
limitation, the floodplain infiltration for that grid element is terminated. This infiltration volume limit can be
quickly filled in a alluvial fan distributary channel or other area of concentrated flow thus increasing runoff. This
modification can also affect the time to peak discharge. For channels, the infiltration is not stopped, but when
the water front reach the infiltration storage depth, the hydraulic conductivity is reduced exponentially. In this
case, the infiltration is assumed to continue as saturated condition feeding the groundwater system.

The SCS runoff curve number (CN) loss method is a function of the total rainfall and the empirical curve number
parameter which ranges from 1 to 100. The rainfall loss is a function of hydrologic soil type, land use and

treatment, surface condition and antecedent moisture condition. The CN method removes the loss directly from
the rainfall prior to the water depth accumulation on the ground. Therefore, the CN loss only is computer while
the rainfall is occurring. There are no transmission losses after the rainfall has ceased.
The CN method was developed on 24 hour hydrograph data on mild slope eastern rural watersheds in the
United States. Runoff curve numbers have been calibrated or estimated for a wide range of urban areas,
agricultural lands and semi-arid range lands. The SCS CN method does not account for variation in rainfall
intensity. The method was developed for predicting rainfall runoff from ungaged watersheds and its
attractiveness lies in its simplicity. For large basins (especially semi-arid basins) which have unique or variable
infiltration characteristics such as channels, the CN method tends to over-predict runoff (Ponce, 1989).

The SCS curve number parameters can be assigned graphically in the GDS to allow for spatially variable rainfall
runoff. Shape files can used to interpolate SCS-CNs from ground cover and soil attributes. The SCS-CN method
can be combined with the Green-Ampt infiltration method to compute both rainfall-runoff and overland flow
transmission losses. The SCS-CN method will be applied to grid elements with rainfall during the model
computational timestep and the Green-Ampt method will compute infiltration for grid elements that do not
have rainfall during the timestep. This will enable transmission losses to be computed with Green-Ampt on
alluvial fans and floodplains while the SCS-CN is used to compute the rainfall loss in the watershed basin.

The Horton infiltration method is promoted by several agencies including the Urban Drainage and Flood Control
District (UDFCD) in Denver, Coloraodo. The UDFCD Drainage Criteria Manual (2007) suggests that the model
represents a reasonable balance between simplicity and infiltration processes in urban watersheds where the
runoff is not sensitive to soil parameters. This Horton equation is defined by:
f = f
o
+ (f
i
- f
o
) e
-at

where:
f = infiltration rate at any time t after the rainfall begins (in/hr)
f
i
= initial infiltration rate (in/hr)
f
o


= final infiltration rate (in/hr)
a = decay coefficient (1/seconds)
t = time from the rainfall initiation (seconds)
This equation simulates initial high infiltration early in the storm and decays to a steady rate with soil saturation.
The parameters depend on soil conditions and vegetative cover. The UDFCD has recommended Horton
parameters based onthe NRCS hydrologic soil groups (Table XX, Drainage Criteria Manual, revised April, 2008).
NRCS Soil
Group
Infiltration (in/hr) Decay Coeff.
(a) Initial (f
i
) Final (f
o
)
A 5.0 1.0 0.0007
B 4.5 0.6 0.0018
C 3.0 0.5 0.0018
D 3.0 0.5 0.0018

Note: Add reference....Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, 2008. "Drainage Criteria Manual," Vol. 1,
Denver, Colorado.

It is noted that these parameter recommendations are specific to semi-arid urban areas in the Denver, Colorado
vicinity and may be valid for other areas or climates.

For Green-Ampt channel infiltration, instead of stopping the infiltration when the wetting front reaches the
limiting infiltration depth, the hydraulic conductivity is reduced exponentially using the same form as the Horton

equation above. In this case, the time is referenced to when the wetting front reaches the assigned limiting
depth and the final hydraulic conductivity is 0.333 times the initial hydraulic conductivity. The decay coefficient
is hardwired to a value of 0.00005 which enables the final hydraulic conductivity to be reaches in about 16 hours
after the wetting front reaches the limiting soil depth.