USING SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES TO ESTIMATE HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY

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Abstract
The hydraulic conductivity of a coarse-textured C horizon at 15 sites was measured. The hydraulic conductivity over the soil water potential range of 0 to -10 kPa [kilopascal] was measured in situ with the crust test method, and the data were fit to a simple empirical equation. The resulting regression coefficients were significantly correlated at the 1% confidence level with the precentage of sand, percentage of silt, bulk density and porosity of the soil. An equation based only on the sand content of the soil was developed that described 83% of the hydraulic conductivity variation. The equation also successfully described the hydraulic conductivity of a soil with similar physical properties, but was inadequate when applied to a fine-textured soil. The technique shows potential of serving as an easy, reliable and accurate means for estimating soil hydraulic conductivity.

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