Register      Login
International Journal of Wildland Fire International Journal of Wildland Fire Society
Journal of the International Association of Wildland Fire
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Relations between soil hydraulic properties and burn severity

John A. Moody A G , Brian A. Ebel B , Petter Nyman C , Deborah A. Martin A , Cathelijne Stoof D E and Randy McKinley F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A United States Geological Survey, 3215 Marine Street, Suite E-127, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.

B Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA.

C Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.

D Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.

E Soil Geography and Landscape Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.

F US Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Sioux Falls, SD 57030, USA.

G Corresponding author. Email: jamoody@usgs.gov

International Journal of Wildland Fire 25(3) 279-293 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF14062
Submitted: 19 April 2014  Accepted: 18 December 2014   Published: 24 March 2015

Abstract

Wildfire can affect soil hydraulic properties, often resulting in reduced infiltration. The magnitude of change in infiltration varies depending on the burn severity. Quantitative approaches to link burn severity with changes in infiltration are lacking. This study uses controlled laboratory measurements to determine relations between a remotely sensed burn severity metric (dNBR, change in normalised burn ratio) and soil hydraulic properties (SHPs). SHPs were measured on soil cores collected from an area burned by the 2013 Black Forest fire in Colorado, USA. Six sites with the same soil type were selected across a range of burn severities, and 10 random soil cores were collected from each site within a 30-m diameter circle. Cumulative infiltration measurements were made in the laboratory using a tension infiltrometer to determine field-saturated hydraulic conductivity, Kfs, and sorptivity, S. These measurements were correlated with dNBR for values ranging from 124 (low severity) to 886 (high severity). SHPs were related to dNBR by inverse functions for specific conditions of water repellency (at the time of sampling) and soil texture. Both functions had a threshold value for dNBR between 124 and 420, where Kfs and S were unchanged and equal to values for soil unaffected by fire. For dNBRs >~420, the Kfs was an exponentially decreasing function of dNBR and S was a linearly decreasing function of dNBR. These initial quantitative empirical relations provide a first step to link SHPs to burn severity, and can be used in quantitative infiltration models to predict post-wildfire infiltration and resulting runoff.

Additional keywords: hydraulic conductivity, infiltration, sorptivity, wildfire.


References

Anderson TW, Darling DA (1954) A test of goodness of fit. Journal of the American Statistical Association 49, 765–769.
A test of goodness of fit.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Assouline S (2004) Rainfall-induced soil surface scaling: a critical review of observations, conceptual models, and solutions. Vadose Zone Journal 3, 570–591.

Beatty SM, Smith JE (2010) Fractional wettability and contact angle dynamics in burned water-repellent soils. Journal of Hydrology 391, 97–108.
Fractional wettability and contact angle dynamics in burned water-repellent soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Beatty SM, Smith JE (2013) Dynamic soil water repellency and infiltration in post-wildfire soils. Geoderma 192, 160–172.
Dynamic soil water repellency and infiltration in post-wildfire soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Beatty SM, Smith JE (2014) Infiltration of water and ethanol solutions in water-repellent post-wildfire soils. Journal of Hydrology 514, 233–248.
Infiltration of water and ethanol solutions in water-repellent post-wildfire soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXosFSrsLk%3D&md5=59320457946cceed5511e5ed75daf824CAS |

Beven KJ (1989) Changing ideas in hydrology: the case of physically based models. Journal of Hydrology 105, 157–172.
Changing ideas in hydrology: the case of physically based models.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bodí MB, Doerr SH, Cerdà A, Mataix-Solera J (2012) Hydrological effects of a layer of vegetation ash on underlying wettable and water-repellent soil. Geoderma 191, 14–23.
Hydrological effects of a layer of vegetation ash on underlying wettable and water-repellent soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bodí MB, Martin DA, Balfour V, Santín C, Doerr SH, Pereira P, Cerdà A, Mataix-Solera J (2014) Wildland fire ash: production, composition and eco-hydro-geomorphic effects. Earth-Science Reviews 130, 103–127.
Wildland fire ash: production, composition and eco-hydro-geomorphic effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Campbell GS, Shiozawa S (1992) Predicting of hydraulic properties of soils using particle-size distribution and bulk density data. In ‘Proceeding of the International Workshop on Indirect Methods for Estimating the Hydraulic Properties of Unsaturated Soils’, 11–13 October 1989, Riverside, CA. (Eds MTh van Genuchten, FJ Leij, LJ Lund) pp. 317–328, US Department of Agriculture (Riverside, CA)

