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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Water Management and Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332916
Title: Infiltration and Soil Water

Author
item Green, Timothy
item SMITH, ROGER - Retired ARS Employee
item GREEN, RICHARD - Retired Non ARS Employee

Submitted to: Monograph on Statistical Distribution in Hydrology
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2017
Publication Date: 5/14/2019
Citation: Green, T.R., Smith, R.E., Green, R.E. 2019. Infiltration and Soil Water. In: Teegavarapu, S.V., Salas, J.D., Stedinger J.R., editors. Statistical Analysis of Hydrologic Variables: Methods and Applications. Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers Press. p. 179-201.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784415177.ch04

Interpretive Summary: Water is essential for life. Soils sustain life largely by retaining water and nutrients in the biotic zone. This book chapter addresses the critical hydrological processes of surface infiltration and soil water flow and storage. First, we lay a basic groundwork for understanding the key soil-water properties and processes. Next, concepts of natural variability and statistical distributions are introduced. Flow processes are discussed within uniform, small areas and across variable landscapes, where patterns emerge. This leads to spatial scaling of processes and variables, and estimation of upscaled parameter values. These concepts and methods culminate in the quantification of uncertainty in measurements and spatial estimates of soil water and infiltration.

Technical Abstract: Water is essential for life. Soils sustain life largely by retaining water and nutrients in the biotic zone. This book chapter addresses the critical hydrological processes of surface infiltration and soil water flow and storage. First, we lay a basic groundwork for understanding soil hydraulic properties and processes of water infiltration, soil-water retention, and redistribution. Next, concepts of natural variability and statistical distributions are introduced. Both continuum theory (diffuse flow) and preferred flow processes are discussed within a representative volume and across heterogeneous landscapes, where patterns emerge. This leads to spatial scaling of processes and variables, and effective upscaled parameter estimation. These concepts and methods culminate in the quantification of uncertainty in measurements and spatial estimates of soil water and infiltration flux.