In-situ soil permeability assessment using a Guelph permeameter

Specifications

• Scope:

  Soil permeability assessment to characterise infiltration capacity and irrigation rate applications and potential surface water impacts using:

  • Falling head ring permeameter for the A horizon
  • Guelph permeameter for the B&C horizons
• Challenge:

  Reliable prediction of in-situ soil permeability is important in the design of irrigation projects to avoid overland flow, offsite movement of irrigation water, erosion and impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Reliable assessment of in-situ permeability is problematic and rarely undertaken.

   
• Solution:

   Verterra identified a combination of permeability assessment approaches, incorporating use of ring permeameters for surface soils and the Guelph permeameter for sub-soils, as an efficient means to rapidly obtain replicant measurements to provide a statistically defined level of confidence in permeability values.

• Benefit to Client:

  This project extended the outcomes of prior Threshold Electrolyte Conductivity (TEC) assessment to provide absolute estimates of infiltration rates and inform unsustainable irrigation design rates.

• Market Sector: Oil and Gas
• Capabilities:
  • Irrigated forest & fodder crops for beneficial use of waste water
  • Groundwater and salinity management
  • Soil surveying and land capability assessment
• Location: Queensland
• Year: 2012