Campbell J, Donato D, Azuma D, Law B (2007) Pyrogenic carbon emission from a large wildfire in Oregon, United States. Journal of Geophysical Research 112, –G04014.
Pyrogenic carbon emission from a large wildfire in Oregon, United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cook FJ (2007) Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity: laboratory tension infiltrometer. In ‘Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis’. (Eds MR Carter, EG Gregorich) pp. 1075–1087. (CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL)

DeBano LF, Dunn PH, Conrad CE (1977) Fires’s effect on physical and chemical properties of chaparral soils. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report WO-3, pp. 65–74. (Washington, DC)

DeBano LF (2000) The role of fire and soil heating on water repellency in wildland environments: a review. Journal of Hydrology 231–232, 195–206.
The role of fire and soil heating on water repellency in wildland environments: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Decagon Devices (2013) ‘Mini Disk Infiltrometer User’s Manual Version 10.’ (Decagon Devices, Inc.: Pullman, WA)

Doerr SH, Shakesby RA, Walsh RPD (2000) Soil water repellency: its causes, characteristics and hydro-geomorphological significance. Earth-Science Reviews 51, 33–65.
Soil water repellency: its causes, characteristics and hydro-geomorphological significance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ebel BA, Moody JA (2013) Rethinking infiltration in wildfire-affected soils. Hydrological Processes 27, 1510–1514.
Rethinking infiltration in wildfire-affected soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ebel BA, Moody JA, Martin DA (2012) Hydrologic conditions controlling runoff generation immediately after wildfire. Water Resources Research 48,
Hydrologic conditions controlling runoff generation immediately after wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Forest Inventory and Analysis (2005) Phase 3 feld guide: down woody materials, October 2005. US Forest Service, FIA program. (Washington, DC). Available at http://www.fia.fs.fed.us/library/field-guides-methods-proc/docs/2006/p3_3-0_sec14_10_2005.pdf [Verified 23 August 2013]

Freeze RA (1975) A stochastic-conceptual analysis of one-dimensional groundwater flow in non-uniform homogeneous media. Water Resources Research 11, 725–741.
A stochastic-conceptual analysis of one-dimensional groundwater flow in non-uniform homogeneous media.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fuentes C, Haverkamp R, Parlange J-Y (1992) Parameter constraints on closed-form soil water relationships. Journal of Hydrology 134, 117–142

Glenn NF, Finley CD (2010) Fire and vegetation type effects on soil hydrophobicity and infiltration in sagebrush-steppe: I. Field analysis. Journal of Arid Environments 74, 653–659.
Fire and vegetation type effects on soil hydrophobicity and infiltration in sagebrush-steppe: I. Field analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gordillo-Rivero Á, Garcia-Moreno J, Jordán A, Zavala LM, Granja-Martins FM (2013) Fire severity and surface rock fragments cause patchy distribution of soil water repellency and infiltration rates after burning. Hydrological Processes
Fire severity and surface rock fragments cause patchy distribution of soil water repellency and infiltration rates after burning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Guy HP (1969) ‘Laboratory theory and methods for sediment analysis. US Geological Survey Techniques of water-resources investigations’, Book 5, Chapter C1 (Arlington, VA)

