Infiltration Model Parameters from Rainfall Simulation for Sandy Soils
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 1
Abstract
Flash flooding is among the most hazardous natural events in the US and globally. Hydrologic simulations are key tools for flash flood forecasting, particularly in poorly gauged or ungauged catchments, and infiltration models are a crucial component of any hydrologic simulation. Ideally, model parameters are calibrated based on observations. In practice, calibration and validation are often not possible due to a lack of observations. This paper contributes new guidance for parameter estimation of three infiltration models using plot-scale rainfall simulation. All three models, namely, initial-constant (IC), linear-constant (LC), and the Green-Ampt (GA) models, will be available in the next release of the widely used Hydrologic Engineering Center–Hydrologic Modeling System software. Results show that model parameters are sensitive to soil texture, antecedent moisture conditions, and the presence of a physical soil crust.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
References
Abrahams, A. D., and A. J. Parsons. 1991. “Relation between infiltration and stone cover on a semiarid hillslope, southern Arizona.” J. Hydrol. 122 (1–4): 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(91)90171-D.
Alipour, A., A. Ahmadalipour, and H. Moradkhani. 2020. “Assessing flash flood hazard and damages in the southeast United States.” J. Flood Risk Manage. 13 (2): e12605. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12605.
Al-Qinna, M. I., and A. M. Abu-Awwad. 1998. “Infiltration rate measurements in arid soils with surface crust.” Irrig. Sci. 18 (2): 83–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002710050048.
ASTM. 2009. Standard test methods for particle-size distribution (gradation) of soils using sieve analysis. ASTM D6913-04(2009)e1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2016. Standard test method for density and unit weight of soil in place by sand-cone method. ASTM D1556/D1556M-15e1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2021. Standard test methods for particle-size distribution (gradation) of fine-grained soils using the sedimentation (hydrometer) analysis. ASTM D7928-21e1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Belnap, J. 2001. “Comparative structure of physical and biological soil crusts.” In Vol. 150 of Biological soil crusts: Structure, function, and management, edited by J. Belnap and O. L. Lange, 177–191. Berlin: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56475-8_15.
Beven, K., and J. Freer. 2001. “Equifinality, data assimilation, and uncertainty estimation in mechanistic modelling of complex environmental systems using the GLUE methodology.” J. Hydrol. 249 (1): 11–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(01)00421-8.
Bhardwaj, A., and R. Singh. 1992. “Development of a portable rainfall simulator infiltrometer for infiltration, runoff and erosion studies.” Agric. Water Manage. 22 (3): 235–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-3774(92)90028-U.
Bhark, E. W., and E. E. Small. 2003. “Association between plant canopies and the spatial patterns of infiltration in shrubland and grassland of the Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico.” Ecosystems 6 (2): 185–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-002-0210-9.
Casenave, A., and C. Valentin. 1992. “A runoff capability classification system based on surface features criteria in semi-arid areas of West Africa.” J. Hydrol. 130 (1): 231–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(92)90112-9.
Chu, S. T. 1978. “Infiltration during an unsteady rain.” Water Resour. Res. 14 (3): 461–466. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR014i003p00461.
Devitt, D. A., and S. D. Smith. 2002. “Root channel macropores enhance downward movement of water in a Mojave Desert ecosystem.” J. Arid. Environ. 50 (1): 99–108. https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.2001.0853.
Ding, L., L. Ma, L. Li, C. Liu, N. Li, Z. Yang, Y. Yao, and H. Lu. 2021. “A survey of remote sensing and geographic information system applications for flash floods.” Remote Sens. 13 (9): 1818. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13091818.
Dunkerley, D. 2012. “Effects of rainfall intensity fluctuations on infiltration and runoff: Rainfall simulation on dryland soils, Fowlers Gap, Australia.” Hydrol. Processes 26 (15): 2211–2224. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.8317.
Dunkerley, D. 2018. “How is overland flow produced under intermittent rain? An analysis using plot-scale rainfall simulation on dryland soils.” J. Hydrol. 556 (Jan): 119–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.11.003.
Dunkerley, D. 2021a. “The case for increased validation of rainfall simulation as a tool for researching runoff, soil erosion, and related processes.” Catena 202 (Jul): 105283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105283.
Dunkerley, D. 2021b. “The importance of incorporating rain intensity profiles in rainfall simulation studies of infiltration, runoff production, soil erosion, and related landsurface processes.” J. Hydrol. 603 (May): 126834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126834.
Green, H., and G. A. Ampt. 1912. “Studies on soil physics: Part II—The permeability of an ideal soil to air and water.” J. Agric. Sci. 5 (1): 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600001751.
Hapuarachchi, H. A. P., Q. J. Wang, and T. C. Pagano. 2011. “A review of advances in flash flood forecasting.” Hydrol. Processes 25 (18): 2771–2784. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.8040.
Huang, P., Z. Li, J. Chen, Q. Li, and C. Yao. 2016. “Event-based hydrological modeling for detecting dominant hydrological process and suitable model strategy for semi-arid catchments.” J. Hydrol. 542 (Jul): 292–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.09.001.
Humphry, J. B., T. C. Daniel, D. R. Edwards, and A. N. Sharpley. 2002. “A portable rainfall simulator for plot–scale runoff studies.” Appl. Eng. Agric. 18 (2): 199. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.7789.
Joo, J., T. Kjeldsen, H.-J. Kim, and H. Lee. 2014. “A comparison of two event-based flood models (ReFH-rainfall runoff model and HEC-HMS) at two Korean catchments, Bukil and Jeungpyeong.” KSCE J. Civ. Eng. 18 (1): 330–343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-013-0348-3.
