Abstract :
The soils in the study area underwent an analysis of their infiltration rate utilizing a double ring infiltrometer with the falling head method, as outlined by Mbagwu (1997) and Oku (2012). Linear plots were constructed, depicting cumulative infiltration and equilibrium infiltration rates against time for three distinct soil units along the catena. The findings indicated consistently high instantaneous infiltration rates, ranging from 8.0 to 21.4 cm hr-1. Notably, the upper slope unit exhibited a chaotic increase and decrease in the first 4 hours, while the middle and lower slopes displayed similar behavior just after 3 hours. The upper slope soils, initially drier in terms of moisture content, demonstrated a higher and rapid infiltration rate during the early hours of the process. Conversely, soils in the middle slope, already saturated, exhibited a slower rate of infiltration. The infiltration equilibrium varied across the three-slope segments. At the upper slope, equilibrium was achieved at a mean cumulative infiltration value of 110 cm. In the middle slope segment, equilibrium was reached much earlier, with a mean cumulative infiltration value of 44Qcm. Similarly, at the lower slope segment, infiltration rate reached equilibrium at a mean cumulative infiltration value of 64Qcm. Factors influencing infiltration included soil texture, bulk density, topography, and moisture content. These elements collectively contributed to the observed variations in infiltration behavior along the catena.
Keyword :
Catena, floodplain, Irrigation, Infiltration