Kostiakov infiltration functions for level furrow design

More efficient water application is generally achieved when the design parameters match actual field conditions. On four sites, Kostiakov infiltration functions were derived from cylinder and blocked furrow infiltrometers and SCS (Soil Conservation Service) intake families according to soil type. An infiltration function was also developed using a hydrodynamic computer model to adjust equation parameters to fit field data. Computer simulations of level furrow irrigation, using each Kostiakov infiltration function, were compared to actual field data. Excluding those functions fit to the field data, Kostiakov infiltration functions obtained from blocked furrow infiltrometers generally provided the most consistent input for level furrow irrigation design and evaluation.