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Soil water infiltration evaluation from punctual to hillslope scales

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Abstract

Quantifying infiltration and surface runoff at the hillslope scale is indispensable for soil conservation studies. However, the spatial and temporal variability of infiltration imposes a major constraint on surface runoff estimation. Point infiltration values do not fully express the complexity of the surface runoff in the landscape. Considering the need to improve the estimation of runoff volume from infiltration data, this study aimed to measure the apparent infiltration at hillslope-scale and compare it with two methods of infiltration estimative derived from point information. The study was carried out in six hydrological monitoring units paired. A set of hyetographs and hydrographs allowed the determination of apparent infiltration \(I_a\) to each monitoring unit as a function of precipitation rate P. The measured \(I_a\) values were used: (1) to evaluate the efficiency of the different land management in increasing infiltration; and (2) to evaluate the efficiency of two methods of hillslope-scale infiltration estimation based on point data: (a) derived from concentric rings method (\(I_p\)), and (b) derived from a physically-based modeling (\(I_k\)). Regarding the differences in land managements, terraces proved to be the most efficient land management practice, followed by phytomass addition. Regarding the methods, for precipitation rates greater than 40 \(\text{ mm }\, \text{ h}^{-1}\) the point infiltration-based \(I_p\) underestimates apparent infiltration \(I_a\) with PBIAS ranging from \(-14.1\) to \(-45.5\, \%\). Even so, \(I_p\) proved efficient in representing \(I_a\) at less intense rainfall events. Nonetheless, the point infiltration-based method \(I_k\) properly represented \(I_a\) to all rainfall intensities (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient \(= 0.72\)).

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support granted by the Maiságua Project of the FEPAGRO (State Foundation of Agricultural Research), the FINEP (Funding for Studies and Projects), CNPq (National Council of Scientific and Technological Development), and CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) by the first author’s scholarship received during the development of this study. We would also like to thank Atlas Assessoria Linguí­stica for support with the English version of this manuscript.

Funding

This study was financially supported by Maiságua Project of the FEPAGRO (State Foundation of Agricultural Research) and the FINEP (Funding for Studies and Projects); CNPq (National Council of Scientific and Technological Development); and CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soils, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Av., n.1000, Santa Maria, RS Postal Code 97105-900, Brazil

    Ezequiel Koppe, Fabio José Andres Schneider, Ana Lúcia Londero, Rosemar de Queiroz & Jean Paolo Gomes Minella

  2. Department of Mathematics, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Av., n.1000, Santa Maria, RS Postal Code 97105-900, Brazil

    Lidiane Buligon

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  1. Ezequiel Koppe
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  2. Fabio José Andres Schneider
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  3. Ana Lúcia Londero
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  4. Rosemar de Queiroz
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  5. Lidiane Buligon
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  6. Jean Paolo Gomes Minella
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Contributions

E Koppe: data analysis and writing. F J A Schneider: data collection, data analysis, and writing. A L Londero: data collection and data analysis. R Queiroz: data collection and data analysis. L Buligon: data analysis, mathematical modelling, and writing. J P G Minella: study conception, data analysis, and writing.

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Correspondence to Jean Paolo Gomes Minella.

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Koppe, E., Schneider, F.J.A., Londero, A.L. et al. Soil water infiltration evaluation from punctual to hillslope scales. Environ Monit Assess 194, 300 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-09893-x

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