Variations in Soil Water Content, Infiltration and Potential Recharge at Three Sites in a Mediterranean Mountainous Region of Baja California, Mexico
| Autor: | Francisco José Del Toro-Guerrero, Stephen Holmes Bullock Runquist, Thomas Kretzschmar, Enrique R. Vivoni, Rogelio Vázquez-González |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
lcsh:Hydraulic engineering
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences 0208 environmental biotechnology Geography Planning and Development aspect 02 engineering and technology Aquatic Science 01 natural sciences Biochemistry ecohydrology lcsh:Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes lcsh:TC1-978 Ecohydrology Dry season Water content 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Water Science and Technology Hydrology lcsh:TD201-500 Groundwater recharge 020801 environmental engineering semiarid hydrology Infiltration (hydrology) mountain block Soil water Environmental science Soil horizon soil moisture Surface runoff |
| Zdroj: | Water, Vol 10, Iss 12, p 1844 (2018) Water Volume 10 Issue 12 |
| ISSN: | 2073-4441 |
| Popis: | In this research, we examined temporal variations in soil water content (&theta ), infiltration patterns, and potential recharge at three sites with different mountain block positions in a semiarid Mediterranean climate in Baja California, Mexico: two located on opposing aspects (south- (SFS) and north-facing slopes (NFS)) and one located in a flat valley. At each site, we measured daily &theta between 0.1 and 1 m depths from May 2014 to September 2016 in four hydrological seasons: wet season (winter), dry season (summer) and two transition seasons. The temporal evolution of &theta and soil water storage (SWS) shows a strong variability that is associated mainly with high precipitation (P) pulses and soil profile depth at hillslope sites. Results shows that during high-intensity P events sites with opposing aspects reveal an increase of &theta at the soil&ndash bedrock interface suggesting lateral subsurface fluxes, while vertical soil infiltration decreases noticeably, signifying the production of surface runoff. We found that the dry soil conditions are reset annually at hillslope sites, and water is not available until the next wet season. Potential recharge occurred only in the winter season with P events greater than 50 mm/month at the SFS site and greater than 120 mm/month at the NFS site, indicating that soil depth and lack of vegetation cover play a critical role in the transport water towards the soil&ndash bedrock interface. We also calculate that, on average, around 9.5% (~34.5 mm) of the accumulated precipitation may contribute to the recharge of the aquifer at the hillslope sites. Information about &theta in a mountain block is essential for describing the dynamics and movement of water into the thin soil profile and its relation to potential groundwater recharge. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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