This paper deals with the formation of snowmelt-driven floods in two experimental microbasins located in Slovakia’s highlands (300-400 m a.s.l) near the town of Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia in March 2006. The first basin (Rybarik) encompasses an area of 0.119 km2 and is used primarily for agriculture; while the Lesný basin with its catchment area of 0.0864 km2 is characterized as a forested land. The maximal specific outflow from the Rybárik basin was observed on March 28, 2006, with 281.3 l s-1 km-2, peaking at 3 p.m. with 422 l s-1 km-2. In the Lesný basin, the maximum outflow was observed on March 29, 2006, with its peak of 523 l s-1 km-2 at noon. In the second part the long-term trend of snow water equivalent (SWE) modeled by the HBV-light rainfall-runoff model in the Rybarik and Lesny microbasins were evaluated. After the model verification, the daily values of SWE for the period 1965/66-2005/06 were calculated for Rybarik and Lesný microbasins. From the results it follows, that, after a temporal decline in the maxima of snow depth and of SWE in the 1990s, SWE started to increase in 2002 again. The historically highest values of SWE were simulated in both experimental microbasins in the winter season of 2005/06. and V príspevku je analyzovaná tvorba povodňového odtoku počas povodne z topenia sa snehu v marci 2006 na príklade dvoch experimentálnych mikropovodí lokalizovaných vo vrchovinovej časti Slovenska pri Považskej Bystrici (300–400 m n.m.), konkrétne z poľnohospodársky využívaného mikropovodia Rybárik (0,119 km2 ), a zo zalesneného mikropovodia Lesný (0,0864 km2 ). Maximálny meraný špecifický odtok z povodia Rybárik bol 281 l s-1 km-2 28. marca 2006 (vrchol 422 l s-1 km-2 o 15.00 hod.). Maximálny meraný špecifický odtok z povodia Lesný 263,7 l s-1 km-2 bol zaznamenaný 29. marca 2006 (vrchol 523 l s-1 km-2 o 12.00 hod.). V druhej časti príspevku je analyzovaný dlhodobý vývoj vodnej hodnoty snehu (SWE) v povodí Rybárik a Lesný, modelovanej zrážko-odtokovým modelom HBV-light. Po kalibrácii a verifikácii modelu boli modelom vypočítané denné vodné hodnoty snehu za 42-ročné obdobie 1965/66–2005/06. Z výsledkov vyplýva, že po dočasnom poklese maxím vodnej hodnoty snehu SWE v deväťdesiatych rokoch minulého storočia od roku 2002 došlo k opätovnému zvýšeniu vodnej hodnoty snehu. V zimnej sezóne 2005/06 bola vypočítaná najvyššia hodnota SWE od začiatku pozorovaní v oboch mikropovodiach.
Application of compost is known to improve the hydraulic characteristics of soils. The objective of this study was to examine the seasonal and short-term effects of solid waste compost amendments on selected hydrophysical properties of soil during dry and rainy seasons and to explore any negative impacts of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) amendments on soil hydrophysical environment concerning Agriculture in low-country wet zone, Sri Lanka. Eight (T1–T8) MSWC and two (T9, T10) agricultural-based waste compost (AWC) samples were separately applied in the field in triplicates at 10 and 20 Mg ha–1 rates, with a control (T0). Field measurements (initial infiltration rate, Ii; steady state infiltration rate, ISS; unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, k; sorptivity, SW) were conducted and samples were collected (0–15 cm depth) for laboratory experiments (water entry value, hwe; potential water repellency: measured with water drop penetration time, WDPT) before starting (Measurement I) and in the middle of (Measurement II) the seasonal rainfall (respectively 5 and 10 weeks after the application of compost). The difference in the soil organic matter (SOM) content was not significant between the dry and rainy periods. All the soils were almost non-repellent (WDPT = <1–5 s). The hwe of all the samples were negative. In the Measurement I, the Ii of the T0 was about 40 cm h–1, while most treatments show comparatively lower values. The ISS, SW, and k of compost amended samples were either statistically similar, or showed significantly lower values compared with T0. It was clear that all the surface hydraulic properties examined in situ (Ii, ISS, SW) were higher in the Measurement I (before rainfall) than those observed in the Measurement II (after rainfall). Water potential differences in soils might have affected the surface hydrological properties such as SW. However, water potential differences would not be the reason for weakened ISS and k in the Measurement II. Disruption of aggregates, and other subsequent processes that would take place on the soil surface as well as in the soil matrix, such as particle rearrangements, clogging of pores, might be the reason for the weakened ISS and k in the Measurement II. Considering the overall results of the present study, compost amendments seemed not to improve or accelerate but tend to suppress hydraulic properties of soil. No significant difference was observed between MSWC and AWC considering their effects on soil hydraulic properties. Application of composts can be considered helpful to slower the rapid leaching by decreasing the water movements into and within the soil.