Relationships Between Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity and Morphometric Data of an Argillic Horizon

Abstract

Abstract A method of calculating K sat in pedal soil materials on the basis of morphometric data yielded reproducible results for seven soil peels sampled in the argillic horizon of a Batavia silt loam. Calculated values were reasonably close to those measured in situ with the double tube method. The method was also successfully applied to impregnated horizontal sections through soil cores. Dye studies demonstrated the validity of some of the underlying assumptions of the method, which predicts a strong relationship between core height and measured hydraulic conductivity in pedal soil materials. Experiments confirmed this relationship and a representative core size was defined for the studied horizon using the morphometric data.