Infiltration characteristics of a complex lateritic soil profile

✍ Scribed by J. K. Ruprecht; N. J. Schofield

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 741 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6087
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.3360070109

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Large infiltration ponds (10–15 m^2^) were used, in conjunction with a ring infiltrometer and a well permeameter, to determine the infiltration characteristics of a complex lateritic soil profile in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest of Western Australia. Simultaneous measurements of soil water content and soil water potential allowed a description of the infiltration and redistribution in the soil profile. The infiltration ponds effectively measured the conductivity of a subsurface lateritic duricrust which was found to have a relatively high saturated hydraulic conductivity (K~s~) of 2.7 m d^−1^, despite its apparently massive and extensive nature. Removal of the topsoil identified large (≈1 m^2^) infilled holes penetrating the duricrust over about 6% by area. Measurements indicated that these large ‘holes’ had a high K~s~ value (≈ 10 m d^−1^), whereas the remaining duricrust had a lower K~s~ value (≈ 2m d^−1^). These results have implications for probable maximum flood design calculations and assessing the hydrological impact of extensive open‐cut bauxite mining.