Model to Design Level Terraces

• Published in: Journal of irrigation and drainage engineering Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 8 - 12
• Main Authors: Pruski, Fernando Falco, Ferreira, Paulo Afonso, Ramos, Márcio Mota, Cecon, Paulo Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01.01.1997
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; AGUA DEL SUELO; Biological and medical sciences; CONCEPTION; CONSERVACION DE SUELOS; CONSERVATION DES SOLS; DESIGN; DISENO; EAU DU SOL; ESCORRENTIA; EVAPORACION; EVAPORATION; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HIDRATACION; HYDRATATION; HYDRATION; INFILTRACION; INFILTRATION; LLUVIA; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; MODELE MATHEMATIQUE; MODELOS MATEMATICOS; OVERLAND FLOW; PARANA; PLUIE; RAIN; rainfall intensity duration frequency relationship; RELATIONSHIPS; RUISSELLEMENT; RUNOFF; SOIL CONSERVATION; Soil erosion, conservation, land management and development; Soil science; SOIL WATER; TECHNICAL PAPERS; TERRACES; TERRASSE; TERRAZAS; WETTING; South America; Brazil; America; Case study; Water infiltration; Terrace; Runoff; Tropical zone; Rain water; Modeling; Soil conservation
• ISSN: 0733-9437; 1943-4774
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1997)123:1(8)

A procedure was developed to determine the maximum surface runoff volume (MSR) employing the constant rate of infiltration after prolonged wetting of the soil (fc). This procedure can also be employed to determine a factor (H), which, associated with the land topography and the soil conservation system characteristics, is used to calculate the depth of the stored water in level terrace channels. This procedure is applicable to places where the rainfall intensity-duration-frequency relationship is known. Hence, it has been applied to the typical conditions of Cascavel, state of Paraná, Brazil. Graphs and equations relating the MSR and the H factor with the fc are presented. The calculated values using this procedure were compared with those obtained by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service-USDA curve number method. The effects of fc and of the return period on MSR values were analyzed.