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southern MN | Yup, interesting stuff.
My small neighborhood has that topsoil layer that allows moisture to flow although it is clay based there is some bit of silt and good om in it, then the subsoil to 2-6 feet is flowable but even slower, and then we have 100+ feet of yellow clay that is -very- slow flowing.
Lot of perched type water tables in the bigger area as well.
So most of our soil waters are flowing up and evaporating or transpiring; or flow sideways along clay soil layers. I've heard it takes over 100 years for water to soak through that 100 foot yellow clay layer under us? But a person hears stuff, doesn't meat it's really true.
Improving the top 3-6 feet flow rates really does not help our wet soils issues here in my back yard, tho one wants good soil for many other reasons, and tile can drain a better flowing soil quicker too.
My relatives live on a county ditch system that is actually 10 miles of underground tile covering many thousands of acres, it was designed for 1/4 inch flow. This summer for over 30 days my relatives averaged 1/2 of rain a day. Their top soils are actually somewhat sandy, nice loam, with some clay too. But - the deeper subsoils are heavy clay layers too....
Even with evaporation and very slow water flow into the subsoil, boy was that 1/4 inch drainage inadequate...... boy oh boy.
It's interesting figuring out how this all works, on the many different soil layers and types and conditions are out there.
Enjoy your info.
Paul | |
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How does water move through soil?
