Infiltration (hydrology)

Cross-section of a hillslope depicting the vadose zone, capillary fringe, water table, and phreatic or saturated zone. (Source: United States Geological Survey.)

Infiltration is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. It is commonly used in both hydrology and soil sciences. The infiltration capacity is defined as the maximum rate of infiltration. It is most often measured in meters per day but can also be measured in other units of distance over time if necessary.[1]  The infiltration capacity decreases as the soil moisture content of soils surface layers increases. If the precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration rate, runoff will usually occur unless there is some physical barrier.

Infiltrometers, parameters and rainfall simulators are all devices that can be used to measure infiltration rates.[2]

Infiltration is caused by multiple factors including; gravity, capillary forces, adsorption, and osmosis. Many soil characteristics can also play a role in determining the rate at which infiltration occurs.

  1. ^ m.b, Kirkham (2014). "Preface to the Second Edition". Principles of Soil and Plant Water Relations. pp. xvii–xviii. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-420022-7.05002-3. ISBN 9780124200227.
  2. ^ "Instruments used to measure soil infiltration curves". 2019-03-20.