Soil Type and Land Use Effects on Percolation of Soil Water through Monolith Lysimeters

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Abstract
This paper presents a summary of data on percolation of soil water through monolith lysimeters with an 8‐foot profile covering the period 1938 to 1953. The effects of soil type and land use on percolation are stressed.Soil type influences amounts and rates of percolation. The Muskingum soils, because of their lighter texture, provide greater opportunity for more rapid soil water movement which is reflected in greater amounts and more rapid rates of percolation than on the heavier Keene soils except under the circumstances noted. When all the lysimeters were in grass, the average annual percolation amounted to 16.0 inches on Muskingum silt loam (sandstone); 9.85 inches on Muskingum silt loam (shale); and 8.26 inches on the Keene silt loam. From 83% to 92% of the total annual percolation is obtained during the first 6 months of the year.The expression of annual percolation in terms of percent of annual precipitation minus runoff affords a better comparison of land use effects on percolation. In general, percolation is lowest under corn and wheat and highest under first‐year meadow.Soil conservation practices involving greater crop production have resulted in an appreciable decrease in percolation. This is due largely to the better vegetative cover and growth which removes more water by transpiration thereby leaving a lesser amount of soil water available for percolation.

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