Predicting Overland Flow Response: Effects of Spatially-Varying Soil Properties

by E. P. Springer, Los Alamos Natl Lab, United States,
T. W. Cundy, Los Alamos Natl Lab, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Watershed Planning and Analysis in Action

Abstract:

A physically-based model of Horton overland flow is applied to experimental data from a simulated rainfall event in eastern Washington. The model employs the Green-Ampt infiltration equation and kinematic wave overland flow routing in a spatially variable cascade. These data were used to estimate parameters for the infiltration equation by three methods: least squares fitting to field infiltration measurements, direct laboratory measurements, and regressions based on soil particle sizes. Each of these parameter sets was used to predict the field runoff response. The best results were achieved using parameters estimated in the laboratory, and rearranging saturated hydraulic conductivities inside a cascade from highest at the top of the slope to lowest at the bottom.

Subject Headings: Soil properties | Overland flow | Spatial analysis | Soil analysis | Parameters (statistics) | Infiltration | Saturated soils | Washington | United States

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