Thematic Issue on Soil Water Infiltration

Interpretive Summary: When water is applied to the land surface through irrigation or rainfall, it infiltrates into the soil surface and percolates deeper through the soil profile under the influence of gravity and capillary forces. Soil infiltration is one of the most complex processes within the terrestrial hydrologic cycle, yet the process is only partially understood. Infiltration is affected by the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, vegetation cover, rainfall, irrigation properties, and management practices. Measurement of infiltration rate is essential in studies concerning water budget, hydrology, runoff, erosion, irrigation, drainage and water conservation. Ho…