Khatami, S., M. C. Peel, T. J. Peterson, and A. W. Western. 2019. “Equifinality and flux mapping: A new approach to model evaluation and process representation under uncertainty.” Water Resour. Res. 55 (11): 8922–8941. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023750.
Liu, Y., Z. Cui, Z. Huang, M. López-Vicente, and G. L. Wu. 2019. “Influence of soil moisture and plant roots on the soil infiltration capacity at different stages in arid grasslands of China.” Catena 182 (Nov): 104147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2019.104147.
Ma, D., J. Zhang, Y. Lu, L. Wu, and Q. Wang. 2015. “Derivation of the relationships between green–Ampt model parameters and soil hydraulic properties.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 79 (4): 1030–1042. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2014.12.0501.
Mai, J. 2023. “Ten strategies towards successful calibration of environmental models.” J. Hydrol. 620 (Jul): 129414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129414.
Martínez-Mena, M., J. Albaladejo, and V. M. Castillo. 1998. “Factors influencing surface runoff generation in a Mediterranean semi-arid environment: Chicamo watershed, SE Spain.” Hydrol. Processes 12 (5): 741–754. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085(19980430)12:5%3C741::AID-HYP622%3E3.0.CO;2-F.
Mein, R. G., and C. L. Larson. 1973. “Modeling infiltration during a steady rain.” Water Resour. Res. 9 (2): 384–394. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR009i002p00384.
Mengistu, A. G., L. D. van Rensburg, and Y. E. Woyessa. 2019. “Techniques for calibration and validation of SWAT model in data scarce arid and semi-arid catchments in South Africa.” J. Hydrol.: Reg. Stud. 25 (May): 100621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2019.100621.
Mishra, S. K., J. V. Tyagi, and V. P. Singh. 2003. “Comparison of infiltration models.” Hydrol. Processes 17 (13): 2629–2652. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1257.
Rawls, W. J., D. L. Brakensiek, and N. Miller. 1983. “Green-Ampt infiltration parameters from soils data.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 109 (1): 62–70. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1983)109:1(62).
Rawls, W. J., D. L. Brakensiek, and K. E. Saxtonn. 1982. “Estimation of soil water properties.” Trans. ASAE 25 (5): 1316–1320. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.33720.
Risse, L., M. Nearing, and M. Savabi. 1994. “Determining the green-ampt effective hydraulic conductivity from rainfall-runoff data for the wepp model.” Trans. ASAE 37 (2): 411–418. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.28092.
Saxton, K. E., and W. J. Rawls. 2006. “Soil water characteristic estimates by texture and organic matter for hydrologic solutions.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 70 (5): 1569–1578. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2005.0117.
Schoener, G. 2018. “Time-lapse photography: Low-cost, low-tech alternative for monitoring flow depth.” J. Hydrol. Eng. 23 (2): 06017007. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001616.
Schoener, G., and M. C. Stone. 2019. “Impact of antecedent soil moisture on runoff from a semiarid catchment.” J. Hydrol. 569 (May): 627–636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.12.025.
Schoener, G., and M. C. Stone. 2021a. Data from: Monitoring soil moisture at the catchment scale—A novel approach combining antecedent precipitation index and radar-derived rainfall data [Dataset]. Davis, CA: Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3ffbg79jf.
Schoener, G., and M. C. Stone. 2021b. “Monitoring soil moisture at the catchment scale—A novel approach combining antecedent precipitation index and radar-derived rainfall data.” J. Hydrol. 589 (2020): 125155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125155.
Schoener, G., M. C. Stone, and C. Thomas. 2021. “Comparison of seven simple loss models for runoff prediction at the plot, hillslope and catchment scale in the semiarid southwestern US.” J. Hydrol. 598 (Feb): 126490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126490.
Todisco, F., L. Vergni, A. Vinci, and D. Torri. 2022. “Infiltration and bulk density dynamics with simulated rainfall sequences.” Catena 218 (Feb): 106542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106542.
Tügel, F., A. Hassan, J. Hou, and R. Hinkelmann. 2022. “Applicability of literature values for green—Ampt parameters to account for infiltration in hydrodynamic rainfall—Runoff simulations in ungauged basins.” Environ. Model. Assess. 27 (2): 205–231. https://doi.org/10.1061/JHYEFF.HEENG-5883.
USACE. 2000. Hydrologic modeling system HEC-HMS technical reference manual. Davis, CA: Hydrologic Engineering Center.
Valentin, C., and L. M. Bresson. 1998. “Soil crusting.” In Methods for assessment of soil degradation. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Wang, Z., and E. R. Vivoni. 2022. “Mapping flash flood hazards in arid regions using CubeSats.” Remote Sens. 14 (17): 4218. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14174218.
Zhang, J., S. Gao, and Z. Fang. 2023. “Investigation of infiltration loss in north central Texas by retrieving initial abstraction and constant loss from observed rainfall and runoff events.” J. Hydrol. Eng. 28 (5): 04023013. https://doi.org/10.1061/JHYEFF.HEENG-5883.
Ziadat, F. M., and A. Y. Taimeh. 2013. “Effect of rainfall intensity, slope, land use and antecedent soil moisture on soil erosion in an arid environment.” Land Degrad. Dev. 24 (6): 582–590. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2239.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 29 • Issue 1 • February 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 22, 2023
Accepted: Aug 25, 2023
Published online: Oct 18, 2023
Published in print: Feb 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Mar 18, 2024
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.