In line with my PhD project on subsurface stormflow I want to share some basics on hillslope hydrology:

When it rains on hillslopes, water can flow over land to the next stream or infiltrate into the soil. In the soil it can take two ways. It can move either through the soil matrix or use a “fast lane” and travel through soil pores. The later process is also known as preferential flow, as this fast lane flow transports more water at larger speeds than the soil matrix.

This post is part of my water science communication series #waterwednesday where I weekly post short researchfindings or just stuff that interests me

Sources:

Anderson, A.E. et al. (2009) “Subsurface flow velocities in a hillslope with lateral preferential flow,” Water Resources Research, 45(11). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1029/2008wr007121

Angermann, L. et al. (2017) “Form and function in hillslope hydrology: Characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations,” Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 21(7), pp. 3727–3748. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3727-2017

Beven, K. and Germann, P. (1982) “Macropores and water flow in soils,” Water Resources Research, 18(5), pp. 1311–1325. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1029/wr018i005p01311