Title | Water movement through a shallow vadose zone: A field irrigation experiment |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2009 |
Authors | Ochoa, CG, Fernald, AG, Guldan, SJ, Shukla, MK |
Journal | Vadose Zone Journal |
Volume | 8 |
Pagination | 414-425 |
ISSN | 1539-1663 |
Abstract | Surface irrigation water percolating below the crop rooting zone is important for groundwater recharge in agricultural areas overlying shallow aquifers. The objective of this study was to characterize water movement through the vadose zone following surface irrigation. Two infiltration plots were installed in each of three predominant local soil types. Plots were instrumented to measure soil water and shallow ground-water level. Data were used to calculate water infiltration, velocity of propagation of the wetting front, water fluxes, and water level response following irrigation. Results showed low to moderate infiltration rate (0.001 to 0.056 m h-1), relatively low levels of propagation of the wetting front (0.13 to 0.79 m h-1), water flux (0.001 to 0.13 m h-1), and shallow groundwater response (0.01 to 0.1 m) in Fruitland sandy loam and Werlog clay loam soil. However, in the Abiquiu-Peralta soil, higher infiltration rate (0.002 to 0.124 m h-1), wetting front propagation (0.28 to 3.75 m h-1), water flux (0.007 to 0.925 m h-1), and water level response (0.01 to 0.14 m) were observed. Results from this study helped to improve our understanding of the surface-water and shallow groundwater interactions in an irrigated valley in northern New Mexico. The field data set obtained in this study can benefit future model characterization and contribute to extrapolate local results to larger spatial areas. |
URL | http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/vzj2008.0059 |
DOI | 10.2136/vzj2008.0059 |
- Home
- Projects
- Juniper Hydrology - The Camp Creek Paired Watershed Study (CCPWS) in Central Oregon
- Carbon Sequestration in Rangeland and Pasture Ecosystems
- Land Use-Environment Relationships in Agricultural Settings of the Willamette Basin
- A Systems-based Understanding of Rangeland Watershed-Riparian Systems in Eastern Oregon
- Water and Community Resilience - Northern New Mexico
- Ecohydrologic Processes in Rangelands of the Chihuahuan Desert - Northern Mexico
- Map of Projects
- Publications
- People
- Student Involvement
- Student Funding
- Past Research