Visualizing the variability of small scale subsurface water flow in the South Tobacco Creek watershed

Abstract

Though overland flow is the most dramatic aspect of a flood, a crucial part of quantitatively analyzing the timing, duration, and intensity of a flooding event lies in understanding the effect that subsurface flow has within a watershed. This experiment was conducted in order to observe and analyze subsurface flow patterns in the South Tobacco Creek region of the Manitoba escarpment, which is a sub-watershed of the Morris River watershed and the greater Lake Winnipeg watershed. Previous studies (e.g., Weiler & Hannes, 2003; Bogner et al., 2008; Schlater & Huwe, 2005; Allaire et al., 2009) have successfully sprinkled dyed water onto exposed soil profiles to examine vertical and lateral subsurface flow patterns. In the experiment described here, Acid Blue #9 dye was dispensed through rainfall simulation and interval flooding in order to examine the variability of subsurface flow patterns at a relatively small (plot) scale.