2nd Semester, AY 2020-2021

Central Luzon State University

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

Name: LOMIBAO, DARWIN A. Class Schedule: 1:00-4:00 Th

Course/ BSABE 4-2 Date 3/16/2022
Year: Submitted:

ABEN 3412 – IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENGINEERING

Laboratory Exercise No. 1

SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT

Problem Set

Answer the following problems. Show your solution and assumptions. Complete the tables below.
Solutions may be handwritten or computerized. You may use Excel for calculations (submit the
excel file).

1. The maximum rooting depth of watermelon is 150 cm. Soil samples were taken from the
different depths to determine the moisture status of the soil. Determine the moisture content
(dry basis) in the root zone at different depths. (10 points)

Table 1. Weight of soil samples at different soil depths.

Depth, D Fresh weight, FW Oven dry weight, ODW Moisture content, Pw
(cm) (g) (g) (%)
0-30 100.3 93.4 7.3875803
30-60 100.1 93.1 7.518796992
60-90 100.1 92.9 7.750269107
90-120 100.3 93.0 7.849462366
120-150 100.2 92.8 7.974137931

2. Compute for the depth of water for a clay loam soil at different depths given the following
data. (10 points)

Table 2. Apparent specific gravity at different depths for specific soil type.
Depth, D Moisture Apparent Depth of water, d
(ft) content, Pw specific (mm)
(%) gravity, As
1.0 12.1 1.30 47.94504
2.0 13.6 1.33 110.264448
3.0 15.2 1.37 190.414656
4.0 16.0 1.40 273.1008
 2nd Semester, AY 2020-2021

3. Determine the moisture content on a volume basis, Pv, equivalent to various percentages on
the dry weight, Pw, of different soil textures below. For each soil type, assume a value of
apparent specific gravity based on Table 3-2 (Module 1-Lecture Class). (50 points)
Table 3. Moisture percents on the volume basis, Pv, equivalent to various percentages on the dry
weight, Pw, of different texture of soils.
Table 3. Moisture percents on the volume basis, Pv, equivalent to various percentages on the dry
weight, Pw, of different texture of soils.
Pv, %
Moisture
content Clay
on dry
Sandy Sandy Loam
loam Silty clay Clay (Ac:
4. Deter
(As: Loam (Al: mine
basis, (Ac: (As: 1.3) 1.25)
1.65) (As: 1.5) 1.4) the
Pw (%) 1.35)
depth
4 6.6 6 5.6 5.4 5.2 5 of
4.5 7.425 6.75 6.3 6.075 5.85 5.625 water
5 8.25 7.5 7 6.75 6.5 6.25 for
5.5 9.075 8.25 7.7 7.425 7.15 6.875 each
6 9.9 9 8.4 8.1 7.8 7.5 crop
6.5 10.725 9.75 9.1 8.775 8.45 8.125
7 11.55 10.5 9.8 9.45 9.1 8.75
7.5 12.375 11.25 10.5 10.125 9.75 9.375
8 13.2 12 11.2 10.8 10.4 10
8.5 14.025 12.75 11.9 11.475 11.05 10.625
9 14.85 13.5 12.6 12.15 11.7 11.25
9.5 15.675 14.25 13.3 12.825 12.35 11.875
10 16.5 15 14 13.5 13 12.5
10.5 17.325 15.75 14.7 14.175 13.65 13.125
11 18.15 16.5 15.4 14.85 14.3 13.75
11.5 18.975 17.25 16.1 15.525 14.95 14.375
12 19.8 18 16.8 16.2 15.6 15
12.5 20.625 18.75 17.5 16.875 16.25 15.625
13 21.45 19.5 18.2 17.55 16.9 16.25
13.5 22.275 20.25 18.9 18.225 17.55 16.875
14 23.1 21 19.6 18.9 18.2 17.5
14.5 23.925 21.75 20.3 19.575 18.85 18.125
15 24.75 22.5 21 20.25 19.5 18.75
15.5 25.575 23.25 21.7 20.925 20.15 19.375
16 26.4 24 22.4 21.6 20.8 20
16.5 27.225 24.75 23.1 22.275 21.45 20.625
17 28.05 25.5 23.8 22.95 22.1 21.25
17.5 28.875 26.25 24.5 23.625 22.75 21.875
18 29.7 27 25.2 24.3 23.4 22.5
18.5 30.525 27.75 25.9 24.975 24.05 23.125
19 31.35 28.5 26.6 25.65 24.7 23.75
19.5 32.175 29.25 27.3 26.325 25.35 24.375
20 33 30 28 27 26 25
 2nd Semester, AY 2020-2021

shown in Table 5. Determine the most suitable soil texture for each crop based on
literature. Assume values of root depth based on the given range of rooting depth for each
crop), and apparent specific gravity and moisture content based on soil texture and Table
3-2 (Module 1). (30 points)

Table 5. Ranges of maximum effective rooting depth for different crops.

Crop Root depth Soil texture Apparent Moisture Depth
specific content on a of water
gravity dry basis (mm)
(%)
Onion
Eggplant
Cucumbe
r
Potato
Peanut
Sugarcan
e

The following are the depth of root zone of the above crops:
Onion: 0.3 – 0.6 m
Eggplant: 0.7 – 1.2 m
Cucumber: 0.7 – 1.2 m
Potato: 0.4 – 0.6 m
Peanut: 0.5 – 1.0 m
Sugarcane: 1.2 – 2.0 m

Apparent Specific Moisture content Depth of w

Crop Root Depth (m) Soil Texture
gravity on a dry basis (%) (mm

Onion 0.3 Sandy Loam 1.5 8 36

Eggplant 0.7 Sandy Loam 1.5 8 84
Cucumber 0.7 Sandy Loam 1.5 8 84
Potato 0.4 Sandy 1.65 5 33
Peanut 0.5 Sandy 1.65 5 41.25
Sugarcane 1.2 Sandy Loam 1.5 8 144