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 is the rate at which the
water infiltrates through the soil during a
storm and it must be equal the infiltration
capacities or the rainfall rate, whichever
is lesser.
Infiltration Capacity the maximum rate at
which of the soil in any given condition is
capable of absorbing water.
The rate of infiltration is primarily
controlled by the rate of percolation below
the surface and the percolation continues
after an infiltration, as the infiltrated
water is redistributed.
Infiltration and Percolation play a key role
in:
 Surface Runoff
 Groundwater Recharge
 Evapotranspiration
 Soil Erosion
 Transport of Chemical in surface and
subsurface water
FACTORS AFECTING INFILTRATION AND
INFILTRATION MEASUREMENTS
Infiltration rates vary widely. It is
dependent in the condition of the:
 Land Surface
 Land Vegetation Cover
 Surface Soil Characteristics
 Storm Characteristics
 Surface soil and water temperature
 Chemical properties of water and soil
The soil properties affecting the
percolation are:
 Hydraulic Conductivity – a measure
of the soil’s ability to transmit
water
 Water-retention characteristics –
the ability of the soil to store and
release water.
This water properties are closely related to
soil physical properties
MEASUREMENTS OF INFILTRATION
Arial Measurement
- Areal measurement 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 an index.
- The rainfall hyetograph is integrated
to calculate the total rainfall
volume.
- 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.
Point Measurement
- Point infiltration measurement are
normally made by applying water at a
specific site to a finite area and
measuring the intake of the soil.
- FOUR TYPES OF INFILTROMETER
o Pond water ring or cylinder
type
o The sprinkler type
o The tension type
o The furrow type
- 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 infiltrometer are used to
determine the infiltration rates of
soil matrix in the presence of
macropores.
- Furrow infiltrometers are used when
he effect of flowing water is
important, as in furrow irrigation.
HORTON’s EQUATION
In general, for a given constant storm
infiltration rates tend to decrease with
time. The initial infiltration is the rate
prevailing at the beginning of the storm and
is maximum. Infiltration rates gradually
decrease in time and reach a constant value.
Horton observed the above facts and Where η−θr is called the effective porosity
concluded that infiltration begins at some θe
rate f o and exponentially decreases until it
reaches a constant f c. He proposed the PONDING TIME
following equation where rainfall intensity The ponding time t p is the elapse time
i is greater than f p at all times. between the time rainfall begins and the
−kt time water begins to pond on the soil
f p=f c + ( f o−f c ) e
surface.
Where; Kψ Δ θ
t p=
f p – infiltration capacity in mm/hr at any i ( i−K )
time t Where:
f o – initial infiltration capacity in mm/hr ψ = wetting front soil suction head
f c – final constant infiltration capacity K = Hydraulic Conductivity
in mm/hr at saturation, dependent on soil
type and vegetation Δ θ = Moisture content

t – time in hour from the beginning of t p = Ponding time

rainfall
i = rainfall intensity
k -an exponential decay constant dependent
on soil type and vegetation
Note that infiltration takes place at
capacity rates only when the intensity of
rainfall i equals of exceeds f p; that is
f =f p when i≥ f p but when i<f p , f <f p ∧f =i.

The cumulative infiltration equation F (t)

for the Horton method is found from the

relationship d ( Fdt( t ) )=f ( t )=f p and is given

by:

( f 0−f c ) ( 1−e kt )
F ( t )=f c t +
k
PHILIP’s EQUATION
0.5
F ( t )=S t + Kt
For infiltration rate
−0.5
f ( t )=0.5t +K

GREEN-AMPT PARAMETERS
The application of the green-amp model
requires the estimates of the hydraulic
conductivity K , the porosity η , and the
wetting front of the soil suction head ψ .