Research experiment on infiltration and runoff in Jujube land of northern Shaanxi Province

Abstract. To provide guidance for the efficient use of rainwater in Jujube forests of the northern Shaanxi Province, research on the processes of infiltration and runoff under field simulated rainfall were conducted. The process of infiltration and runoff-yield on sloping land was simulated with Richards equation and the water balance equation under different rainfall intensities and soil water content, in the north of Shaanxi province. It reached results via comparing with observation results: the mean relative error of the period cumulative infiltration was less than 3%, with a root mean squared error (RSME) less than 0.3. The mean relative error of the period cumulative runoff was less than 12.5%, RSME < 0.4. The simulation results were reasonable; however, the simulation ponding time generally lagged behind measured ponding time probably because of spatial variation of saturated hydraulic conductivity and uneven rainfall.