INFILTRATION

1. Definition of Infiltration, Infiltration Rate and Infiltration Capacity

INFILTRATION
Infiltration is the process of water entry into a soil from rainfall, or irrigation. Soil water movement (percolation) is
the process of water flow from one point to another point within the soil.

INFILTRATION RATE
Infiltration rate is the rate at which the water actually infiltrates through the soil during a storm and it must be
equal the infiltration capacities or the rainfall rate, whichever is lesser.

INFILTRATION CAPACITY
Infiltration capacity is the maximum rate at which a soil in any given condition is capable of absorbing water.

2. Factors Affecting Infiltration

2.1 Surface Entry (Figure 2.1)

 If surface area is bare, this retards infiltration
 Area covered by bushy plants or grass has better infiltration. Bare land < Vegetated land

Figure 2.1 Intact forests typically become swampy when there is heavy rain. The ground, with organic
matter and vegetation absorbs water and slows the rate of runoff. This reduces erosion.
Source: http://butane.chem.uiuc.edu/pshapley/Environmental/L32/1.html

2.2 Percolation (Figure 2.2)

It is the descending motion of infiltered water through soil and rock layers. Infiltration occurs closer to the
surface of the soil. Infiltration delivers water from the surface into the soil and plant rooting zone while
Percolation moves it through the soil profile to replenish ground water supplies or become part of sub-
surface run-off process. Thus, the percolation process represents the flow of water from unsaturated
zone to the saturated zone. The infiltration rate is bounded by the rate of percolation.
(Source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-seepage-percolation-and-infiltration)
Percolation depends on the factors:
 Soil type
 Composition
 Permeability
 Porosity
 Stratification
 Presence of organic matter
 Presence of salt

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 Figure 2.2 Infiltration and Percolation
Source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-seepage-percolation-and-infiltration

2.3 Soil Moisture

 Infiltration depends on the presence of moisture in soil
 Second storm in succession the soil will have lesser rate of infiltration than the first storm of the
season

2.4 Climate Condition

 Temperature affects the viscosity of water. At high temperature viscosity decreases and
infiltration increases.

2.5 Degree of Saturation

 The more saturated the loose Earth materials are, the less the infiltration inverse or indirect
relationship
 The depth of the water table below the surface varies with the amount of infiltration

2.6 Human Activities (Figure 2.3)

 Roads, parking lots, and buildings create surfaces that are no longer permeable. These
impermeable surfaces often channel runoff.
 Farming, cutting down trees and grazing animals will reduce vegetation and therefore decrease
permeability.

Figure 2.3 Effects of human activities on infiltration rate

Source: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-17819-2_2

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2.7 Porosity (Figure 2.4)
 Porosity is the percentage of open space (pores and cracks) in a material compared to its total
volume
 Generally: the greater the porosity, the greater the amount of infiltration.

2.8 Grain Size of Soil Particles

 Well rounded particles (Figure 2.4a) have a greater porosity. Round particles more pore space,
higher porosity, and more infiltration
 Angular particles less pore space, less porosity, and less infiltration (Figure 2.4b)

Figure 2.4 Influence of structure and texture of the porous medium on porosity:
a) poorly graded uniform granular material which particles have their own porosity system;
b) well graded granular material with small particles filling the big pores;
c) partially closed discontinuity systems appeared in an intact porous rock due to active water;
d) open discontinuity systems appeared in an intact rock due to mechanic fracturing.
(from Freeze and Cherry, 1979 after Meinzer, 1923)
Source: https://echo2.epfl.ch/VICAIRE/mod_3/chapt_1/main.htm

2.9 Vegetation
 Grasses, trees and other plant types capture falling precipitation on leaves and branches, keeping
that water from being absorbed into the Earth
 If any water gets through the vegetation, the velocity of the water will be reduced and this will
give the ground more time to absorb the water
 Ground without vegetation usually has high runoff and low infiltration rates

2.10 Permeability (Figure 2.5)

 The ability of a material to allow fluids such as water to pass through it. Larger particles will
increase permeability, because pore space is larger.
 Impermeability may be due to tight packing or cementing of particles, which seals off the pores
from one another.

Figure 2.5 Effects of permeability on infiltration rate

Source: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-17819-2_2

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 2.11 Slope of the Land (Figure 2.6)
 Water falling on steeply-sloped land runs off more quickly and infiltrates less than water falling
on flat land.

Figure 2.6 Effects of land slope on infiltration rate

Source: http://www.mynatureacademy.com/2015/08/runoff.html

3. Infiltration Measurements

3.1 Areal measurement

Areal infiltration estimation is accomplished by analysis of rainfall-runoff data from a watershed. For a storm with
a single runoff peak, the procedure resembles that of the calculation of a index (see section 4.3.2). The rainfall
hyetograph is integrated to calculate the total rainfall volume. Likewise, the runoff hydrograph is integrated to
calculate the runoff volume. The infiltration volume is obtained by subtracting runoff volume from rainfall volume.
The average infiltration rate is obtained by dividing infiltration volume by rainfall duration.

3.2 Point measurement

Point infiltration measurements are normally made by applying water at a specific site to a finite area and
measuring the intake of the soil. There are four types of infiltrometers:
 the ponded-water ring or cylinder type,
 the sprinkler type,
 the tension type, and the
 furrow type.

An infiltrometer should be chosen that replicates the system being investigated. For example, ring infiltrometers
should be used to determine infiltration rates for inundated soils such as flood irrigation or pond seepage.
Sprinkler infiltrometers should be used where the effect of rainfall on surface conditions influences the
infiltration rate. Tension infiltrometers are used to determine the infiltration rates of soil matrix in the presence of
macropores. Furrow infiltrometers are used when the effect of flowing water is important, as in furrow irrigation.

Ring or Cylinder Infiltrometers (Figure 2.7)

These infiltrometers are usually metal rings with a diameter of 30 to 100 cm and a
height of 20 cm. The ring is driven into the ground about 5 cm, water is applied inside the ring with a constant-
head device, and intake measurements are recorded until a constant rate of infiltration is attained. To help
eliminate the effect of lateral spreading use a double-ring infiltrometer, which is a ring infiltrometer with
a second larger ring around it.

Figure 2.7 Double-ring infiltrometer

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322761484_Artificial_Recharge_-
_Measurement_of_Soil_Infiltration_in_Roznov_Pod_Radhostem/figures?lo=1

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Sprinkler infiltrometer - Rain simulator (Figure 2.8)
With the help of rain simulator, water is sprinkled at a uniform rate in excess of the infiltration capacity, over a
certain experimental area. The resultant runoff R is observed, and from that the infiltration f using f = (P-R)/t.
Where P = Rain sprinkled, R = runoff collected, and t = duration of rainfall.

Figure 2.8 Sprinkler Infiltrometer-Rainfall Simulator

Source:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265554746_Estimating_Input_Parameters_for_Four_Infiltration_Mod
els_from_Basic_Soil_Vegetation_and_Rainfall_Properties/figures?lo=1

Figure 2.9 Tension Infiltrometer

Source: http://www.candh.co.kr/case-study-tension-infiltrometer/

4. Estimating Infiltration Rates

4.1 Horton Infiltration Equation

𝑓𝑃 = 𝑓𝐶 + (𝑓0 − 𝑓𝐶 )𝑒 −𝑘𝑡

Where:
fp = infiltration capacity in mm/hr at any time t
f0 = initial infiltration capacity in mm/hr
fC = final constant infiltration capacity mm/hr at saturation, dependent on soil type and vegetation
t = time in hour from the beginning of rainfall
k = an exponential decay constant dependent on soil type and vegetation.