Soil Water Characteristic Estimates by Texture and Organic Matter for Hydrologic Solutions

Hydrologic analyses often involve the evaluation of soil water infiltration, conductivity, storage, and plant‐water relationships. To define the hydrologic soil water effects requires estimating soil water characteristics for water potential and hydraulic conductivity using soil variables such as texture, organic matter (OM), and structure. Field or laboratory measurements are difficult, costly, and often impractical for many hydrologic analyses. Statistical correlations between soil texture, soil water potential, and hydraulic conductivity can provide estimates sufficiently accurate for many analyses and decisions. This study developed new soil water characteristic equations from the currently available USDA…