Ubiquity and Causes of Soil Water Preferential Flow Across 17 Ecoregions

Bonan Li; Matthias Sprenger; Briana M. Wyatt; Daniel Giménez; Daniel R. Hirmas; Hoori Ajami; Inge Wiekenkamp; Jannis Groh; John R. Nimmo; Matthew T. Amato; Nitin K. Singh; Octavia Crompton; Ryoko Araki; Tianfang Xu; Pamela L. Sullivan

doi:10.1029/2025GL118045

Ubiquity and Causes of Soil Water Preferential Flow Across 17 Ecoregions

Bonan Li
, Matthias Sprenger
, Briana M. Wyatt
, Daniel Giménez
, Daniel R. Hirmas
, Hoori Ajami
, Inge Wiekenkamp
, Jannis Groh
, John R. Nimmo
, Matthew T. Amato
, Nitin K. Singh
, Octavia Crompton
, Ryoko Araki
, Tianfang Xu
, Pamela L. Sullivan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Preferential flow (PF) in soil causes the rapid transport of water, nutrients, and contaminants into the subsurface, influencing groundwater recharge and streamflow. Data scarcity has hindered the quantification of PF occurrence and the identification of its drivers across diverse ecoregions. We address this gap by analyzing high-frequency, multi-depth soil moisture data across 17 ecoregions in the USA, using ∼1,500 sensors at 40 sites. We discovered that PF is widespread, with sites experiencing PF in up to 60% of rainfall events ≥2 mm. Multiple approaches consistently show that PF is more likely to occur with increased peak rainfall intensity, finer textured material, low soil moisture variability, humid climate, and higher net primary productivity. This suggests that PF patterns could shift with projected climate changes, increasing uncertainty in predictions of groundwater recharge, water quality, and streamflow generation.

Original language	American English
Article number	e2025GL118045
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	52
Issue number	19
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL118045
State	Published - Oct 16 2025
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Keywords

NEON
peak rainfall intensity
precipitation
preferential flow
soil moisture
soil texture

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10.1029/2025GL118045

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Li, B., Sprenger, M., Wyatt, B. M., Giménez, D., Hirmas, D. R., Ajami, H., Wiekenkamp, I., Groh, J., Nimmo, J. R., Amato, M. T., Singh, N. K., Crompton, O., Araki, R., Xu, T., & Sullivan, P. L. (2025). Ubiquity and Causes of Soil Water Preferential Flow Across 17 Ecoregions. Geophysical Research Letters, 52(19), Article e2025GL118045. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL118045

@article{41113cd3618d49ee9f52db5e76249319,

title = "Ubiquity and Causes of Soil Water Preferential Flow Across 17 Ecoregions",

abstract = "Preferential flow (PF) in soil causes the rapid transport of water, nutrients, and contaminants into the subsurface, influencing groundwater recharge and streamflow. Data scarcity has hindered the quantification of PF occurrence and the identification of its drivers across diverse ecoregions. We address this gap by analyzing high-frequency, multi-depth soil moisture data across 17 ecoregions in the USA, using ∼1,500 sensors at 40 sites. We discovered that PF is widespread, with sites experiencing PF in up to 60\% of rainfall events ≥2 mm. Multiple approaches consistently show that PF is more likely to occur with increased peak rainfall intensity, finer textured material, low soil moisture variability, humid climate, and higher net primary productivity. This suggests that PF patterns could shift with projected climate changes, increasing uncertainty in predictions of groundwater recharge, water quality, and streamflow generation.",

keywords = "NEON, peak rainfall intensity, precipitation, preferential flow, soil moisture, soil texture",

author = "Bonan Li and Matthias Sprenger and Wyatt, \{Briana M.\} and Daniel Gim{\'e}nez and Hirmas, \{Daniel R.\} and Hoori Ajami and Inge Wiekenkamp and Jannis Groh and Nimmo, \{John R.\} and Amato, \{Matthew T.\} and Singh, \{Nitin K.\} and Octavia Crompton and Ryoko Araki and Tianfang Xu and Sullivan, \{Pamela L.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s).",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1029/2025GL118045",

language = "American English",

volume = "52",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Ubiquity and Causes of Soil Water Preferential Flow Across 17 Ecoregions

AU - Li, Bonan

AU - Sprenger, Matthias

AU - Wyatt, Briana M.

AU - Giménez, Daniel

AU - Hirmas, Daniel R.

AU - Ajami, Hoori

AU - Wiekenkamp, Inge

AU - Groh, Jannis

AU - Nimmo, John R.

AU - Amato, Matthew T.

AU - Singh, Nitin K.

AU - Crompton, Octavia

AU - Araki, Ryoko

AU - Xu, Tianfang

AU - Sullivan, Pamela L.

PY - 2025/10/16

Y1 - 2025/10/16

N2 - Preferential flow (PF) in soil causes the rapid transport of water, nutrients, and contaminants into the subsurface, influencing groundwater recharge and streamflow. Data scarcity has hindered the quantification of PF occurrence and the identification of its drivers across diverse ecoregions. We address this gap by analyzing high-frequency, multi-depth soil moisture data across 17 ecoregions in the USA, using ∼1,500 sensors at 40 sites. We discovered that PF is widespread, with sites experiencing PF in up to 60% of rainfall events ≥2 mm. Multiple approaches consistently show that PF is more likely to occur with increased peak rainfall intensity, finer textured material, low soil moisture variability, humid climate, and higher net primary productivity. This suggests that PF patterns could shift with projected climate changes, increasing uncertainty in predictions of groundwater recharge, water quality, and streamflow generation.

AB - Preferential flow (PF) in soil causes the rapid transport of water, nutrients, and contaminants into the subsurface, influencing groundwater recharge and streamflow. Data scarcity has hindered the quantification of PF occurrence and the identification of its drivers across diverse ecoregions. We address this gap by analyzing high-frequency, multi-depth soil moisture data across 17 ecoregions in the USA, using ∼1,500 sensors at 40 sites. We discovered that PF is widespread, with sites experiencing PF in up to 60% of rainfall events ≥2 mm. Multiple approaches consistently show that PF is more likely to occur with increased peak rainfall intensity, finer textured material, low soil moisture variability, humid climate, and higher net primary productivity. This suggests that PF patterns could shift with projected climate changes, increasing uncertainty in predictions of groundwater recharge, water quality, and streamflow generation.

KW - NEON

KW - peak rainfall intensity

KW - precipitation

KW - preferential flow

KW - soil moisture

KW - soil texture

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105018632060

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105018632060#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1029/2025GL118045

DO - 10.1029/2025GL118045

M3 - Article

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 52

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 19

M1 - e2025GL118045

ER -

Ubiquity and Causes of Soil Water Preferential Flow Across 17 Ecoregions

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

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