Elevation and infiltration in a level-basin: I. Characterizing the variability

Spatial characterization of soil physical properties could improve the estimation of surface irrigation performance. The aim of this research was to characterize the spatial and time variability of a set of irrigation related soil properties. The small-scale experimental level-basin (729 m) was located on an alluvial loam soil. A corn crop was established in the basin and irrigated five times during the season. A detailed survey of the soil properties (generally using a 3 by 3 m network) was performed. Classic statistical and geostatistical tools were used to characterize the variables and their interactions. Semivariograms were validated for the studied variables, except for the clay fraction, the saturated hydraulic conductivity and the infiltration parameters. The resulting geostatistical range was often in the interval of 6 to 10 m. For the three 1 N. Zapata Department of Soils and Irrigation, Laboratory for Agronomy and the Environment (DGA-CSIC), Servicio de Investigación Agroalimentaria, DGA, Apdo. 727, E-50080 Zaragoza, Spain. Fax : (976) 575501 e-mail : [email protected] 2 E. Playán Department of Genetics and Plant Production, Laboratory for Agronomy and the Environment (DGA-CSIC), Estación experimental de Aula-Dei, CSIC, Apdo.202, E-50080 Zaragoza Spain. e-mail : [email protected]