Urban green areas contribution to water soil partitioning in Santiago del Estero City, Argentina

Abstract

The soil’s role in water flow partitioning is considerably modified in urban environments due to pavement and buildings, which interfere with the infiltration process. In this context, green areas gain importance as water infiltration spots. The aim of this research was to evaluate the contribution of soils of Francisco de Aguirre Park to water flow partitioning in Santiago del Estero city. To fulfill this, hydraulic soil properties such as sorptivity and hydraulic conductivity were determined in situ with a tension disc infiltrometer. Results indicated that different uses of the park affect significantly the hydraulic properties: areas used in a controlled way (using footpaths) exhibited high hydraulic conductivity values, whereas areas under intensive use (sports practicing, vehicle traffic) showed low values of this property. Finally, the comparison of soil’s water infiltration capacities with intensity-duration-frequency curves of precipitation indicated that the soils of the park effectively contribute to water soil partitioning in Santiago del Estero city.