Soil Moisture Protocol:
Weight-based (Gravimetric) Measurements
Purpose: Review the technique and placement of required soil moisture samples
Emphasis: Protocol
Total Training Time: 15 minutes
Training Location: Start Inside, move outside
Connections: Gypsum-block depth profile protocol
1) Review site selection criteria
Site Selection is critical
- Safe, accessible
- Representative soils
- Within 100 m of raingauge
- Near-surface sites must be in open area
Other Considerations
- Avoid compacted soils
- Avoid depressions where you might find standing water
- Avoid areas where water from pavement or buildings might occur
2) Review skill-appropriate collection strategies
- Near-surface star pattern
- Transect
- Depth profile
3) Move outside and demo sampling techniques
- Layout star pattern
- Near-surface sampling
- star or transect
- complete ground cover and soil characterization, if possible
- remove biomass, note length of grass
- edge around 10 cm box, 0-5 cm deep
- mix, remove stones and roots
- fill sample can, cover and label
- Depth sampling
- use star
- auger to 8 cm
- sample centered at 10 cm
- fill sample can, cover and label
- continue in same hole to 30, 60, 90 cm
v. Jul 9, 1996