Soil Physical Properties
8 | Unit 2.1
d) Additional properties influencing infiltration
i. Dryness
ii. Surface fragments
iii. Fire
iii. Slope
- Available Water Capacity (AWC)
a) Field capacity: The amount of water the soil can hold against the flow of gravity
(1/3 bar or 33 kPa). (Also see Unit 1.5, Irrigation: Principles and Practices.)
b) Wilting point: The moisture level at which the soil can no longer provide moisture
for plant growth. (15 bar or 1500 kPa)
c) Measurement (inches/inch or inches/foot)
d) Properties influencing water-holding capacity
i. Texture
ii. Salts
iii. Organic matter
iv. Compaction
v. Soil depth
vi. Coarse fragments
vii. Estimating AWC
Instructor’s Lecture Outline