A constant-head well permeameter method for measuring field-saturated hydraulic conductivity above an impermeable layer

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaki Hayashi ◽  
William L. Quinton
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Weighted Average ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Shape Factors ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
Measuring Field ◽  
Impermeable Layer ◽  
Constant Head ◽  
Guelph Permeameter

Hydrologic understanding of mountainous and northern regions of Canada is poor owing to the lack of critical field data such as hydraulic conductivity. A portable field instrument, the Guelph permeameter (GP), is a promising tool for measuring field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in remote watersheds inaccessible by motorized vehicles. In order to extend the applicability of the GP method to relatively thin soils underlain by impermeable bedrock or permafrost, a new set of shape factors was determined by numerical simulation. The new shape factors gave accurate values of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity when tested in the laboratory. The impermeable layer causes flow around the auger hole to be primarily horizontal. Therefore, the GP method measures a predominantly horizontal field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in these thin soils. The measured conductivity represents a weighted average of the soil surrounding the submerged surface of the auger hole. In layered soil, the weight is greater for the layers close to the bottom of the hole than for those close to the top. Key words: Guelph permeameter, hydraulic conductivity, forest hydrology, permafrost, peat

scholarly journals CONDUTIVIDADE HIDRÁULICA DO SOLO SATURADO NA ZONA VADOSA IN SITU E EM LABORATÓRIO

Irriga ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-422
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Trevisan ◽  
Luiz Felipe Salemi ◽  
Jorge Marcus de Moraes ◽  
Julio Cesar Martins de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
Laboratory Method ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Fundamental Parameter ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Constant Head ◽  
Guelph Permeameter

 CONDUTIVIDADE HIDRÁULICA DO SOLO SATURADO NA ZONA VADOSA IN SITU E EM LABORATÓRIO  Rodrigo Trevisan1; Luiz Felippe Salemi1;  Jorge Marcos de Moraes1;  Júlio Cesar Martins de Oliveira(4)(1)Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP,  e-mail: [email protected] (4)Laboratório de Física de Solos, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP  1 RESUMO A condutividade hidráulica do solo é uma propriedade fundamental na determinação da dinâmica da água e de solutos em solos saturados e não - saturados, sendo útil na resolução de problemas relacionados à preservação do meio ambiente, da agricultura e dos recursos hídricos. Muitos métodos são empregados para a sua determinação em solos saturados, tanto em campo como em laboratório, cada um com suas vantagens e desvantagens. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de comparar um método de campo, o método do permeâmetro de carga constante (“Permeâmetro Guelph”), e um método de laboratório, também de carga constante usando amostras indeformadas de solo, em um solo classificado como Latossolo Vermelho Escuro, da região de Piracicaba - SP. Conclui-se que o método de campo e o método de laboratório não podem ser considerados diferentes. UNITERMOS: permeabilidade; zona não saturada; latossolo; permeâmetro guelph.  TREVISAN, R.; SALEMI, L. F.; MORAES, J. M.; OLIVEIRA, J. C. M. THE SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY IN THE VADOSE ZONE IN SITU AND IN LABORATORY  2 ABSTRACT The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil is a fundamental parameter to determine  water and solutes dynamics in the soil, and it is useful  to resolve problems related to environmental, agricultural and water resources preservation. Many methods are used for its determination, in field and in the laboratory, each one with its advantages and disadvantages. The main objective of the present work was to compare a field method, using a constant head permeameter (“Guelph Permeameter”), to a laboratory method also employing a constant head in undisturbed samples in a soil classified as dark red Latosol (Oxisol) in the area ofPiracicaba. The results show, through statistical analysis, that the values obtained by the field and laboratory methods cannot be considered different. KEYWORDS: permeability; unsaturated zone; oxisol;guelph permeameter.

