Robinson, Mark and Beven, Keith J. (1983) The effect of mole drainage on the hydrological response of a swelling clay soil. Journal of Hydrology, 64 (1-4). pp. 205-223. ISSN 0022-1694
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
The results of a plot experiment to determine the effects of mole drainage on the hydrological response of a swelling clay soil under pasture are described. It is shown that the response is very dependent on antecedent moisture conditions, and that higher peak flows may be generated under relatively dry conditions on the (drier) drained plot. This appears to be related to the generation of flows in interpedal macropores supplying water to the mole drains. Under wet conditions, the hydraulic efficiency of the macropores is reduced by swelling of the clay and surface saturation develops on the undrained plot. This results in generally higher peak discharges than from the drained plot. Recession discharges and total water yields are almost always higher from the drained plot. The implications of this work are that it may be very difficult to detect or model the influence of clay land drainage on river flows.