Haverkamp R, Ross PJ, Smettem KRJ, Parlange JY (1994) Three-dimensional analysis of infiltration from the disc infiltrometer. 2. Physically based infiltration equation. Water Resources Research 30, 2931–2935.
Three-dimensional analysis of infiltration from the disc infiltrometer. 2. Physically based infiltration equation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Heiri O, Lotter AF, Lemcke G (2001) Loss on ignition as a method for estimating organic and carbonate content in sediments: reproducibility and comparability of results. Journal of Paleolimnology 25, 101–110.
Loss on ignition as a method for estimating organic and carbonate content in sediments: reproducibility and comparability of results.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hudak AT, Morgan P, Bobbitt MJ, Smith AMS, Lewis SA, Lentile LB, Robichaud PR, Clark JT, McKinley RA (2007) The relationship of multispectral satellite imagery to immediate fire effects. Fire Ecology 3, 64–90.
The relationship of multispectral satellite imagery to immediate fire effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hyde K, Woods SW, Donahue J (2007) Predicting gully rejuvenation after wildfire using remotely sensed burn severity data. Geomorphology 86, 496–511.
Predicting gully rejuvenation after wildfire using remotely sensed burn severity data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jain TB, Pilliod DS, Graham RT, Lentile LB, Sandquist JE (2012) Index for characterizing post-fire soil environments in temperate coniferous forests. Forests 3, 445–466.
Index for characterizing post-fire soil environments in temperate coniferous forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jones OD, Sheridan GJ, Lane PN (2013) Using queuing theory to describe steady-state runoff–runon phenomena and connectivity under spatially variable conditions Water Resources Research 49, 7487–7497.
Using queuing theory to describe steady-state runoff–runon phenomena and connectivity under spatially variable conditionsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Keeley JE (2009) Fire intensity, fire severity and burn severity: a brief review and suggested usage. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, 116–126.
Fire intensity, fire severity and burn severity: a brief review and suggested usage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Key CH, Benson NC (2006) Landscape assessment: remote sensing of severity, the Normalized Burn Ratio; and ground measure of severity, the Composite Burn Index. In ‘FIREMON: Fire Effects Monitoring and Inventory System’. (Eds DC Lutes, RE Keane, JF Caratti, CH Key, NC Benson, LJ Gangi) USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-164-CD; LA-1–55. (Ogden, UT)

Kinner DA, Moody JA (2010) Spatial variability of steady-state infiltration into a two-layer soil system on burned hillslopes. Journal of Hydrology 381, 322–332.
Spatial variability of steady-state infiltration into a two-layer soil system on burned hillslopes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kokaly RF, Rockwell BW, Haire SL, King TVV (2007) Characterization of post-fire surface cover, soils, and burn severity at the Cerro Grande Fire, New Mexico, using hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing. Remote Sensing of Environment 106, 305–325.
Characterization of post-fire surface cover, soils, and burn severity at the Cerro Grande Fire, New Mexico, using hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Larsen IJ, MacDonald LH, Brown E, Rough D, Welsh MJ, Pietraszek JH, Libohova Z, Benavides-Solorio J, Schaffrath K (2009) Causes of post-fire runoff and erosion: roles of soil water repellency, surface cover, and soil sealing? Soil Science Society of America Journal 73, 1393–1407.
Causes of post-fire runoff and erosion: roles of soil water repellency, surface cover, and soil sealing?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXos1Ggtr8%3D&md5=e9ffd7d3bb3a6796777edfbae8cb8ba9CAS |

Lewis SA, Wu JQ, Robichaud PR (2006) Assessing burn severity and comparing soil water repellency, Hayman Fire, Colorado. Hydrological Processes 20, 1–16.
Assessing burn severity and comparing soil water repellency, Hayman Fire, Colorado.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lewis SA, Robichaud PR, Frazier BE, Wu JQ, Laes DYM (2008) Using hyperspectral imagery to predict post-wildfire soil water repellency. Geomorphology 95, 192–205.
Using hyperspectral imagery to predict post-wildfire soil water repellency.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mataix-Solera J, Cerdà A, Arcenegui V, Jordán A, Zavala LM (2011) Fire effects on soil aggregation: a review. Earth-Science Reviews 109, 44–60.
Fire effects on soil aggregation: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Moody JA, Ebel BA (2012) Hyper-dry conditions provide new insights into the cause of extreme floods after wildfire. Catena 93, 58–63.
Hyper-dry conditions provide new insights into the cause of extreme floods after wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Moody JA, Ebel BA (2014) Infiltration and runoff generation processes in fire-affected soils. Hydrological Processes 28, 3432–3453.
Infiltration and runoff generation processes in fire-affected soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXls1Whtr0%3D&md5=e0fee6551ec1bf501f08cd098a6a2986CAS |

