Abstract

DARDER, María Liliana; CASTIGLIONI, Mario; ANDRIULO, Adrián  and  SASAL, Maria Carolina. Calibration of infiltration model parameters in the Pergamino high basin. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2019, vol.37, n.1, pp.77-90. ISSN 1850-2067.

Soil infiltration regulates surface runoff and on consequence erosion and contamination processes. There are different infiltration equations, being the Green Ampt one of the most used in hydrological and erosion models. The objectives of this work were: 1) Calibrate and analyze the parameters of the Green Ampt infiltration equation under two rain intensities, in different environments and under different land uses, in the upper basin of the Pergamino stream. 2) Compare the degree of efficiency obtained with the Green Ampt model, using the effective matric potential (Ψ) estimated by formula or by its calibration. In different environments belonging to the upper basin of the Pergamino stream, in 2011 and 2013 years, infiltration tests were made using a rainfall simulator. Two intensities were applied: 30 mm h^-1 and 60 mm h^-1. We worked on soils with agricultural and livestock aptitude. In agricultural plots two contrasting crop successions were evaluated and two landscape positions (hill and hillslope). With the results, the Ke and Ψ of the Green Ampt infiltration model were calibrated. There were important percentage differences in the calibrated Ke values, between the several experimental conditions evaluated. However, only significant differences were observed in this parameter when comparing the results obtained in livestock and agricultural soils, with a higher value of Ke in the latter. The Ψ prediction equation did not generate acceptable coefficients of efficiency, being recommended its calibration from field infiltration tests.

Keywords : Effective hydraulic conductivity; landscape position; crop succession; simulated rain.