Watershed Hydrology

Infiltration

Dr.rer.nat Doni Prakasa E Putra

 Infiltration
• The movement of water across the air-soil
surface interface or the entry of water into the
soil surface.

– affected by conditions above and below the soil

surface.

• Infiltration is one of the most heavily researched

components of the hydrologic cycle but remains
the most difficult component to quantify.
 Key Concepts �
�
(b) Runoff rate =
(a) Infiltration Rainfall intensity
rate = rainfall �
– Infiltration
rate which is capacity.
�
less than �
infiltration
capacity
��

If � < ��
�=�
Else
� = ��
�=�−�
 Factors Affecting Infiltration
• soil texture • initial soil moisture
• soil organic matter and conditions
chemical content • surface sealing
• soil density • macropore density and size
• surface cover • rainfall intensity
• depth of surface ponding • subsurface conditions
(surface roughness)
• capillary action
 Water Movement in the Soil
• Four Zones”
– Saturated Zone
– Transition Zone
– Transmission Zone
– Wetting Zone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC7SPH2KEY4
Water Movement in the Soil
 Soil Water Terms
Udara pore
Air volume

Padatan

0 pore volume (voids) 0.3 – 0.5 solids 1.0

Field capacity, θfc, is

the water-content at
which the gravity- porosity
0 drainage rate becomes
“negligible.” 0.3 – 0.5
PWP FC
oven dry saturated

Hygroscopic water Plant Available Water Drainage

Soil Textural
 Hydrologic Soil Groups
HSG Characteristics
Designation
A Soils in this group have low runoff potential when thoroughly wet.
Water is transmitted freely through the soil.
B Soils in this group have moderately low runoff potential when
thoroughly wet. Water transmissivity though the soil is unimpeded.
C Soils in this group have moderately high runoff potential when
thoroughly wet. Water transmissivity through the soil is somewhat
restricted.
D Soils in this group have high runoff potential when thoroughly wet.
Water movement is restricted or very restricted.
A/D, B/D, If soils in Group D can be adequately drained, then they are assigned
C/D dual hydrologic groups based on their saturated hydraulic conductivity
when drained. The first letter is the drained condition and the second
letter is the undrained condition.
Measurement of Infiltration rate
Infiltrometers
Single Ring

Double Ring

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infiltrometer

Cylinder - 30 cm in Diameter

Drive 5 cm or more into Soil Surface or Horizon

Water is Ponded Above the Surface

Record Volume of Water Added with Time to Maintain a Constant Head

Measures a Combination of Horizontal and Vertical Flow

Burgy and Luthin (1956) found that the average of six
single-ring infiltrometer measurements of infiltrability
was within 30% of the true value for a soil with
uniform characteristics.
 Estimation of Infiltration
Bhattacharya’s Formula
(Rao, 2016)
 Estimation of Infiltration
Rao’s Formula (Rao, 2016)
 Estimation of Infiltration

Chaturvedi’s Formula
(Rao, 2016)

Shegal’s Formula
(Rao, 2016)
THANK YOU