HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Burcar, S. Articles by Tyler, S. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Burcar, S. Articles by Tyler, S. W. Agricola Articles by Burcar, S. Articles by Tyler, S. W.

Seasonal Preferential Flow in Two Sierra Nevada Soils under Forested and Meadow Cover

Dep. of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV 89512

S. W. Tyler

Desert Res. Inst., Reno, NV

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

The preferential movement of surface-applied solutes is a potential source of groundwater contamination and could subsequently provide a major source of nutrients to Lake Tahoe. This study investigated seasonal infiltration, water repellency, and preferential water flow in two Sierra Nevada soil types (a granitic and a volcanic soil) in forest and meadow areas using a rainfall simulator. Infiltration and runoff were measured at the plot surface. Plots were subsequently excavated to measure preferential water flow. Water repellency was found to affect infiltration and nonuniform preferential flow was observed. The volcanic soil demonstrated continuous preferential flow with depth, whereas in the granitic soil, preferential flow rapidly dissipated. Wetting patterns showed greater preferential flow in the forested areas for both soils compared with the meadow areas. Higher initial water content and reduced water repellency in the early spring generally produced more typical matrix water flow in the coarser textured granitic soil. Since preferencial flow was most evident in all forested conditions, nutrient bypass potential is considered greatest on soils in forested areas near tributaries and the lake.

A contribution of the Nevada Agric. Exp. Stn.; the Hydrology/Hydrogeology Program, College of Agriculture, Univ. of Nevada, Reno; and the State Water Resources Inst., Reno, NV. Grant no. 656.

Received for publication January 4, 1994.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Z. Wang, A. Tuli, and W. A. Jury Unstable Flow during Redistribution in Homogeneous Soil Vadose Zone J., February 1, 2003; 2(1): 52 - 60. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P.D. Hallett, T. Baumgartl, and I.M. Young Subcritical Water Repellency of Aggregates from a Range of Soil Management Practices Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 1, 2001; 65(1): 184 - 190. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M.L.K. Carrillo, J. Letey, and S.R. Yates Unstable Water Flow in a Layered Soil: I. Effects of a Stable Water-Repellent Layer Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 1, 2000; 64(2): 450 - 455. [Abstract] [Full Text]