Abstract
ABSTRACT THE water relations of soils often determine their productivity. We measured rainfall infiltration rate on perennial bunch grass cover grown on an undisturbed claypan soil, minespoil, and mixed material from the claypan soil profile placed over minespoil. Rainfall infiltration rate was very low on minespoil and mixed claypan soil. Low intake rate reduced the soil water available for plant growth and was a contributing factor to the deterioration of the grass where the thin sandy A horizon of the claypan soil was absent. The mixed claypan soil was little better than minespoil as a new surface on regraded minespoil. These data also emphasize that erosion of the sandy A horizon of unmined claypan soils may seriously reduce the amount of water stored for plant growth.
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