Influence of Soil, Vegetation, and Grazing Management on Infiltration Rate and Sediment Production of Edwards Plateau Rangeland

Abstract

Terminal infiltration rates for one pasture in a 4-pasture deferred-rotation grazing system and a 27-year exclosure were found to be similar (10.40 and 10.24 cm/hr, respectively). A heavily, continuously grazed pasture exhibited less than one-half the infiltration rate (4.41 cm/hr) of the rotation pasture and exclosure. Grazed pastures were stocked at approximately the same rate (5.0 ha/AU/yr). The continuously grazed pasture also had greater sediment loss (211 kg/ha) than the rotation pasture and exclosure (134 and 160 kg/ha, respectively). Infiltration rate and sediment production were significantly influenced by plant biomass, bulk density, depression storage, and soil depth.