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Water Movement and Caliche Formation in Layered Arid and Semiarid Soils¹

ABSTRACT

In soils, downward water movement is restricted when finetextured materials are underlain by sand or gravel layers. Water accumulates in arid and semiarid soils at the interface of the fine- and coarse-textured materials and may rarely enter the coarse-textured materials. Calcium carbonate, silica, and other salts are deposited at or near the top of the sand or gravel layers as water is removed by evapotranspiration. With time, silica, calcium carbonates, and other salts become cemented or indurated, forming calcareous crusts at these interfaces. The sands and gravels are not wet uniformly when water does enter, because it enters relatively small areas. Calcareous concentrations may form in these small, wetted areas and may be seen as calcareous cemented columns surrounded by noncal careous sands or gravels.

¹ Contribution of the Agr. Res. Ser., USDA, in cooperation with the Nevada Agr. Exp. Sta., Univ. of Nevada, Reno.

² Soil Scientists, USDA, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89507.

Received for publication September 27, 1972. Accepted for publication December 15, 1972.

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