1. ERDC Knowledge Core
2. Pre - Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)
3. Waterways Experiment Station (WES) - (3/1/1937 - 9/30/1999)
4. Waterways Experiment Station
5. Publication
6. Miscellaneous Paper

Title:	Prediction of soil moisture from soil and weather records
Authors:	U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station
Keywords:	Soil moisture Meteorology
Publisher:	U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station
Series/Report no.:	Miscellaneous Paper (U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station) ; no. 4-338
Abstract:	As part of a study to develop means of estimating the ability of soils to permit vehicular traffic, a method was developed tor predicting the moisture content of soils. Data used in development of the method were obtained from daily soil moisture and weather records kept tor periods of one to two years at 131 sites throughout the United States. Chief influences on moisture accretion in the surface toot of soil were found to be the amount of rainfall and the amount of space available in the soil tor water storage. Moisture depletion rates varied with the moisture content of the soil but followed characteristic curves tor each season. The prediction method was tested on more than 600 sites throughout the United States. Results indicate that this empirical method can be used to predict soil-moisture content of sites tor which the following are known: accretion and depletion characteristics, minimum size storm that will add moisture to the soil, field maximum and minimum moisture contents, and amount of rainfall during the period covered by the prediction. For well-drained sites, the prediction error was less than 0.3 inch of water per 6 inches of soil.
Description:	Miscellaneous Paper
Gov't Doc #:	Miscellaneous Paper No. 4-338
Rights:	Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited
URI:	https://hdl.handle.net/11681/47023
Size:	15 pages / 3.44 MB
Types of Materials:	PDF/A
Appears in Collections:	Miscellaneous Paper