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Garden with Insight v1.0 Help: Soil daily water balance group

Patch rainfall and snowmelt today: The amount of water falling on the surface of this soil patch today from rainfall and snowmelt (from accumulated snowfall). If the mean air temperature was at or below freezing, all of the precipitation becomes snowfall, which collects on the soil patch.

Patch snowmelt today: The amount of water entering the surface of this soil patch from the melting of accumulated snow (on this soil patch) today. Accumulated snow melts when the mean air temperature is above freezing.

Patch snowfall today: The amount of precipitation falling on this soil patch today in the form of snow. When the air temperature is at or below freezing, all of the generated precipitation falls as snow and accumulates on the soil patch.

Patch irrigation today: The amount of irrigation water applied to this soil patch today, including both automatic irrigation and watering using tools.

Auto irrigation today: The amount of irrigation water applied automatically today.

Lowest layer in which soil evaporation occurred today: The lowest soil layer in which soil evaporation occurred today. This depends mostly on soil temperature and soil water content.
Percolation through layer today: The amount of water lost from each soil layer today due to the downward percolation of water. Water drains from each soil layer (into the next) when water content in the layer is above field capacity (the amount of water the layer holds when drained).
Sub-surface flow out of layer today: The amount of water flowing out of each soil layer today due to lateral (horizontal) subsurface flow. Increased by greater water content, porosity (pore space), saturated conductivity (water flow rate), and soil slope.
Evaporation from layer today: The amount of water lost from each soil layer due to evaporation. Evaporation depends on different factors depending on which evapotranspiration method is used, but usually is influenced by soil temperature and solar radiation.

Saturated conductivity by layer: The speed at which water movement can take place in the pore spaces of saturated soil. Important in the speed (and thus amount) of downward percolation and lateral (horizontal) subsurface flow of water. Depends on soil strength and soil texture.

Water table depth: The depth below the soil surface at which the soil is permanently saturated with water. Any soil layers that fall below the water table stay at field capacity. Water table depth depends on rainfall and evaporation.

Water table inflow to patch today: The amount of water entering soil layers below the start of the water table due to the rising of the water table (due to rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation).

Cumulative irrigation applied for year: The total irrigation water applied to this soil patch in this year.

Travel time factor for water flow today by layer: This aspect is not used in this version of the simulation.

Travel time for return flow today: The number of days it takes water that was lost from the soil patch from lateral (horizontal) subsurface flow to return based on some other topographical feature of the watershed the soil patch is in. Based on a parameter.

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Updated: May 4, 1998. Questions/comments on site to webmaster@kurtz-fernhout.com.
Copyright © 1998 Paul D. Fernhout & Cynthia F. Kurtz.