Measurement and Characterization of Soil Hydraulic Properties

Abstract

This chapter describes how it has become clear over the past two or three decades that in situ measurement of soil hydraulic properties in space and time are essential in dealing with the extreme probability of water and solute movement in the field. It is therefore essential that accurate and practical field methods for measuring these properties be developed. Unfortunately, the complexities of the field environment, the myriad of the objectives and the uses for the data, and the various theoretical and practical constraints of each method seem to ensure that no single method or approach will ever be suitable for all types of soil project objectives. It instead appears that field programs will require a “suite” of methods, which are complementary in terms of accuracy, practicality, parameters measured, flow geometry, depth range and versatility. Although by no means all-inclusive, the infiltrometer, permeameter, and instantaneous profile methods discussed in this chapter form an important core to such a suite of methods.