PONDING
TIME
ROEL JUN C. GALLEGO
PONDING TIME
The time elapsed between the
time at which the rainfall
begins and the time water
begins ponding in the soil.
POTENTIAL INFILTRATION
Sufficient amount of water
available for infiltration.
PONDING TIME (tp)
THE TIME ELAPSED BETWEEN THE TIME AT WHICH THE
RAINFALL BEGINS AND THE TIME WATER BEGINS
PONDING ON THE SOIL
Before the ponding f = i → whatever rain is falling is
infiltrated into the ground.
After ponding, infiltration will be potential infiltration
(f = fp)
It is very important to determine the ponding time to
determine the infiltration after the ponding has occurred.
PONDING TIME (tp)
Mein and Larson (1973) presented a method of
determining the ponding time (tp) using the Green-
Ampt Equation.
Three principles involved are:
For t = tp, all rainfall are infiltrated
Potential infiltration (f) is a function of cumulative
infiltration (F)
Ponding occurs when potential infiltration <
rainfall intensity (f ≤ i)
PONDING When the rain is falling at a higher rate
than the infiltration rate, then ponding
TIME (tp) occurs
Blue curve is before the ponding
Moisture content < max moisture
content (η)
The time will be less than tp
When t = tp on the ground
There will be saturation conditions
When the ponding has occurred, the
wetting front starts to move down (t >
tp) or the saturated zone increases
PONDING TIME (tp)
At
and
According to the Green-Ampt Equation
PONDING TIME (tp)
This is the final formula in solving
ponding time
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Compute the ponding time and the depth of water infiltrated at
ponding for a silt of 30 percent initial effective saturation, subject
to rainfall intensities of (a) 1 cm/h and (b) 5 cm/h.
INFILTRATION AFTER
PONDING TIME
Green-Ampt Equation (eq. 1)
At
INFILTRATION AFTER
PONDING TIME
Subtracting eq. 2 from eq. 1
Final form of Green-Ampt Equation for infiltration after ponding
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Calculate the cumulative infiltration and the infiltration rate
after one hour of rainfall intensity 5 cm/h on a silt of loam soil
with an initial effective saturation of 30 percent.
