ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the hydraulic conduction phenomena near and/or below of the ground surface. The major factors involved in hydraulic conduction include climatological conditions and topographical features such as rainfall, infiltration, percolation, evapotranspiration, sorption, retention, and leachate, as well as the characteristics of soil–water system itself. A field pumping test is one of the oldest test methods for determining groundwater characteristics, in particular, the hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity, and storativity. The chapter discusses topographical features are important factors relative to surface and subsurface drainage systems. Subsurface drainage consists of providing intercepting drains to divert subterranean flows, draining wet masses or areas and controlling moisture in the subsurface soil layers. In order to design an adequate drainage system the engineer must have all the information available on the amount of rainfall in the area to be drained. The three main aspects of rainfall for the designer to consider are intensity, duration and frequency.
