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Drain Depth and Spacing Effects on Water Removal from a Gray‐Brown Podzolic Soil
Author(s) -
Goins Truman,
Taylor George S.
Publication year - 1959
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/sssaj1959.03615995002300060017x
Subject(s) - hydraulic conductivity , drainage , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , water table , soil science , drawdown (hydrology) , soil horizon , geotechnical engineering , groundwater , soil water , aquifer , ecology , biology
The effect of two depths and two spacings of drains on tile flow rates and drawdown in a glaciated Ohio soil were evaluated. Drain depths were 2 and 3 feet, and the spacings were 30 and 60 feet. Flow rates were linearly related to the water table (WT) level at the midpoint between drain lines. Tile flow was more closely related to the position of the WT in the profile than to the height of the WT above the drain, indicating the strong influence of the conductivity profile in drainage. The highest flow rates were obtained from drains at the 2‐foot depth; while spacing had no significant influence on maximum flow rates. Drains at the 2‐foot depth lowered the WT faster in the upper 18 inches of soil than did those at the 3‐foot depth; and drains spaced 30 feet apart were more effective in lowering the WT than those spaced 60 feet. The relative performance of the drains at 2‐ and 3‐foot depths was a result of decreased soil hydraulic conductivity with depth. Estimates of soil hydraulic conductivity based on drain flow and WT levels showed that the auger hole and the O'Neal methods underestimated the conductivity by factors no smaller than 4 and 2, respectively.