Artificial basins are used to recharge groundwater and protect water pumping fields. In these basins, infiltration
rates are monitored to detect any decrease in water infiltration in relation with clogging. However, miss-estimations
of infiltration rate may result from neglecting the effects of water temperature change and air-entrapment. This study
aims to investigate the effect of temperature and air entrapment on water infiltration at the basin scale by conducting successive
infiltration cycles in an experimental basin of 11869 m2 in a pumping field at Crepieux-Charmy (Lyon, France).
A first experiment, conducted in summer 2011, showed a strong increase in infiltration rate; which was linked to a potential
increase in ground water temperature or a potential dissolution of air entrapped at the beginning of the infiltration. A
second experiment was conducted in summer, to inject cold water instead of warm water, and also revealed an increase
in infiltration rate. This increase was linked to air dissolution in the soil. A final experiment was conducted in spring with
no temperature contrast and no entrapped air (soil initially water-saturated), revealing a constant infiltration rate. Modeling
and analysis of experiments revealed that air entrapment and cold water temperature in the soil could substantially
reduce infiltration rate over the first infiltration cycles, with respective effects of similar magnitude. Clearly, both water
temperature change and air entrapment must be considered for an accurate assessment of the infiltration rate in basins.