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 Wang, D. Articles by Ernst, F. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Wang, D. Articles by Ernst, F. F. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Wang, D. Articles by Ernst, F. F.

Determining Soil Hydraulic Properties using Tension Infiltrometers, Time Domain Reflectometry, and Tensiometers

U.S. Salinity Laboratory, Soil Physics and Pesticides Research Unit, 450 West Big Springs Road, Riverside, CA 92507-4617

*Corresponding author (dwang{at}ussl.ars.usda.gov).

ABSTRACT

Tension infiltrometers have become a popular instrument for field determination of soil hydraulic properties. To develop and test different models for parameter estimation based on tension infiltrometer measurement, we obtained simultaneous measurements of transient tension infiltration rate, soil water content, and tension using small time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes and tensiometers installed at fixed locations relative to the infiltrometer disk. Infiltration was made with 10- and 20-cm-diam. disks under 1 and 5 cm of water supply tensions. The soil is an Arlington fine sandy loam (coarseloamy, mixed, thermic Haplic Durixeralf). Wooding's steady-state approximate solution for water flow from a surface circular pond was used to estimate the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) and an empirical parameter (_G) used in Gardner's exponential hydraulic conductivity function. These two parameters (i.e., K_s and _G) were then independently estimated using an integral form of the steady-state Darcy-Buckingham flux law. A sorptivity method was also proposed as an alternative to Wooding's steady-state approach. Calculated K_s and _G with the Darcy-Buckingham flux law method was in good agreement with estimates using Wooding's steady-state approximation. The sorptivity method produced K_s estimates that were statistically similar to those obtained with Wooding's method. The K(h) inferred from measured (h) underestimated the conductivity close to saturation compared with estimates obtained from the infiltrometer measurements.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Schwarzel and J. Punzel Hood Infiltrometer A New Type of Tension Infiltrometer Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., August 9, 2007; 71(5): 1438 - 1447. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Dasgupta, B. P. Mohanty, and J. M. Kohne Soil Hydraulic Conductivities and their Spatial and Temporal Variations in a Vertisol Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 20, 2006; 70(6): 1872 - 1881. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Walker, H. S. Lin, and D. D. Fritton Is the Tension Beneath a Tension Infiltrometer What We Think It Is? Vadose Zone J., June 21, 2006; 5(3): 860 - 866. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Rachman, S. H. Anderson, C. J. Gantzer, and A. L. Thompson Influence of Stiff-Stemmed Grass Hedge Systems on Infiltration Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., November 1, 2004; 68(6): 2000 - 2006. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. C. Schwartz and S. R. Evett Conjunctive Use of Tension Infiltrometry and Time-Domain Reflectometry for Inverse Estimation of Soil Hydraulic Properties Vadose Zone J., November 1, 2003; 2(4): 530 - 538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Wang, M. C. Shannon, C. M. Grieve, P. J. Shouse, and D. L. Suarez Ion Partitioning among Soil and Plant Components under Drip, Furrow, and Sprinkler Irrigation Regimes: Field and Modeling Assessments J. Environ. Qual., September 1, 2002; 31(5): 1684 - 1693. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]