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Vertical Mulch Effects on Soil Water Storage¹

ABSTRACT

Soil water storage for vertical mulch and furrow treatments on level soil surfaces and vertical mulch and nonmulch treatments with microwatersheds was evaluated in a constant temperature laboratory. The vertical mulch treatment on a level surface saved 30 to 40% more of the applied water than the furrow treatment. The efficiency of storage with vertical mulch was reduced by 17% when the surrounding soil surface was wet during water application. A microwatershed with vertical mulch stored 7 to 10% more of the applied water than a microwatershed without mulch. Depth of water infiltration and dry soil surface adjacent to the mulch appeared to be the factors that reduced evaporation losses from vertical mulch treatments. A comparison of scaled evaporation data with the diffusivity curve for the soil used demonstrated that the diffusivity equation was useful for predicting soil water loss by evaporation for microwatershed treatments of this experiment.

¹ Contribution from Northern Plains Branch, Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, ARS, USDA, in cooperation with Colorado State Univ. Exp. Sta. 80521. Scientific Journal Series 1687.

² Soil Scientists, USDA, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521.

Received for publication February 7, 1972. Accepted for publication March 14, 1972.