Saturated flow of water through clay loam subsoil material of the Brolliar and Springerville soil series.

Abstract

The water transmission characteristics of subsoil material from the Brolliar and Springerville soil series of northern Arizona were determined. The flow behavior of the soils was ascertained using a system that measured the hydraulic head difference across a soil sample when known flow rates through the soil sample were being produced. Current theories for describing non-Darcy behavior together with quantitative expressions were used to describe and offer possible explanations for the hydrologic behavior of the soil materials. Extremely low permeability rates were found for both soils at all porosities and hydraulic gradients. The flow-hydraulic gradient relationship was found to be non-linear. Non-linearity was more pronounced at very low gradients for both soils. The Springerville soil materials with higher clay and salt content exhibited the least departure from linearity. As porosity increased, flow behavior became more Darcy-like for both soils. The flow behavior of these two major soil series have important implications to management of the watersheds where these soils are found.