Soil Moisture Evaporation Rate Experiment

Question:

Does a standard application of SoilTech reduce the rate of soil water evaporation?

Purpose:

Water conservation is an important factor when scheduling irrigation for lawns, sports complexes, gardens, and flowerbeds. Actual users of SoilTech consistently report significant reduction in water usage within 60 days of application. Reports range from 33-67% reduction.

 

Materials and Methods:

Oklahoma Chandler Clay and Bixby Sandy Loam were treated with just water and also with water and SoilTech. The moisture content of each sample was adjusted to 25%, and 2 kilograms of soil were placed in two-liter beakers. These beakers were kept in a greenhouse and were weighed everyday to document the rate of water evaporation from each sample. Ten replications of each test were performed to achieve an average result.

 

Test Results:

Soil Water Evaporation in a 15-Day Period - Oklahoma Chandler Clay

Treatment	% SoilTech	% Water Evaporation	% Water Evaporation Improvement
Untreated	None	43.6	----
Treated	2.0	25.8	59.2%

 

Soil Water Evaporation in a 15-Day Period - Bixby Sandy Loam

Treatment	% SoilTech	% Water Evaporation	% Water Evaporation Improvement
Untreated	0	57.8	----
Treated	2	35.2	61.9

   

Conclusion:

This test supports a significant reduction of water evaporation in both Oklahoma Chandler Clay and Bixby Sandy Loam. SoilTech aids in conditioning clay soils with a no-till soil preparation method that helps reduce water evaporation. This study supports the claim that SoilTech contributes to water conservation in clay and sandy soils. Commercial and individual users of SoilTech consistently reported being able to water less and still maintain turf color and growth. Arrowhead Sports Complex in Broken Arrow Oklahoma realized a 67% reduction in water evaporation within 60 days of SoilTech application.