A HYDROLOGICAL MODEL STUDY OF A FORESTED AND A CUTOVER SLOPE

ABSTRACT

The problem of analysing and predicting the effect of vegetation removal on the hydrological regime or soil water potential on steep slopes was approached through an experimental model set up in a greenhouse. A tilting soil bin positioned at different slope angles simulated a soil layer overlying impervious bedrock, and a forest cover was modelled by a number of small trees. The response of the soil water potential to simulated rain storms was studied first for the forested and later for the cutover slope. Transpiration in the greenhouse was measured by means of phytometers.

The results showed that a forest cover accelerates the soil moisture depletion in a shallow soil mantle regardless of the steepness of the slope. For a storm of given intensity and duration, the recharge phase for the clear-cut slope was therefore much shorter than for the forested one. The slope angle was only responsible for the distribution of recharge and the initial hydrological conditions when drainage had ceased. During the drainage phase the flow in the slope was two-dimensional, whereas it was essentially one-dimensional (i.e. vertical upwards) after field capacity had been reached. At this point the matric suction increased exponentially with time for suctions within the tensiometer range. Within this same range water loss from any point in the soil took place at a constant rate. This result is consistent with field observations.