ARS | Publication request: Testing FASST a One-Dimensional Hydrological Model for Soil Moisture Studies at the Little River Watershed, Tifton, Georgia

Submitted to: Georgia Water Resources Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: March 6, 2009
Publication Date: April 27, 2009
Citation: Giraldo, M.A., Grundstein, A., Bosch, D.D. 2009. Testing FASST a One-Dimensional Hydrological Model for Soil Moisture Studies at the Little River Watershed, Tifton, Georgia. Georgia Water Resources Conference, April 27-29, 2009, Athens, Georgia.

Technical Abstract: The FASST (Fast All Season Strength model, US Army Corps of Engineers), one-dimensional hydrologic model was used to evaluate soil moisture across the USDA-ARS-SEWRL Little River Watershed in south Georgia US. The ultimate goal of this research is to assess the spatial variation of soil moisture across a complex landscape. Model simulations were compared with point readings of soil moisture collected from an in situ network of soil moisture and climate devices. The model was used to examine the environmental factors influencing soil moisture and to evaluate the variability in water infiltration across the five most representative soils under similar land use and climatic conditions. Our preliminary findings show how soils with similar texture may present variations in the water infiltration process even under similar land use conditions, suggesting the need for more detailed research to determine the most representative soil-landuse combinations.