Infiltration under Variable Ponding Depths of Water

Abstract

Cumulative infiltration was computed as a function of time-varying ponded water depths using a Green and Ampt analysis. The input water depths were field-measured values from two irrigation events on Superstition sand, one from a basin and one from a border. For both types of irrigation, the computed cumulative infiltration at a given measuring station was nearly the same whether using a variable head input or a constant (average) head during the time of opportunity. As an example, at the first measurement station for the basin event, the ponded depth went from a 0 to 9 cm depth over the 2–12 min. from the time water was introduced into the basin; this was followed by a decrease to a depth of 4 cm at 60 min. The computed infiltration using the depth hydrograph was 14.3 cm compared to 14.1 cm when using an average depth. A smaller value of 13.7 cm is found using the appropriate time of opportunity with a field averaged depth and a considerably smaller value of 12.4 cm was found when a zero-depth boundary is considered. Basin and border uniformities were also computed based on variable and different constant depths and the results were found to be reasonably robust whether infiltration is computed using a variable or an appropriate constant ponded depth.