Abstract:In this study, the water flow of red soils in upland field, paddy field, and forest in Yingtan city were studied by the dye tracing experiment and digital image analysis. The parameters of dye distribution characteristics in three fields were quantified and their water flow patterns were defined. The effects of soil physiochemical properties on the water flow patterns were revealed. The results showed that the staining area ratio (SAR) decreased sharply with increasing soil depth. The higher average SAR of 0-60 cm soil layer was observed in paddy field (28.16%) than that in upland field (21.95%), and forest (18.64%), and these differences in SAR mainly happened in 5-25 cm soil layer. The staining path number (SPN) in three fields increased from soil surface to 15 cm soil depth, and then decreased continuously along the soil profile. The highest average SPN of 0-60 cm soil profile was observed in paddy field (20), followed by upland field (12) and forest (9). The soil layer of 0-20 cm depth in three fields were mainly occupied by the type of 1-10 cm staining path width (SPW), and their water flow patterns were defined as the homogeneous matrix flow, heterogeneous matrix flow, and high interaction macropore flow successively along the soil profile. For the soil layers underneath 20 cm, the upland field and forest were mainly occupied with SPW of<1 cm and water flow pattern of low interaction macropore flow and mixed interaction macropore flow. However, the SPW of 1-10 cm and the water flow pattern of high interaction macropore flow were mainly defined for the forest soil below 20 cm depth. The soil saturated water conductivity and water flow characteristics in three fields were strongly depended on the soil pore characteristic, which was mainly affected by the organic matter content, root density and soil particle size. In order to improve the water use efficiency and reduce soil erosion in the red soil area, the methods of breaking the plough pan of upland field, reducing soil crack formation in paddy field by rational irrigation management, and increasing the vegetation diversity of forest would be efficient.