Moody JA, Martin DA, Haire SL, Kinner DA (2008) Linking runoff response to burn severity after wildfire. Hydrological Processes 22, 2063–2074.
Linking runoff response to burn severity after wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Moody JA, Kinner DA, Úbeda X (2009) Linking hydraulic properties of fire-affected soils to infiltration and water repellency. Journal of Hydrology 379, 291–303.
Linking hydraulic properties of fire-affected soils to infiltration and water repellency.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Moody JA, Shakesby RA, Robichaud PR, Cannon S, Martin DA (2013) Current research issues related to post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes. Earth-Science Reviews 122, 10–37.
Current research issues related to post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Moody JA, Martin DA, Robichaud PR, Shakesby RA (2014) Fostering post-wildfire research. EOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union 95, 37
Fostering post-wildfire research.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Natural Resources Conservation Service (2014) USDA Web Soil Survey. Available at http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm [Verified 8 April 2014].

Neary DG (2011) Impacts of wildfire severity on hydraulic conductivity in forest, woodland, and grassland soils. In ‘Hydraulic Conductivity – Issues, Determination and Applications’. (Ed. L Elango) (InTech) Available at http://www.intechopen.com/books/hydraulic-conductivity-issues-determination-and-applications/impacts-of-wildfire-severity-on-hydraulic-conductivity-in-forest-woodland-and-grassland-soils [Verified 1 August 2014]

NWCG (2006) Glossary of Wildland Fire Terminology. Incident Operations Standards Working Team. (National Wildfire Coordinating Group) Available at http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/pubs/glossary/index.htm [Verified 5 August 2014]

NWCG (2014) ‘Fire Effects Guide. PMS 481.’ (National Wildfire Coordinating Group, National Interagency Fire Center, National Fire Equipment System catalogue #2394). Available at http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/RxFire/FEG.pdf [Verified 1 August 2014]

Nyman P, Sheridan G, Lane PNJ (2010) Synergistic effects of water repellency and macropore flow on the hydraulic conductivity of a burned forest soil, south-east Australia. Hydrological Processes 24, 2871–2887.
Synergistic effects of water repellency and macropore flow on the hydraulic conductivity of a burned forest soil, south-east Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nyman P, Sheridan GJ, Smith HG, Lane PNJ (2014) Modeling the effects of surface storage, macropore flow and water repellency on infiltration after wildfire. Journal of Hydrology
Modeling the effects of surface storage, macropore flow and water repellency on infiltration after wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Parsons A, Robichaud PR, Lewis SA, Napper C, Clark JT (2010) Field guide for mapping post-fire soil burn severity. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-243. (Fort Collins, CO)

Peleg M (1988) An empirical model for the description of moisture sorption curves. Journal of Food Science 53, 1216–1217.
An empirical model for the description of moisture sorption curves.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Philip JR (1969) ‘Theory of Infiltration.’ Advances in Hydroscience, Vol. 5, pp. 215–296. (Academic: San Diego, CA)

Poesen J, Lavee H (1994) Rock fragments in top soils: significance and processes. Catena 23, 1–28.
Rock fragments in top soils: significance and processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rawls WJ, Ahuja LR, Brakensiek DL, Shirmohammade A (1990) Infiltration and soil water movement. In ‘Handbook of Hydrology’. (Ed. DR Maidment) pp. 5.1–5.51. (McGraw-Hill, Inc.: New York)

