Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

A. C. Duarte, J. L. M. P. de Lima and L. Mateos:

Hydrologic behaviour and dynamics of sediments in a small
agro-forested basin in Portugal

Summary

The objective of this research was to study the hydrologic behaviour and dynamics of sediments of a small agro-forested experimental basin both in the rainy and irrigation seasons (dry period with mainly centre-pivot irrigation). The basin is located within the Idanha Irrigation Scheme, Idanha-a-Nova (Portugal). The hydrological behaviour of the basin was analysed and the differences between the rainy and irrigation seasons were highlighted. The amount of sediment load along the rainy season is mainly associated with extreme rainfall-runoff events, especially in dry years where rainfall is concentrated in a few events with high capacity to generate runoff. Runoff coefficients were much lower in the irrigation season. Key words: Hydrologic behaviour, dynamics of sediments, small basin, irrigated and rainfed agriculture.