Hydrological properties of soil i.e. texture, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity using ICW Permeameter (Laboratory measurement), bulk density and soil moisture characteristics curves, in the part of Lokapavani catchment which falls under Krishna Raja Sagar Command in district of Mandya, Karnataka are estimated and reported herein. Eighteen locations have been selected in the study area in such a manner that whole study area is covered. The disturbed and undisturbed soil samples from these locations along different depths have been collected and analyzed in the laboratory. Undisturbed soil samples have been used with ICW Permeameter to determine saturated hydraulic conductivity. Disturbed soil samples have been used to determine the grain size distribution, porosity, bulk density and soil moisture characteristic.
Two types of soil texture were found at the surface in the study area. Majority of the study area has sandy loam texture and remaining area has loamy sand texture at the surface. The average value of saturated hydraulic conductivity of sandy loam and loamy sand soils were found to be 0.251 and 0.748 cm/hr respectively, where as porosity were 0.5 and 0.466 respectively. The field capacity, wilting point and available water are of the order of 17.5%, 10.1% and 7.5% for sandy loam and 11.0%, 5.8% and 5.2% for loamy sand soil, respectively. The average values of bulk density for sandy loam and loamy sand were 1.329 and 1.327 (gm/cm3) respectively.
soil texture, hydraulic conductivity, porosity, bulk density, soil moisture characteristic, Lokapavani catchment
