PRACTICAL 2: LECTURE

Infiltration
Infiltration is the process by which water on the
ground surface enters the soil.
Infiltration rate in soil science is a measure of the
rate at which soil is able to
absorb rainfall or irrigation.
It is measured in inches per hour or millimeters per hour.

The rate decreases as the soil becomes saturated.

If the precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration
rate, runoff will usually occur unless there is some physical
barrier.
It is related to the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the
near-surface soil.

Infiltration
Governed by two forces:
1. Gravity : smaller pores offer greater resistance to gravity
2. Capillary action : very small pores pull water through capillary
action in addition and even against the force of gravity.
The rate of infiltration includes soil characteristics such as:
Ease of entry
Storage capacity
Transmission rate through the soil
The soil texture and structure
Vegetation types and cover
Water content of the soil
Soil temperature
Rainfall intensity

Importance
Over 2/3 of the water falling on land infiltrates
Infiltration provides all the water used for natural
and cultivated plants
Water that becomes part of GW is also entering
through this process
Thus understanding of the process and water
redistribution is important in Water Resources
Management
Water that do not infiltrate moves on the surface
runs off in streams and lakes
Quantitative understanding of infiltration rates
and spatial distribution in watershed is necessary

Typical soil profile receiving, storing

and redistributing water

Examples
Coarse-grained sandy soils have large spaces
between each grain and allow water to infiltrate
quickly.
Vegetation creates more porous soils by
both protecting the soil from pounding rainfall,
which can close natural gaps between soil
particles, and loosening soil through root action.
This is why forested areas have the highest
infiltration rates of any vegetative types.

Infiltrometer
A device used
to measure the rate
of water infiltration
into soil or other
porous media.
Commonly used
infiltrometers are
single ring or double
ring infiltrometer, and
also disc permeameter.

Diagram

Double ring infiltrometer

Requires two rings:
1. Inner Ring

An inner ring is driven into the ground, and a second bigger ring
around that to help control the flow of water through the first
ring. Water is supplied either with a constant or falling head
condition, and the operator records how much water infiltrates
from the inner ring into the soil over a given time period.

2. Outer Ring.

The purpose is to create a one dimensional flow of water from

the inner ring, as the analysis of data is simplified. If water is
flowing in one-dimension at steady state condition, and a unit
gradient is present in the underlying soil, the infiltration rate is
approximately equal to the saturated hydraulic conductivity.

Problems
1. The pounding of the infiltrometer into the
ground deforms the soil causing cracks and
increasing the measured infiltration capacity.
2. Natural rainfall reaches terminal velocity. Also
natural droplet sizes differ with different types
of storms. Pouring water from a measuring cup
however loses this momentum and variance.
3. With single ring infiltrometers, water spreads
laterally as well as vertically and the analysis is
more difficult.

Infiltration rate
The infiltration rate is the velocity or speed at
which water enters into the soil. It is usually
measured by depth (in mm) of the water layer
that can enter in one hour. An infiltration rate
of 15mm/hour means that a water layer of
15mm on the surface will take one hour to
infiltrate.

Infiltration rate
Infiltration rate depends on
Soil texture(size of soil particles)
Soil structure(the arrangement of soil particles)

The most common method to measure the

infiltration rate is by a field test using a
cylinder-infiltrometer.

Equipment:

Shovel/hoe.
Hammer (2kg).
Watch or clock.
5-litre bucket.
Timber (75*75*400).
Hessian (300*300) or jute cloth.
At least 10-litre of water.
Ring infiltrometer of 30cm diameter and 60cm
diameter.
Measuring rod graduated in mm (e.g. 300mm ruler).

Procedure
Hammer the ring into the soil.
Use the timber to protect the ring from damage
during hammering.
Keep the side of the ring vertical and drive the
measuring rod into the soil so that approximately
12cm is left above the ground.
Hammer the other diameter ring into the soil or
construct an earth bund around the small ring to
the same height as the ring and place the hessian
inside the infiltrometer to protect the soil surface
when pouring in the water.

Procedure
Start the test by pouring
water into the ring until
the depth is approximately
70-100mm.
At the same time add
water to the space
between the two rings or
the ring and the bund to the
same depth.
Do this quickly.

Procedure
Record the clock time when the test begins and note
the water level on the measuring rod.
After1-2 mints, record the drop in water level in the
inner ring on the measuring rod and add water to bring
the level back to approximately the original level at the
start of the test. Record the water level. Maintain the
water level outside the ring similar to that inside.
Continue the test until the drop in water levels same
over the same time interval. Take readings frequently
(e.g. every 1-2 mints) at the beginning of the time. But
extend the interval between readings as time goes on
(e.g. every 20-30 mints).

Double-ring Infiltrometer