Development of a Laboratory-Scale Lysimeter System to Simultaneously Study Runoff and Leaching Dynamics

Abstract

The laboratory study of water movement and nutrient dynamics associated with agricultural soils has been limited within an experimental setup to either surface investigation or leaching analysis. This study was conducted to develop a laboratory system for simultaneous investigation of surface and subsurface hydrologic and nutrient dynamics within a soil block. The system consists of a square steel casing 61 cm wide and long by 61 cm deep that is driven into the ground with a 1.1 Mg drop hammer, excavated, and undergirded with a 12.7 mm thick PVC plate to capture an undisturbed soil block. Unique features of the lysimeter system include the use of petrolatum (petroleum jelly) to suppress side wall bypass flow and potential chemical interaction with the steel lysimeter walls, and the capability to investigate overland and subsurface flows in one assemblage.