ABSTRACT
The characteristics of the site to be used for agricultural or landscape irrigation with reclaimed municipal wastewater can affect the planning, design, and management of the system. This chapter describes the important characteristics affecting site evaluation and field investigations for determining infiltration rate and soil permeability. It discusses the effects of vegetation, wastewater loadings, and management on infiltration rates. Important factors in site evaluation include topography, soils, geology, groundwater, land use, and climate. Topographic features of importance in site evaluation are slope, relief, and susceptibility to flooding. The soil types at a potential site should be identified, and physical, hydraulic, and chemical characteristics of each soil type should be defined. Infiltration rate measurements can be used to estimate the saturated vertical permeability of subsurface soil horizons as well as the surface horizon. Field investigations that may be incorporated into the site characterization include site inspections, soil-profile evaluations, and infiltration-rate testing.
