Evaluating Some Infiltration Models Under Different Soil Texture Classes and Land Uses

Infiltration process is one of the most important components of the hydrological cycle. The importance of the infiltration process has enforced the soil and water researchers to model this process for quantitative applications. In this study، the performance of Green and Ampt، Philip، Kostiakov، Kostiakov-Lewis، Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and Horton infiltration models under different soil texture classes and different land uses were evaluated. For this purpose، the infiltration data were obtained by double rings method from 210 point of different regions in Iran. The parameters of these models were then obtained، using least square optimization method. In order to evaluate the accuracy of the models، the mean error (ME)، root mean square error (RMSE)، mean absolute of mean error (MAME) and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) statistics were calcualted. The results indicated that، compared to other models، the performance of Kostiakov-Lewis model had more consistent trend in estimating the cumulative infiltration under different study regions. This model provided first ranking of evaluation in different soil texture classes and land uses. The results indicated that Horton، Kostiakov and Philip models underestimated the infiltration process while Kostiakov-Lewis، Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and Green and Ampt models overestimated the soil water infiltration process. In the most soil texture classes and land uses، the Kostiakov-Lewis and Horton models were systematically over-estimator and under-estimator models، respectively. The results of this study indicated that compared to the other infiltration models، the Kostiakov-Lewis model is the best model for quantifying the infiltration process.