Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123260
Title: THE EFFECT OF LAND-USE PRACTICES ON HYDROLOGIC PROPERTIES OF RIPARIAN SOILS IN CENTRAL IOWA

Author
item MAIERS, RICHARD - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item SCHULTZ, RICHARD - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Logsdon, Sally
item ISENHART, THOMAS - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Iowa Academy of Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The most common land-use practices found adjacent to streams (cool season grass, row crops, forest, pasture, and switchgrass) in the same soil series in three watersheds were evaluated to determine their effect on some of the key hydrologic properties of these soils. The measurements included in the study were infiltration, tension infiltration, runoff, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, aggregate stability, bulk density, and soil moisture. A total of 28 rainfall simulation plots (2x1 m) were used over two growing seasons to determine the relative infiltration/runoff capacity of the different land-use practices. Tension infiltrometers (84 subplots) were also used to determine the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and macropore distribution contributing to the infiltration capacity of the soil. Within the perennial vegetation sites the infiltration capacity was highest in cool season grass, tree, pasture, and switchgrass, respectively. The cropped land had considerably less infiltration capacity than the perennial vegetation sites. Under the different land-use practices differences in the relative infiltration capacity related to macropore distribution were evident. This research provides data necessary for developing riparian management practices for minimizing nonpoint source pollution.