Hydraulic Properties of Some Important Soil Groups of Orissa

Hydraulic and physicochemical properties of twelve soils belonging to Aquic Haplustalf, Aquic Ustifluvent, Typic Plinthustalf, Aquic Ustochrept I, Typic Ustipsamment, Aquic Ustochrept II, Typic Ustochrept, Vertic Ustochrept, Aeric Haplaquept, Ultic Haplustalf, Udic Haplustalf and Typic Haplustalf were studied. Retention (Ψ-θ), penetrability (P), intrinsic penetrability (Pi), sorptivity (S), weighted mean diffusivity (D) and intrinsic weighted mean diffusivity (D) of water in the soils were determined. Water retention and available water capacity were high in Typic Plinthustalf, Aquic Ustochrept I, Aquic Ustoehrept II and Vertic Ustochrept; medium in Aquic Haplustalf, Aquic Ustifluvent, Typic Ustochrept, Aerie Haplaquept and Ultic Haplustalf; and low to very low in Typic Ustipsamment, Udic Haplustalf and Typic Haplustalf. Water transmission properties of the soils under unsaturated condition, viz. D(θ) and K(θ), were evaluated in specially designed plexiglass columns. Scaled soil water diffusivity, D*(θ) and pressure head, h* (θ) versus reduced soil water content, (θ) were developed to estimate D(θ) and h(θ) values.