Reynolds WD, Zebchuk WD (1996) Use of contact material in tension infiltrometer measurements. Soil Technology 9, 141–159.
Use of contact material in tension infiltrometer measurements.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Reynolds WD, Elrick DE, Topp GC (1983) A reexamination of the constant head well permeameter method for measuring saturated hydraulic conductivity above the water table. Soil Science 136, 250–268.
A reexamination of the constant head well permeameter method for measuring saturated hydraulic conductivity above the water table.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Richards LA (1931) Capillary conduction of liquids through porous mediums. Physics 1, 318–333.
Capillary conduction of liquids through porous mediums.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Robichaud PR (2000) Fire effects on infiltration rates after prescribed fire in Northern Rocky Mountain forests, USA. Journal of Hydrology 231–232, 220–229.
Fire effects on infiltration rates after prescribed fire in Northern Rocky Mountain forests, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Roy JL, McGill WB (2002) Assessing soil water repellency using the molarity of ethanol droplet (MED) test. Soil Science 167, 83–97.
Assessing soil water repellency using the molarity of ethanol droplet (MED) test.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XhvFKnsrg%3D&md5=3883f13ff4e4e9b82008fd360cbe68d3CAS |

Shakesby RA, Doerr SH, Walsh RPD (2000) The erosional impact of soil hydrophobicity: current problems and future research directions. Journal of Hydrology 231–232, 178–191.
The erosional impact of soil hydrophobicity: current problems and future research directions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sheridan GJ, Noske PJ, Lane PNJ, Jones OD, Sherwin CB (2014) A simple two-parameter model for scaling hillslope surface runoff. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 39, 1049–1061.
A simple two-parameter model for scaling hillslope surface runoff.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Šimùnek J, van Genuchten MTh (2000) The Disc computer software for analyzing tension disc infiltrometer data by parameter estimation. USDA, US Salinity Laboratory, Research Report No. 145.(Riverside, CA)

Šimùnek J, Šejna M, Saito H, Sakai M, van Genuchten MTh (2009) The HYDRUS-1D software package for simulating the movement of water, heat, and multiple solutes in variably saturated media, Version 4.08. HYDRUS Software Series 3. (Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California Riverside: Riverside, CA)

Smiles D, Knight JH (1976) A note on the use of the Philip infiltration equation. Australian Journal of Soil Research 14, 103–108.
A note on the use of the Philip infiltration equation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Smith RE (2002) Infiltration theory for hydrologic applications. Water Resources Monograph 15. (American Geophysical Union: Washington, DC)

Topp GC, Ferré PA (2002) Methods for measurement of soil water content: thermogravimetric using convective oven-drying. In ‘Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 4: Physical Methods, Soil Science Society of America Book Series: 5’. (Eds JH Dane, GC Topp) pp. 422–424. (Soil Science Society of America: Madison, WI)

Urbanek E, Shakesby RA (2009) Impact of stone content on water movement in water-repellent sand. European Journal of Soil Science 60, 412–419.
Impact of stone content on water movement in water-repellent sand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Vandervaere JP, Vauclin M, Elrick DA (2000) Transient flow from tension infiltrometers: I. The two-parameter equation. Soil Science Society of America Journal 64, 1263–1272.
Transient flow from tension infiltrometers: I. The two-parameter equation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXmsF2iur4%3D&md5=d811d1c854ea4de911325e7b9d93462eCAS |

Veraverbeke S, Hook SJ (2013) Evaluating spectral indices and spectral mixture analysis for assessing fire severity, combustion completeness and carbon emissions. International Journal of Wildland Fire 22, 707–720.
Evaluating spectral indices and spectral mixture analysis for assessing fire severity, combustion completeness and carbon emissions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhtFyntrjE&md5=da7de9a339af2b29f6bb27219afa21d6CAS |

Woods SW, Balfour V (2008) The effect of ash on runoff and erosion after a forest wildfire, Montana, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17, 535–548.
The effect of ash on runoff and erosion after a forest wildfire, Montana, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zeng C, Wang Q, Zhang F (2012) Evaluation of hydraulic parameters obtained by different measurement methods for heterogeneous gravel soil. Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 23, 585–596.
Evaluation of hydraulic parameters obtained by different measurement methods for heterogeneous gravel soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |