Sediment removal by prairie filter strips in row-cropped ephemeral watersheds

Twelve small watersheds in central Iowa were used to evaluate the effectiveness of prairie filter strips (PFS) in trapping sediment from agricultural runoff. Four treatments with PFS of different size and location (100% rowcrop, 10% PFS of total watershed area at footslope, 10% PFS at footslope and in contour strips, 20% PFS at footslope and in contour strips) arranged in a balanced incomplete block design were seeded in July 2007. All watersheds were in bromegrass ( L.) for at least 10 yr before treatment establishment. Cropped areas were managed under a no-till, 2-yr corn ( L.)-soybean [ (L.) Merr.] rotation beginning in 2007. About 38 to 85% of the total sediment export from cropland occurred during the early growth stage of rowcrop due to wet field conditions and poor ground cover. The greatest sediment load was observed in 2008 due to the initial soil disturbance and gradually decreased thereafter. The mean annual sediment yield through 2010 was 0.36 and 8.30 Mg ha for the watersheds with and without PFS, respectively, a 96% sediment trapping efficiency for the 4-yr study period. The amount and distribution of PFS had no significant impact on runoff and sediment yield, probably due to the relatively large width (37-78 m) of footslope PFS. The findings suggest that incorporation of PFS at the footslope position of annual rowcrop systems provides an effective approach to reducing sediment loss in runoff from agricultural watersheds under a no-till system

Modelagem da infiltração de água no solo sob condições de estratificação utilizando-se a equação de Green-Ampt Modeling of water infiltration in soil under stratified conditions using the Green-Ampt equation

A infiltração de água no solo é um dos mais significantes processos do ciclo hidrológico. A equação de Green-Ampt (GA) é bastante utilizada na modelagem da infiltração; entretanto, diversos autores alertam para a necessidade de adequação de seus parâmetros de entrada (umidade de saturação (tetas); condutividade hidráulica do solo saturado (K0) e potencial matricial na frente de umedecimento (psi). Neste sentido, avaliou-se a aplicabilidade do modelo de GA, assim como as diversas proposições de adequação de K0 e psi, em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo sob condições de estratificação. Determinaram-se a infiltração acumulada (I), a taxa de infiltração (Ti) e as características físicas do perfil necessárias para a aplicação do modelo. Foram feitas simulações com base na combinação de seis metodologias para a determinação de psi e três para a condutividade hidráulica da zona de transmissão (Kw), verificando-se que as combinações seguintes simularam bem o processo de infiltração: Kw igual a 0,5 K0 associado a psi determinado com base na umidade inicial do solo (psi (tetai)); Kw igual à taxa de infiltração estável (Tie) associado a psi igual à média entre psi (tetai) e psi relativo à umidade de saturação de campo (psi (tetaw)); e Kw igual a K0 associado a psi calculado com base na textura e porosidade do solo (psi(textura)) e Kw igual à Tie associado a psi(textura).<br>Soil water infiltration is one of the most important processes of the hydrological cycle. The Green and Ampt equation (GA) is quite used to simulate the infiltration process, however, several authors showed the necessity of some adaptations in the GA parameters: saturation moisture (thetas), hydraulic conductivity (K0) and mean suction in the wetting front (psi). An evaluation was made of the GA model and of the several correction propositions of K0 and psi, applied in a stratified Red-Yellow Latosol. A soil box filled with soil material belonging to three horizons of the studied soil was used. The accumulated infiltration (I), infiltration rate (Ti), as well as the physical characteristics of the profile needed for the application of the model were determined. Simulations based on the combination among six methodologies for the determination of psi was made and three for the determination of hydraulic conductivity in the transmission zone (Kw). The following combinations simulated well the infiltration process: Kw equal to 0,5 K0 associated to psi relative to the initial moisture content (psi(thetai)); Kw equals to the stable infiltration rate (Tie) associated to psi equal to the mean among psi (thetai) and psi relative to the saturation field moisture (psi (thetaw)); Kw equal to K0 associated to psi calculated with base in the texture and porosity of the soil and Kw equal to Tie associated to psi calculated on the basis of texture and porosity of the soil

Estruturas automáticas para controle de água nos canais em lavoura de arroz irrigado Automatic structures for water control in channels on irrigated rice crops

