Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Evaluation of soil moisture movement and drainage ability of a shallow subsurface drain in a rotational rice paddy field

Author(s):

Kozue Yuge ^{1 *}, Mitsumasa Anan ², Kosuke Hamada ³

Recieved Date: 2015-07-10, Accepted Date: 2015-09-26

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to quantify the drainage ability of a shallow subsurface drain in a rotational rice paddy field. A numerical method based on SWAP (Soil-Water-Atmosphere-Plant) model was developed to evaluate the soil water movement and the water balance under the shallow subsurface drain. The concept of macropore flow in the SWAP model was adopted to evaluate the effect of a mole drain as a supplement to the main subsurface drain. A field experiment was performed in a rotational rice paddy field during wheat cultivation to verify the accuracy of the model and to obtain input data for the numerical model. The soil moisture conditions, weather and groundwater levels were measured during the period of crop growth. The soil water retention curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity were evaluated in the field. The results of the experiment indicate that there are variable soil moisture characteristics that depend on the soil hydraulic properties. Using the numerical model and experimental data, the soil moisture and drainage flux were estimated. The simulated soil moisture conditions agreed well with the measured data and the model accuracy was verified. The daily change in drainage flux was quantified using this method. The results indicate that the drainage flux under a relatively dry soil condition was low. Following intense rainfall, the drainage flux greatly increased. The soil moisture decreased gradually after the drastic drainage, indicating that the downward bottom flux increased because of drastic subsurface drainage. This result indicates that a shallow subsurface drain is effective in promoting not only lateral drainage but also downward bottom flux.

Keywords:

Soil water transport, water stress due to wetness, wetness damage, water balance of crop field, infiltration, discharge, groundwater, bottom flux, converted rice paddy field, mole drain

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2015
Volume: 13
Issue: 3&4
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 74-78

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :