A flume design for the study of slope length effects on runoff

Abstract

Recent publications from field and simulation studies indicate that runoff per unit area decreases as the length of the slope being observed is increased. This scale effect has been observed and documented for slopes with a uniform infiltration capacity as well as for slopes along which infiltration capacity is variable. This paper presents the design and testing of a laboratory flume for the study of the processes that lead to this scale effect, particularly for the case of slopes covered with crops. The features of the flume include reliable experimental control of soil water content prior to rainfall, high intensity rainfall without erosion, uniform crop growth along the slope, and the option of varying the infiltration rate independently of rainfall and soil characteristics.