Effects of Measurement Method, Scale, and Landscape Features on Variability of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

Abstract

Knowledge of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and its spatial variation is important to characterize hydrological processes. The objective was to quantify three important variability components, i.e., measurement technique, spatial arrangement in sampling, and differing landscape features (sloped surfaces and gullies), to map Ks distribution in eroded watersheds, such as the Chinese Loess Plateau. Classic and geostatistics were employed to explore the effects of measurement method, sampling scale, and landscape position on the Ks and its spatial variation. In a small watershed with an area of