Hydraulic conductivity has been inferred as infiltration rate many times in soil science and geology. While some published papers do use these terms interchangeably, researchers talk and/or use these terms separately. Is it really necessary to separate them? Or should we be talking holistically about "water movement" in the vadose zone?
Dear Bharat,
Hydraulic conductivity is a property of the soil, whether it is the (highly varying) hydraulic conductivity in the unsaturated zone or the saturated hydraulic conductivity in the saturated zone. The infiltration rate generally is a flux which depends on the hydraulic conductivity, but also on other variables and parameters such as the wetness of the soil, land use/ land cover, slope, crust formation etc.. Water movement in the vadose zone also is dependent on the hydraulic conductivity and linked to the infiltration rate, but not the same. The infiltration rate is the inflow into the soil, where the water movement in the vadose zone is the flow inside the soil.
Hope this helps,
Martijn
Bharat Sharma Acharya,
Hydraulic conductivity is defined as ability of the movement of water in a porous media. This ability depends on the properties of the porous media (pore size distribution, continuity of pores etc.) and water (the density, viscosity etc.) Infiltration is the process it is the entry of water to the soil due to snowfall, rainfall or irrigation. This process depends on soil cover, vegetation type etc.
Hydraulic conductivity is the property of rock/soil to allow movement of water through it. whereas the infiltration rate is the rate at which water is passing through it. Infiltration rate is dependent upon hydraulic conductivity.
I think hydraulic conductivity (saturated and unsaturated) and infiltration rate should/can not be used interchangeably. Practically and theoretically, they are not the same. Hydraulic conductivity is one of the component that determines infiltration rate.
Furthermore, infiltration rate is more or less about water entering into the soils whereas water movement in the vadose zone is about water moving within the soil. All of the terms are related to each other and determines water movement in vadose zone one way or the other. Use of all these terms interchangeably, however, is not ideal. Combining all these terms with some additional parameters and explaining 'water movement' holistically in the vadose zone seems great but may make this soil process even more cumbersome to quantify (plus it's variability within the soil is already pretty challenging for researchers).
Thank you Martijn, Miruyu, Sajjad and Manbir. Indeed great discussion and views.
Infiltration rate is the velocity at which water enters into the soil. Its basically the process of entry of water into soil (but not necessarily )through the soil surface & vertically downward.Initially its more but decreases as the soil gets wet.It ranges in the value of >20 mm/hr for sandy soil to
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