scholarly journals Impact of soil conditions on hydrology and water quality for a brown clay in the north-eastern cereal zone of Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Freebairn ◽  
G. H. Wockner ◽  
N. A. Hamilton ◽  
P. Rowland
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Functional Relationships

Hydrology and water quality impacts of alternative land management practices are poorly quantified for semi-arid environments in the northern Australia cropping zone, yet wide-scale changes in tillage practices and land use were being recommended based on experience from other environments. The objective of this study was to explore changes in soil profile and catchment hydrology and water quality associated with different soil surface conditions created by different tillage and grazing practices. Soil water, runoff, and suspended sediment concentrations were monitored on 4 contour bay catchments over an 18-year period. Soil conditions were described by soil moisture, soil cover, and surface roughness in order to explore functional relationships between management, hydrology, and water quality. The site was chosen to represent the drier margins of cropping in southern Queensland where clay soils with high water-holding capacity, in conjunction with fallowing to store water for later crop growth, are an essential risk management tool. Accumulation of soil water in fallows was inefficient, with fallow efficiencies ranging from –7 to 40% due to high evaporation and runoff losses. Runoff amount was determined by soil water content, which was strongly influenced by antecedent rainfall, water use, and evaporation patterns. Surface cover and roughness had subtle influences on runoff, and a greater effect on suspended sediment concentration. Runoff and suspended sediment losses were considerably lower under pasture than cropping. A participative approach between farmers and scientists was demonstrated to be an efficient method to carry out an extensive and long-term catchment study at a remote location. This study provides benchmark data for future hydrologic and water quality investigations.

Applying the Soil Water Assessment Tool to 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown

2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-385
Author(s):  
Shawn Burdett ◽  
Michael Hulley ◽  
Andy Smith
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Quality Model ◽  
Sediment Yields ◽  
Soil Water Assessment Tool ◽  
Water Assessment

A hydrologic and water quality model is sought to establish an approach to land management decisions for a Canadian Army training base. Training areas are subjected to high levels of persistent activity creating unique land cover and land-use disturbances. Deforestation, complex road networks, off-road manoeuvres, and vehicle stream crossings are among major anthropogenic activities observed to affect these landscapes. Expanding, preserving and improving the quality of these areas to host training activities for future generations is critical to maintain operational effectiveness. Inclusive to this objective is minimizing resultant environmental degradation, principally in the form of hydrologic fluctuations, excess erosion, and sedimentation of aquatic environments. Application of the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was assessed for its ability to simulate hydrologic and water quality conditions observed in military landscapes at 5th Canadian Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown, New Brunswick. Despite some limitations, this model adequately simulated three partial years of daily watershed outflow (NSE = 0.47–0.79, R2 = 0.50–0.88) and adequately predicted suspended sediment yields during the observation periods (%d = 6–47%) for one highly disturbed sub-watershed in Gagetown. Further development of this model may help guide decisions to develop or decommission training areas, guide land management practices and prioritize select landscape mitigation efforts.

scholarly journals New Patterns of Temporal and Spatial Variation in Water Quality of a Highly Artificialized Urban River-Course—a Case Study in the Tongzhou Section of the Beiyun River

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juanhui Ren ◽  
Ji Liang ◽  
Bo Ren ◽  
Xiuqing Zheng ◽  
Chaofan Guo
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Low Impact Development ◽  
Urban River ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Reclaimed Wastewater ◽  
Water Quality Data ◽  
Impervious Area

This paper aims to gain a better understanding of urban river pollution through evaluation of water quality. Data for 10 parameters at eight sites of the Tongzhou Section of the Beiyun River (TSBR) are analyzed. Hierarchical cluster analysis, fuzzy comprehensive assessment, discriminant analysis and Spearman’s correlation analysis were used to estimate the water situation of each cluster and analyze its spatial-temporal variations. Principal component analysis/factor analysis were applied to extract and recognize the sources responsible for water-quality variations. The results showed that temporal variation is greater than spatial and sewage discharge is the dominant factor of the seasonal distribution. Moreover, during the rapid-flow period, water quality is polluted by a combination of organic matter, phosphorus, bio-chemical pollutants and nitrogen; during the gentle-flow period, water quality is influenced by domestic and industrial waste, the activities of algae, aquatic plants and phosphorus pollution. In regard to future improvement of water quality in TSBR, the control of reclaimed wastewater from adjacent factories should first be put in place, as well as other techniques, for example, an increase of the impervious area, low-impact development, and integrated management practices should also be proposed in managing storm water runoff.

scholarly journals Drip Irrigation Configuration Influences Growth in Young Highbush Blueberries

