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Soils - Objectives

Areas

Soils background

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Recognize applications for vadose zone hydrology
  • Describe and classify soils
  • Measure soil moisture in the field and lab
  • Measure hydraulic conductivity and pore pressure in the field
  • Use field measurements to calculate the flow

Soil description

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Characterize soils using USDA and USCS methods
  • Describe soils in a field setting 

  • Katie learning to use a shear vane to measure soil strength

  • Student group in their soil pit 

  • Soil characterization

Pressure and moisture in the soil

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Understand the principles of pressure, moisture content, and flow in soil
  • Measure pressure in the soil in the field
  • Measure moisture content in the field and lab

Hydraulic conductivity of soils

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Understand relative permeability and Darcy's Law in the vadose zone
  • Conduct tests with field permeameters
  • Analyze data from field permeameters and use the results to solve problems

  • TA explaining the operation of Guelph permeameter

  • TA explaining the operation of Guelph permeameter