O Rio Grande do Sul apresenta a maior área irrigada do Brasil, devido principalmente à lavoura de arroz irrigado por inundação. Um dos fatores que contribuem para reduzir a eficiência de irrigação nessas lavouras é o baixo grau de controle exercido pelas estruturas de distribuição de água. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram projetar e construir dois protótipos de estruturas hidráulicas para controle automático de vazão em canais de irrigação e comparar sua sensibilidade de controle de vazão com a sensibilidade de duas comportas fixas. Os protótipos construídos - uma comporta hidromecânica automática e um regulador automático de vazão - foram instalados à entrada de um canal secundário, juntamente com uma comporta-gaveta e uma comporta-vertedor, que são as estruturas mais utilizadas para controle de vazão no RS. Provocou-se uma variação de 0,20 m na altura da lâmina de água a montante, determinando-se a vazão em cada estrutura. A menor variação de vazão com a alteração da lâmina foi de 5,6%, obtida com o regulador automático de vazão, seguido da comporta-gaveta com 23,7%, da comporta hidromecânica com 30,5%, e da comporta vertedor com 1.177,2%.<br>In Brazil, the State that presents the largest extension of irrigated lands is Rio Grande do Sul, mainly due to rice that grows under flooded conditions. One of the factors that contribute to decrease the efficiency of irrigation is the low degree of control obtained with the structures used on water distribution. The objectives of this work were to design and build two hydraulic structures for automatic flow control on irrigation channels, and to compare the flow control sensitivity of the built prototypes with two types of gates that are widely used in the rice fields at the Rio Grande do Sul State. The constructed prototypes - a hydro-mechanical gate and an automatic flow regulator - were installed at the entrance of a secondary channel, next to a sluice gate and a weir. The upstream water depth was ranged from 0.9 m to 0.7 m, and the flow in each structure was measured with "H" flumes. The lower flow variation as a function of the water depth in the principal channel was 5.6%, obtained with the automatic flow regulator, followed by the sluice gate with 23.7%, the hydro-mechanical gate with 30.5% and the weir with 1,177.2%

Vertical Mulching e manejo da água em semeadura direta Vertical Mulching and water management in no tillage system

A intensa mobilização do solo no sistema cultivo convencional causou degradação da estrutura, compactação e adensamento do solo abaixo da camada arável, reduzindo a macroporosidade e a taxa de infiltração de água no solo, com conseqüente aumento de escoamento superficial, de erosão e de assoreamento de rios e de reservatórios. A semeadura direta, que protege a superfície do solo, praticamente controlou a perda por erosão hídrica, os terraços foram eliminados, pelos agricultores, e a conseqüência foi maior escoamento superficial do que no sistema cultivo convencional. Com o objetivo de avaliar o comportamento hidrológico do vertical mulching em semeadura direta, em relação ao escoamento superficial, realizou-se esta pesquisa nos anos agrícolas 2002/2003 e 2003/2004, em Latossolo Vermelho distrófico típico, na região fisiográfica do planalto médio do Rio Grande do Sul, isto é, um experimento em escala de campo, com parcelas sem vertical mulching, com vertical mulching a cada 10 m e com vertical mulching a cada 5 m, no delineamento de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Sulcos em nível, perpendiculares ao declive, com dimensões de 0,08 m de largura por x 0,38 m de profundidade, foram abertos e preenchidos com palha compactada o suficiente para prevenir desmoronamento das paredes do sulco. No ciclo da cultura da soja e do trigo foram simuladas chuvas com duas intensidades, 70 e 106 mm h-1. Foram determinados o escoamento superficial, a taxa de infiltração básica de água no solo e a concentração de nutrientes e de CO no escoamento superficial. Os resultados indicam que o vertical mulching na semeadura direta reduz, significativamente, o volume do escoamento superficial aumenta a taxa de infiltração básica de água no solo e reduz também as perdas totais de nutrientes e de CO devido ao menor volume de água no escoamento superficial.<br>Intensive soil mobilization in the conventional tillage system has caused soil structure degradation, soil compaction below the arable layer, and decreased macroporosity. These changes resulted in reduced soil water infiltration rate and increased runoff, soil erosion and sedimentation in rivers and reservoirs. In the no tillage system the water erosion from the soil surface is practically controlled, and the terraces were eliminated by the farmers. Nevertheless, the surface flow is higher than it was in the conventional tillage system. With the objective of evaluating the hydrological behavior of vertical mulching in no tillage systems as related to runoff, this study was developed in the growing seasons of 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 on a Red Latosol (Oxisol) in the Planalto Médio region of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. A field experiment was installed using plots without vertical mulching, with vertical mulching at every 10 m and with vertical mulching at every 5 m. It was used a randomized block design with three replications. Leveled furrows of vertical mulching, perpendicular to the soil slope (0.08 m wide by 0.38 m deep) were dug and filled with straw compacted enough to stabilize the furrow sides. Rainfall intensities of 70 and 106 mm h-1 were simulated on soybean and wheat to determine runoff, soil water infiltration rate, and nutrient and organic carbon concentration in the runoff. The results showed that vertical mulching in no tillage significantly reduces surface runoff and increases the water infiltration rate into the soil. It also reduces the total nutrient and organic carbon losses due to the reduction of water runoff