Water Infiltration Rate — FarmPal
How quickly water enters the soil. Indicator of structure, compaction, and soil life.
Ideal Range
Good soil: 1" water infiltrates in under 10 minutes. Poor soil: may take hours.
How to Test
Ring infiltration test: Push 6" diameter ring into soil, pour in measured water, time how long to infiltrate.
Improvement Strategies
- •Stop tillage to preserve soil structure and aggregates
- •Use cover crops with diverse root structures
- •Add organic matter to improve aggregation
- •Deep-rooted plants break compaction layers
- •Reduce equipment traffic and avoid working wet soil
- •Integrate grazing for biological trampling effect