Identification of Preferential Flow Using Wavelet Decomposition.

Identification of preferential flow vertically through the soil profile was completed using wavelet decomposition of continuous one hour soil moisture records. The analysis was completed at two locations in southern and central New Jersey for an interval of approximately 30 months. It included a decomposition of the soil moisture record for each storm event (362 and 359 storms) at the surface (10 cm), an intermediate depth (100 cm) and the bottom of the soil profile (> 250 cm). Preferential flow was identified by the rapid (< 12 hours) transport of moisture vertically at the same wavelet scale as the surface. In comparison diffusive flow is identified as slower transport with a shift to longer wavelet scales indicating a more gradual increase of soil moisture.