Chapter 19

Plot-scale water balance and soil physics

Outline:

• Plot water balance equation
• Vadose zone concepts
• Volume and mass relationships in soils
• Instruments for measuring matric potential
• Instruments for measuring soil moisture
• Soil water samplers
• Drain gage

Textbook reading:

• Chapter 12: pages 207-223

Other reading:

• none.

Related web links:

• Soil Physics Laboratory Manual
• Soil, Water and Plant Characteristics Important to Irrigation
• Soil Water Concepts
• Matric Potential explanation
• Soil Moisture instruments
  • SOWACS.com- comprehensive site with detailed descriptions of all soil mositure content measurement instruments
  • TDR explained
  • Time Domain Reflectrometry Clearinghouse
  • Neutron Probe explanation
• Matrix Potential instruments
  • Methods for monitoring matrix potential
  • Tensiometer users guide
  • Tensiometer-based irrigation

Video Podcast: Vadose Zone Hydrology

This 44-minute presentation introduces concepts associated with measuring soil water content and matric potential.

• 640 x 480 (480p) format that balances speed and quality. (668 MB file)
• 1920 x 1280 (HD) format that provides larges size and best quality. (4.2 GB file)

Last Chapter  :  Next Chapter