Effects of skidding on forest soil infiltration in west-central Alberta

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Startsev ◽  
D. H. McNabb
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Soil Water Potential ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Freezing ◽  
Surface Erosion ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
Constant Head

Soil compaction during forest harvesting generally reduces macropore space, which reduces infiltration and increases the potential for surface erosion and waterlogging. Hydrological effects of 3, 7 and 12 skidding cycles and their persistence were evaluated for 3 yr at 14 sites, which represented a range of soil texture and compaction conditions in the foothills and boreal forests of Alberta. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC) was determined using a constant head method on soil cores collected from 5- and 10-cm depths; unconfined infiltration rate of the surface soil (IR) was measured in situ with tension infiltrometers at near saturation. A significant (P < 0.05) increase in bulk density during skidding caused a significant reduction in both HC and IR after the first three cycles at eight sites where soil water potential at the time of skidding was higher than −15 kPa; the decrease at the other sites was not significant. Additional traffic, up to 12 cycles, did not cause a further significant decrease in HC or IR. The infiltration rate of soil compacted by three skidding cycles showed a recovery trend. However, in more intensively trafficked soils, compaction effects on infiltration remained significant for at least 3 yr, which was possibly attributed to heavy snowpacks preventing soil freezing at lower depths. Key words: Saturated hydraulic conductivity, unconfined infiltration rate, tension infiltrometers, skidders, boreal forest, Alberta

COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR DETERMINING SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY AND DRAINABLE POROSITY OF TWO SOUTHERN ALBERTA SOILS

1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. BUCKLAND ◽  
D. B. HARKER ◽  
T. G. SOMMERFELDT
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Subsurface Drainage ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Drainage Design ◽  
Moisture Characteristic ◽  
Constant Head ◽  
Subsurface Drains ◽  
Drainable Porosity

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and drainable porosity (f) determined by different methods and for different depths were compared with those determined from the performance of drainage systems installed at two locations. These comparisons were made to determine which methods are suitable for use in subsurface drainage design. Auger hole and constant-head well permeameter Ks were 140 and 110%, respectively, of Ks determined from subsurface drains. Agreement of horizontal or vertical Ks, from in situ falling-head permeameters; to other methods was satisfactory providing sample numbers were large. Ks by Tempe cells was only 3–10% of drain Ks and in one instance was significantly lower than Ks determined by all other methods. At one site a profile-averaged value of f determined from the soil moisture characteristic curve (0–5 kPa) of semidisturbed cores agreed with that determined from drainage trials. At the other site, a satisfactory value of f was found only when the zone in which the water table fluctuated was considered. Results indicate that Ks determined by the auger hole and constant-head well permeameter methods, and f determined from the soil moisture characteristic curve of semidisturbed cores, are sufficiently reliable and practical for subsurface drainage design. Key words: Subsurface drainage, hydraulic conductivity, drainable porosity

Subsoil hydraulic conductivity estimates for the Lower Macquarie Valley

Soil Research ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 213 ◽  
Author(s):  
TL Bird ◽  
TM Willis ◽  
GJ Melville
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Clay Content ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Deep Drainage ◽  
Soil Variation ◽  
Constant Head ◽  
Semi Empirical ◽  
Soil Groups

Field saturated hydraulic conductivity was measured in situ, at two depths in the B horizon, on irrigated soils in the Lower Macquarie Valley. Measurements were made with constant head well permeameters, using the single-head method, and water of moderate sodicity and high salinity. The hydraulic conductivity data were log-normally distributed for all soil groups and there were significant differences between some of these soil groups in mean hydraulic conductivity. Three soils exhibited significant differences in mean hydraulic conductivity between depths. Hydraulic conductivity measurements ranged up to 3 orders of magnitude within a soil. Variation in hydraulic conductivity estimates, both between and within soil groups, confirmed the variation observed in previous predictions of deep drainage, which were obtained using a semi-empirical model. A cluster analysis on hydraulic conductivity indicated that similar morphological soil properties did not necessarily reflect similar hydrologic properties. There was a strong relationship between hydraulic conductivity and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), hydraulic conductivity and clay content, and ESP and clay content. A model was developed to predict field saturated hydraulic conductivity from ESP and clay content data. Hydraulic conductivity measured in this study may not have been representative of percolation rates which would occur with low salinity irrigation water, but can be used to assess the risk of recharge from irrigation on different soils in the lower Macquarie Valley. Shallow watertables may potentially develop when the application of irrigation water greatly exceeds crop water requirements. Quantification of groundwater recharge will allow the likelihood of shallow watertable development in the Lower Macquarie Valley to be assessed.

scholarly journals A modification of the constant-head permeameter to measure saturated hydraulic conductivity of highly permeable media

MethodsX ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 134-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelmer J. Nijp ◽  
Klaas Metselaar ◽  
Juul Limpens ◽  
Harm P.A. Gooren ◽  
Sjoerd E.A.T.M. van der Zee
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Permeable Media ◽  
Constant Head
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