Errors in Infiltration Calculations in Volume-Balance Models
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 8
Abstract
Volume-balance models of surface irrigation calculate the infiltrated volume at a given time as a product of the stream length, upstream infiltration, and shape factors. The best-known expression of this type was derived by combining the Lewis-Milne equation with empirical power-law expressions for infiltration and advance as functions of time. This expression results in systematic errors that are not well understood by users of volume-balance methods. This article examines those errors in furrow irrigation by comparison with infiltrated volumes computed with zero-inertia simulation. The potential for errors is greatest with light soils and where the bottom slope is large enough to produce kinematic flow conditions. An example is presented to show how these errors in a parameter-estimation problem based on a volume balance can be corrected iteratively with the help of zero-inertia simulation.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Bautista, E., Clemmens, A. J., and Strelkoff, T. S. (2009a). “Optimal and postirrigation volume balance infiltration parameter estimates for basin irrigation.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 135(5), 579–587.
Bautista, E., Clemmens, A. J., and Strelkoff, T. S. (2009b). “Structured application of the two-point method for the estimation of infiltration parameters in surface irrigation.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 135(5), 566–578.
Bautista, E., Clemmens, A. J., Strelkoff, T. S., and Schlegel, J. (2009c). “Modern analysis of surface irrigation systems with WinSRFR.” Agric. Water Manage.AWMADF, 96(7), 1146–1154.
Bautista, E., Strelkoff, T. S., and Clemmens, A. J. (2012). “Improved surface volume estimates for surface irrigation volume-balance calculations.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 138(8), 715–726.
Bautista, E., and Wallender, W. W. (1993). “Numerical calculation of infiltration in furrow irrigation simulation models.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 119(2), 286–294.
Christiansen, J. E., Bishop, A. A., Kiefer, F. W. Jr., and Fok, Y.-S. (1966). “Evaluation of intake rate constants as related to advance of water in surface irrigation.” Trans. Am. Soc. Agric. Eng.TAAEAJ, 9(5), 671–674.
Elliott, R. L. (1980). “Furow irrigation field evaluation data. Summers of 1977–1979.” Internal Rep., Dept. of Agricultural and Chemical Engineering, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO.
Elliott, R. L., and Walker, W. R. (1982). “Field evaluation of furrow infiltration and advance functions.” Trans. Am. Soc. Agric. Eng.TAAEAJ, 25(2), 396–400.
Furman, A., Warrick, A. W., Zerihun, D., and Sanchez, C. A. (2006). “Modified Kostiakov infiltration function: Accounting for initial and boundary conditions.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 132(6), 587–596.
Lewis, M. R., and Milne, W. E. (1938). “Analysis of border irrigation.” Agric. Eng.AGENAZ, 19(6), 267–272.
McClymont, D. J., and Smith, R. J. (1996). “Infiltration parameters from optimisation on furrow irrigation advance data.” Irrig. Sci.IRSCD2, 17(1), 15–22.
Nash, J. E., and Sutcliffe, J. V. (1970). “River flow forecasting through conceptual models part I—A discussion of principles.” J. Hydrol.JHYDA7, 10(3), 282–290.
Philip, J. R., and Farrell, D. A. (1964). “General solution of the infiltration-advance problem in irrigation hydraulics.” J. Geophys. Res.JGREA2, 69(4), 621–631.
Scaloppi, E. J., Merkley, G. P., and Willardson, L. S. (1995). “Intake parameters from advance and wetting phases of surface irrigation.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 121(1), 57–70.
Smerdon, E. T., Blair, A. W., and Reddell, D. L. (1988). “Infiltration from irrigation advance data. I: Theory.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 114(1), 4–17.
Strelkoff, T. S., Clemmens, A. J., and Bautista, E. (2009). “Estimation of soil and crop hydraulic properties.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 135(5), 537–555.
Trout, T. J. (1992). “Flow velocity and wetted perimeter effects on furrow infiltration.” Trans. Am. Soc. Agric. Eng., TAAEAJ35(3), 855–863.
Valiantzas, J. D., Pollalis, E. D., Soulis, K. X., and Londra, P. A. (2009). “Modified form of the extended Kostiakov equation including various initial and boundary conditions.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.JIDEDH, 135(4), 450–458.
Walker, W. R., and Kasilingam, B. (2004). “Another look at wetted perimeter along irrigated furrows—Modeling implications.” Proc., 2004 World Water and Environmental Resources Congress for Critical Transitions in Water and Environmental Resources Management, ASCE, Reston, VA, 1664–1670.
Walker, W. R., Prestwich, C., and Spofford, T. (2006). “Development of the revised USDA-NRCS intake families for surface irrigation.” Agric. Water Manage.AWMADF, 85(1–2), 157–164.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 8, 2011
Accepted: Feb 7, 2012
Published online: Feb 9, 2012
Published in print: Aug 1, 2012
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.