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1012B-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Bryla
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Bed Erosion ◽  
Highbush Blueberries ◽  
Subsurface Drip

A study was done to determine the effects of irrigation with different drip configurations on growth of newly planted highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L. `Duke'). Plants were grown on raised beds mulched with sawdust. Different configurations included two laterals of drip tubing placed on the soil surface on each side of the plants, two laterals buried 0.1 m deep on each side of the plants, and one lateral suspended 1.2 m above the plants. Each treatment was irrigated three times per week (when needed) with enough water to replace 100% of the estimated crop evapotranspiration requirements. During the first 2 years after planting, plants irrigated by buried drip were larger and produced significantly more whips than those irrigated by drip placed at the soil surface. The size and whip number of those irrigated by suspended drip were intermediate. Subsurface drip eliminated water runoff and bed erosion observed with both surface drip configurations. It also maintained lower soil water content near the plant crown. Since plants tested positive for phytophthora and pythium root rot, lower soil water content may have reduced problems with the disease. As plants mature, the next objective will be to determine the effects of each drip configuration on fruit production.

scholarly journals Spatial variability and temporal stability of water storage in a cultivated tropical soil

Bragantia ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 69 (suppl) ◽  
pp. 153-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Carlos Andrade Gonçalves ◽  
Marcos Antonio Trintinalha ◽  
Marcos Vinicius Folegatti ◽  
Roberto Rezende ◽  
Cássio Antonio Tormena
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Content Uniformity ◽  
Water Application

Irrigated agricultural fields usually show variable crop water demand. If water application is done to match this spatially variable demand, the water use efficiency can be substantially improved. Soil water management by irrigation has been one of the most important factors to increase crop yield. To look for the economic viability of the process, the use of several inputs, particularly water, should be done with high efficiency levels. Historically, irrigation uniformity has been evaluated above the soil surface, in which applied water was the only factor to be taken into account. However, the crop will respond to soil water content uniformity, which can differ from the uniformity of water application. To evaluate temporal stability of spatial pattern of soil water storage (SWS), this work was done on a Brazilian clayed soil. Volumetric water content from soil surface to 0,30m depth, was measured by TDR in 80 points regularly spaced (3 x 3 m) on an experimental area cultivated with bean crop, irrigated by conventional sprinkling. The evaluations were done immediately before and after a water application by irrigation. Experimental semivariograms made from values obtained in the field showed that SWS distribution was spatially structured and strongly stable in time, being regulated mainly by intrinsic factors of the soil. In addition, obtained results showed that water application uniformity did not influence the spatial distribution pattern of SWS in these soil conditions.

Quantification of wetting front movement under the influence of surface topography

Soil Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 382
Author(s):  
Xuefeng Chu ◽  
Xinhua Jia ◽  
Yang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Surface Topography ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Overland Flow ◽  
Unsaturated Flow ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Wetting Front ◽  
Dimensional Flow ◽  
Front Movement

Soil surface topography affects fundamental hydrologic processes, such as infiltration and soil water percolation. Topographic variations potentially alter both the magnitude and directions of unsaturated flow. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of surface topography on wetting front moving patterns under different rainfall and soil conditions through combined experimental and numerical modelling studies. Specifically, laboratory-scale infiltration and unsaturated flow experiments and HYDRUS-2D modelling were conducted for different topographic surfaces, rainfall intensities, and soil types. The simulated and observed wetting front distributions were compared and evaluated. Two different stages were observed: topography-dominated two-dimensional flow and uniform one-dimensional flow. A uniformly distributed wetting front was eventually achieved although soil surfaces had dissimilar topographic characteristics. However, the timing or duration to reach such a uniform flat wetting front varied, mainly depending on surface topography, rainfall characteristics, and soil hydraulic properties. The findings from this study are important to better understand the mechanism of topography-controlled unsaturated flow, wetting front movement, and overland flow generation, and to further improve modelling of soil water flow and transport processes under such complex conditions across different scales.

Variability of soil water content and bulk density in a sugarcane field

Soil Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 604 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. T. Tominaga ◽  
F. A. M. Cássaro ◽  
O. O. S. Bacchi ◽  
K. Reichardt ◽  
J. C. M. Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Harvest Management ◽  
Soil Water Retention ◽  
Harvest Residues ◽  
Sugarcane Crop

