Establishing Temporally and Spatially Variable Soil Hydraulic Data for Use in a Runoff Simulation in a Loess Region of the Netherlands

Abstract

Soil hydraulic functions for runoff simulation were collected in three catchments in a loess region of The Netherlands. To obtain these functions each soil horizon was sampled and water retention and hydraulic conductivity characteristics were determined. A simulation with the computer program SWMS-2D was used to quantify runoff generation during standard rain events. Based on the simulation outcome, soil horizons were merged. This resulted in a database of 25 soil hydraulic functions, each representing a soil horizon or a specific condition of the top layer. Maps showing the soil physical composition of the area were constructed using these soil physical building blocks. The maps can be used as input for soil and water erosion models to be applied on the catchment scale. Comparison of potential runoff figures with measured data showed that the soil physical schematization appeared to be appropriate. The soil physical schematization in the areas studied was based on structural rather than on textural differences of the top soil.

Exploring effects of rainfall intensity and duration on soil erosion at the catchment scale using openLISEM: Prado catchment, SE Spain

“…This is the reason why we chose to use initial values and calibrate using a multiplication factor. Because of data availablility, the K sat values used are based on land use types, but not on geology or soil type (Stolte et al, 1996.…”

Hydropedological insights when considering catchment classification

“…Lately, functional characterization of soil units in space and time is slowly receiving more attention (e.g. Bouma, 1989;Stolte et al, 1996Stolte et al, , 2003Hessel et al, 2003) and this is particularly interesting for practical applications. But as soil scientists were inward looking while developing complicated classification schemes, soil data were not used by hydrologists and engineers as they could have been.…”

“…A functional analysis is therefore needed to "translate" properties of a given soil type into actual dynamic processes determining soil behaviour (see also e.g. Bouma, 1989;Stolte et al, 1996Stolte et al, , 2003Bouma et al, 2011).…”

“…Unfortunately, phenoforms of major soil types have not as yet been systematically studied elsewhere. Stolte et al (1996) used functional characterization of soils, measured and modelled infiltration and runoff in three small watersheds in the south of the Netherlands and showed that infiltration could be better described by soil structure of surface soil as affected by soil management rather than by its texture. They also showed that soil structure at any given location also changed significantly during the year.…”

The Lisem Project: An Introduction

“…At the same time soil samples were taken. Finally, in the laboratory, soil physical and soil chemical properties, such as soil texture, organic matter content, aggregate stability, water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves (Stolte et al, 1996) were measured to support the LISEM model with input data. Furthermore, at the second scale, in six subcatchments, discharge and sediment load measurements were carried out, to allow validation of the model and locate source areas (Van Dijk and Kwaad, 1996).…”