identifying high infiltration and ground water recharge ... · in dane county, wi kathleen...

Identifying high infiltration and Identifying high infiltration and ground water recharge areas ground water recharge areas

in Dane County, WIin Dane County, WIKathleen Arrington, Cindy Stiles*, Kathleen Arrington, Cindy Stiles*, Steve Ventura, and John NormanSteve Ventura, and John Norman

Soil Science DepartmentSoil Science DepartmentUniversity of WisconsinUniversity of Wisconsin

Why evaluate infiltration rates?Why evaluate infiltration rates?Land use is becoming more diverse Land use is becoming more diverse

(i.e., urban expansion)(i.e., urban expansion)


(i.e., urban expansion)(i.e., urban expansion)High infiltration/recharge areas High infiltration/recharge areas

provide valuable ecosystem services provide valuable ecosystem services in landscapesin landscapes


(i.e., urban expansion)(i.e., urban expansion)High infiltration/recharge areas High infiltration/recharge areas

provide valuable ecosystem services provide valuable ecosystem services in landscapesin landscapes

Infiltration databases are relatively Infiltration databases are relatively datadata--poor and inconsistent, but this poor and inconsistent, but this information is a valuable resource for information is a valuable resource for community plannerscommunity planners

Suitability of soil series for septic leach fields, eastern Dane County (derived from Web Soil Survey)

Questions driving the Dane County Questions driving the Dane County infiltration/recharge area projectinfiltration/recharge area project

Can GISCan GIS--based model derived from based model derived from SSURGO/NASIS info find potential SSURGO/NASIS info find potential high infiltration/recharge areas?high infiltration/recharge areas?


Can GISCan GIS--based model derived from based model derived from SSURGO?NASIS info find potential SSURGO?NASIS info find potential high infiltration/recharge areas?high infiltration/recharge areas?

Can maps of these sensitive areas Can maps of these sensitive areas become part of community/regional become part of community/regional urban development planning? urban development planning?


Can GISCan GIS--based model derived from based model derived from SSURGO/NASIS info find potential SSURGO/NASIS info find potential high infiltration/recharge areas?high infiltration/recharge areas?

Can maps of these sensitive areas Can maps of these sensitive areas become part of community/regional become part of community/regional urban development planning? urban development planning?

Will developers actually utilize the Will developers actually utilize the information and what format do they information and what format do they prefer?prefer?

Objectives Objectives Map high infiltration/groundwater Map high infiltration/groundwater

recharge areas at scales useful to recharge areas at scales useful to landland--use planners, managers, and use planners, managers, and engineersengineers



Assess the impact of development Assess the impact of development on the infiltration rates of soilson the infiltration rates of soils



Assess the impact of development Assess the impact of development on the infiltration rates of soilson the infiltration rates of soils

Develop tools to make this Develop tools to make this information readily accessible to the information readily accessible to the publicpublic

Model development Model development Weighting and rating model combined with Weighting and rating model combined with

GIS layers to identify specific areas of GIS layers to identify specific areas of interestinterest



Three landThree land--use categories: agricultural, use categories: agricultural, residential, recreation/open/vacant/ residential, recreation/open/vacant/ woodlandwoodland




Sampling sites identified within combined Sampling sites identified within combined landland--use area and estimated surface horizon use area and estimated surface horizon infiltration potentialinfiltration potential

Model development Model development Weighting and rating model combining Weighting and rating model combining

relevant GIS layers to identify specific areas relevant GIS layers to identify specific areas of interestof interest


Sampling sites identified within combined Sampling sites identified within combined landland--use area and estimated surface horizon use area and estimated surface horizon infiltration potentialinfiltration potential

Information for landInformation for land--use from Dane County use from Dane County Regional Planning Commission (2005)Regional Planning Commission (2005)

Activities Activities –– Stage 1Stage 1Utilize preUtilize pre--existing GIS layers to existing GIS layers to

constrain categories of estimated soil constrain categories of estimated soil infiltration and landinfiltration and land--useuse

––Geology, topography, land cover and Geology, topography, land cover and land use historyland use history

Activities Activities –– Stage 1Stage 1Utilize preUtilize pre--existing GIS layers to existing GIS layers to

constrain categories of estimated soil constrain categories of estimated soil infiltration and landinfiltration and land--useuse

––Geology, topography, land cover and Geology, topography, land cover and land use historyland use history

Develop infiltration rate model Develop infiltration rate model suitable for field measurement suitable for field measurement methodsmethods

Activities Activities –– Stage 1 Stage 1

Utilize preUtilize pre--existing GIS layers to constrain existing GIS layers to constrain categories of estimated soil infiltration and categories of estimated soil infiltration and landland--useuse

––Geology, topography, land cover and land use Geology, topography, land cover and land use historyhistory

Develop infiltration rate model suitable Develop infiltration rate model suitable for field measurement methodsfor field measurement methods

Field measurement of Field measurement of KsatKsat using confined using confined ring ring infiltrometerinfiltrometer, lab data obtained from , lab data obtained from cores with falling head cores with falling head permeameterpermeameter

Field sampling strategy Field sampling strategy Number of sample points for each Number of sample points for each

combination land use and estimated combination land use and estimated infiltration class is approximately infiltration class is approximately proportional to land area coverage for that proportional to land area coverage for that classclass

Field sampling strategyField sampling strategyNumber of sample points for each Number of sample points for each


Starting survey area will be Dane County Starting survey area will be Dane County SoLIMSoLIM Sampling Project Watershed 58 Sampling Project Watershed 58 because class proportion within this because class proportion within this watershed is similar to Dane County properwatershed is similar to Dane County proper

Field sampling strategyField sampling strategyNumber of sample points for each Number of sample points for each


Starting survey area will be Dane County Starting survey area will be Dane County SoLIMSoLIM Sampling Project Watershed 58 Sampling Project Watershed 58 because class proportion within this because class proportion within this watershed is similar to Dane County properwatershed is similar to Dane County proper

Stratified random sampling from Stratified random sampling from SoLIMSoLIMdata points dependent upon relevant data points dependent upon relevant classesclasses

Setting Setting –– Dane County, WIDane County, WI

Field measurements Field measurements SurficiallySurficially confined portable confined portable infiltrometerinfiltrometer1m x 0.5m rectangular steel frame 1m x 0.5m rectangular steel frame

surrounding a portable instrumentsurrounding a portable instrumentTwo replicates per landscape sample pointTwo replicates per landscape sample pointConstant head maintained by Constant head maintained by pondedponded

water on the surface within the confines of water on the surface within the confines of the ringthe ring

Cores recovered and returned to lab for Cores recovered and returned to lab for falling head falling head permeameterpermeameter measurements of measurements of separate horizonsseparate horizons

Expected Products Expected Products Dane County interactive (Dane County interactive (DCiDCi) map ) map

data layer = general public accessdata layer = general public access


data layer = general public accessdata layer = general public accessExtension publication = specific land Extension publication = specific land

use managementuse management



use managementuse managementImpact Website for the project = Impact Website for the project =

visual scientific background for map visual scientific background for map layerslayers



use management informationuse management informationImpact Website for the project = Impact Website for the project =

visual scientific background for map visual scientific background for map layerslayers

Modeling information publication Modeling information publication through USGS/WNHGS for through USGS/WNHGS for knowledgeable landknowledgeable land--use managersuse managers

identifying high infiltration and ground water recharge ... · in dane county, wi kathleen...

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