The change in management practices of the sugarcane crop in Brazil, from the traditional trash burning before harvest to the new practice that leaves harvest residues on the field after harvest, can lead to alterations in the water regime and also in soil compaction levels. In this study a neutron-gamma surface gauge was used to monitor spatial and temporal variabilities of soil moisture and density in a experimental sugarcane area submitted to 3 harvest management practices: (i) mulched crop with harvest residues, (ii) crop with bare inter-row, and (iii) crop with ash residues from trash burning before harvest. Variability of soil water content and bulk density was studied using geostatistical tools and analysis of variance was used to compare averages. Autocorrelations and semivariograms indicate a spatial dependence of soil water contents, which were higher in the presence of trash residues left on the soil surface after harvest. The average difference between treatments (i) and (ii) was about of 15%, indicating the beneficial mulching effect with respect to soil water retention. Differences between (ii) and (iii) were much smaller.

scholarly journals What Do Plants Leave after Summer on the Ground?—The Effect of Afforested Plants in Arid Environments

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2559
Author(s):  
César Dionisio Jiménez-Rodríguez ◽  
Miriam Coenders-Gerrits ◽  
Stefan Uhlenbrook ◽  
Jochen Wenninger
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Shaanxi Province ◽  
Hydraulic Lift ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Stable Water Isotopes ◽  
Water Conditions ◽  
Soil Water Conditions ◽  
Willow Trees

The implementation of afforestation programs in arid environments in northern China had modified the natural vegetation patterns. This increases the evaporation flux; however, the influence of these new covers on the soil water conditions is poorly understood. This work aims to describe the effect of Willow bushes (Salix psammophila C. Wang and Chang Y. Yang) and Willow trees (Salix matsudana Koidz.) on the soil water conditions after the summer. Two experimental plots located in the Hailiutu catchment (Shaanxi province, northwest China), and covered with plants of each species, were monitored during Autumn in 2010. The monitoring included the soil moisture, fine root distribution and transpiration fluxes that provided information about water availability, access and use by the plants. Meanwhile, the monitoring of stable water isotopes collected from precipitation, soil water, groundwater and xylem water linked the water paths. The presence of Willow trees and Willow bushes reduce the effect of soil evaporation after summer, increasing the soil moisture respect to bare soil conditions. Also, the presence of soil water with stable water isotope signatures close to groundwater reflect the hydraulic lift process. This is an indication of soil water redistribution carried out by both plant species.

scholarly journals Testing soil water repellency in a Sicilian area two years after a fire

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Bagarello ◽  
Giuseppe Basile ◽  
Gaetano Caltabellotta ◽  
Giuseppe Giordano ◽  
Massimo Iovino
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Drop ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Soil Water Repellency ◽  
Mountain Area

The water drop penetration time (WDPT) technique was applied in 2018 to check persistence of soil water repellency (SWR) in a Sicilian mountain area affected by a wildfire on June 2016. A total of four sites, that were severely water repellent immediately after burning, were sampled. Depending on the site, wettable soil conditions, less SWR and maintenance of a noticeable SWR were detected two years later. At the site showing a near-constant SWR, WDPTs were particularly high in the top soil layer (0-0.03 m) and they appreciably decreased more in depth. Signs of decreasing SWR in drier soil conditions and in association with coarser soil particles were also detected at this site. High gradients of the WDPT can occur at very small vertical distances and a depth increment of approximately 0.01 m should be appropriate to capture small-scale vertical changes in SWR, especially close to the soil surface. Occurrence of SWR phenomena is easily perceivable and explainable if an inverse relationship between WDPTs and antecedent soil water content is obtained. A direct relationship between these two variables is more difficult to interpret because infiltration times that increase in wetter soil are expected according to the classical infiltration theory. A hypothesis that should be tested in the future is to verify if WDPTs that decrease in drier soil conditions signal less SWR as a consequence of a reduced biological activity of the soil. Finally, long-term monitoring projects on longevity of fire effects on SWR should be developed, even because an in depth knowledge of the involved processes is relevant for the civil protection system.

scholarly journals Water balance of a sugarcane crop: quantitative and qualitative aspects of its measurement

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis C. Timm ◽  
Julio C. M. de Oliveira ◽  
Tania T. Tominaga ◽  
Fabio A. M. Cássaro ◽  
Klaus Reichardt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Saccharum Officinarum ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Water Fluxes ◽  
Water Balance Components ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Volume Limit

The quantification of soil water balance components was conducted in a sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) field differently managed, as well as a qualitative analysis of the methodologies used for their estimation. The study was conducted in randomized block experiment with four replicates and three treatments: bare soil, mulched soil using trash left on the soil surface after harvest, and soil with burnt trash. The soil was classified as a Rhodic Kandiudalf, locally called 'Terra Roxa Estruturada', the experimental area having a slope of 7.4%. Run-off, soil water fluxes at the lower soil volume limit, and soil water storage changes were not affected by the different soil management practices. Furthermore, it was found that the evaluation of run-off and soil water fluxes is strongly affected by the spatial variability of physical properties

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