Soil Percolation Studies

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Location: Camarillo, CA

Study Director: H****
Investigator: David H****
3/4/12 Protocol Treatments

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Objectives:

To test various soil products for their ability to increase water percolation in one known soil type.

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Summary:

This trial was performed on a clay-loam soil to explore the ability of eight different products to increase the percolation of water through that soil. All treatments were replicated three times. A column of soil approximately one foot tall was used for each replicate. The soil was treated with both tap water and a 50:50 blend of tap water and the various products tested. One part of solution was added to each column of soil for each test. Columns 1,2,3 and 8,9,10 represent the same data collection twice. Column 11 is the average of the data found in columns 3 and 9. Columns 3 and 9 represent the amount of time in seconds that it took the 50:50 test blend to percolate through the column of soil. Other tests were performed on dry soil, but according to the laboratory personal I spoke with percolation tests are always based on saturated soil. With this in mind the average data found in column 11 indicates that product D (Septic Perc) performed the best providing the fastest percolation of water through the column of soil. Products C, E, and H were a close second in these tests to product D.

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Conclusions: Though this was not meant to be a definitive study this initial evaluation would seem to indicate that product D is your best choice for the percolation rates you are looking for, but products C, E, and H did not performed statistically worse than D. I do believe that product E (Septic Seep) is your current marketed product with this test confirming the ability of it to perform as needed.