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Some Properties of Soils Associated with Piping in Southern Arizona
Author(s) -
Fletcher Joel E.,
Carroll Paul H.
Publication year - 1949
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1949.036159950013000c0098x
Subject(s) - citation , piping , service (business) , soil water , library science , history , archaeology , environmental science , computer science , soil science , business , environmental engineering , marketing
T word "piping" has been used by engineers for many years to denote that insidious type of erosion whereby subsoils erode out from under the surface in rounded channels (pipes), thus resulting in the final caving-in of the surface soil. The insidious nature of the process is indicated by conversation with farmers whose land is being destroyed by the process. Their general belief seems to be that there was a great upheaval in the country. The present caving and settling is merely the normal settling following such a cataclysm. The serious nature of the losses may be indicated by the fact that roughly 30% of the land in one of these narrow river valleys has been lost by this process since the early nineteen hundreds. In an effort to evaluate the piping process and perhaps formulate and effect a cure, four areas in Southern Arizona which are subject to piping were chosen for study. The study consisted of two parts. The first was a series of detailed field observations of profile characteristics, permeability, and conformation of the pipes. The second was a laboratory examination of samples of soil from the various areas. The field studies indicate that piping can only occur when two necessary conditions are .present. First, water must have access to the subsoil at a greater rate than the substratum can absorb it. Second, there must be a ready outlet for the resultant lateral flow of the water. This outlet has been observed as far as % miles away from the area where caving occurred. The past history of these areas has generally been such that all of the piping is of comparatively recent origin. Typically these valleys lie along streams and were more or less poorly drained flood plains. With the advent of heavy grazing on the upper watersheds, the lands along the streams were eroded and the stream channels were formed and incised to such depths as to furnish outlets for drainage of the flood plains. As the water drained along the more or less impermeable substratum it washed