American Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences  
Manuscript Information
 
 
Infiltrating to Control Floods - Suitability of Infiltration Based Systems in Urban Sub-Sahara Africa
American Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Vol.3 , No. 1, Publication Date: Feb. 24, 2020, Page: 1-12
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Authors
 
[1]    

Joel Bernard Asiedu, Department of Crop Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

 
Abstract
 

The research studies infiltration characteristics of soils of an urban Sub-Sahara African metropolis, specifically Accra, Ghana. It investigates the infiltration characteristics of the soils of the research area for a preliminary assessment of their suitability for infiltration based interventions to stormwater management. Data was collected from 91 locations on soil infiltration characteristics for hydraulic conductivity under near saturated conditions using Double Ring Infiltrometer, Inverse Auger Hole, and Turf Tec Infiltrometers and under unsaturated conditions using a MiniDisk Infiltrometer. The different infiltrometers were used on seven different soil groups. Unsaturated Hydraulic conductivity values had a median of 219.5 mm/h. Near saturated hydraulic conductivity for Double Ring was 42 mm/h, Inverse Auger Hole (645.2 mm/h) with Turf Tec being 140 mm/h. The results showed significant spatial variation (p=0.001, p=0.004) between the methods and soil types for the first thirteen locations and does not support homogenous hydraulic conductivity within soil groups. Soils had moderate hydraulic conductivity seen in drain times for Korle consociation (23.3 h) and Oyarifa-Mamfe complex (55.7 h) but others like Nyigbenya-Haacho (77.6 h), Fete-Bediesi (407.1 h), and Fete consociation (1282 h) had higher drain time. Near saturated hydraulic conductivity values were used to build an initial profile for the soil groups where Korle consociation and Damfa-Dome complex were classed under HSG A, Nyigbenya-Haacho complex as HSG C and the rest as HSG B. Soils like the Fete-Bediesi complex with relatively high drain time could be engineered to predefined moderately high hydraulic conductivity to ensure moderate infiltration characteristics for infiltration based stormwater management systems.


Keywords
 

Infiltrometer, Infiltration Rate, Hydraulic Conductivity, Drain Time, Soils


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