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Soil Survey Manual - Table 3-3

Water-state calibration tests on three soil materials differing in texture from central Nebraska

Soil Sand Silt Clay Organic Matter MWR 1500 kPa Water Content Height Ball Penetration Failure Resistance Rod Ribbon Color Value
Pct Pct Pct Pct Pct Pct Pct cm   Mpa cm cm  
Hastings 5 57 38 1.4 26.2 18.8 >UWR   3
  MWR >100 Deform 1.1 7 7 3
  1500kPa >100 Deform Crack 1 3 4
  0.8x1500 50 Pieces Crack No 1/2 4
  Air Dry   5
 
Lockton 53 33 14 1.6 12.9 7.6 >UWR   2.5
  MWR 60 Pieces   No 3 3
  1500kPa 30 Pieces   No 2 3.5
  0.8x1500 10 Crumbles   No No 3.5
  Air Dry   3.5
 
Valentine 82 13 5 1.1 9.4 3.7 >UWR   3
  MWR < 2 Pieces   No No 3.5
  1500kPa < 5 Crumbles   No No 4
  0.8x1500  
  Air Dry   4.5
a. Hastings is a fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Udic Argiustoll; Lockton is a fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Cumulic Haplustoll; and Valentine is a mixed, mesic Typic Ustipsamment. The Hastings sample is a silty clay loam; Lockton is a sandy loam; and Valentine is a loamy fine sand. All are from the upper subsoil. Montmorillonite is the dominant clay mineral. Soil materials with certain other clay mineralogies feel drier at 1500 kPa than do these samples.

b. Both gravimetric. MWR: (10 kPa plus 1500 kPa retention)/2