In Situ Ksat Measurements of Five Fragipan Soils

James M. Burr

Date of Graduation

Spring 1999

Degree

Master of Natural and Applied Science in Agriculture

Department

College of Agriculture

Committee Chair

Harry James

Abstract

Soil permeability is a soil property that describes the ability of water to pass through the soil mass. Permeability ratings are used to make land use decisions, especially in the design of on-site septic systems. The present Natural Resources Conservation Service permeability ratings are educated estimates based on soil morphological properties, that is, these permeability ratings have not been determined under field conditions. Five representative fragipan soils located in southwest and southcentral Missouri were selected for Ksat measurements. Fragipan soils were selected because they are the most restrictive soils for water movement. The study area is located on the Springfield and Salem Plateaus, two plateaus of the Ozarks Plateau Province (Bretz, 1965). Using an instrument developed by Dr. Aziz Amoozegar called the Amoozemeter, data were collected on two horizons above the fragipan at three different sites of five soil series. The series include: Creldon (Fine, mixed, active, mesic, Oxyaquic Fragiudalf), Scholten (Loamy-skeletal, siliceous, active, mesic, Typic Fragiudalf), Tonti (Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic, Typic Fragiudalf), Viraton (Fine-loamy, siliceous, active mesic Oxyaquic Fragiudalf), and Hoberg (Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, mesic Oxyaquic Fragiudalf). Of the ninety Ksat measurements collected, nine were within the currently accepted permeability class. The collected Ksat data indicated that the permeability ratings need to be placed into the slow, 0.06 to 0.20 or very slow, <0.06in/hr ranges. To help complete data, further Ksat measurements need to be collected on the benchmark soils in southwest Missouri.

Subject Categories

Agriculture

Copyright

© James M Burr

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