Errors in water retention curves determined with pressure plates: Effects on the soil water balance

Pressure plates apparatus are very common experimental devices utilized to measure the soil water retention curve. Many studies have demonstrated the lack of reliability of pressure plates apparatus when they are used to measure the soil water retention curve in the dry range, due to low plate and soil conductance, lack of hydrostatic equilibrium, lack of soil–plate contact and soil dispersion. In this research, we investigated measurements of soil water retention curves obtained with a combination of Stackman’s tables, pressure plates apparatus and the chilled-mirror dew point technique. Specifically, the aim of this research was: (a) to investigate the differences in the measured soil water retention curves by the different experimental methods, (b) evaluate relationships between the experimental differences and soil texture, (c) analyze the effect of experimental differences on hydraulic properties parameterization and (d) investigate the effects of the different parameters set on water transport computation. The results showed differences in measurements made by the combination of Stackman’s tables and Richards’ pressure plates apparatus as compared to the dew point method, for fine textured soils, while no significant differences were detected for coarse textured soils. Computed cumulative drainage and evaporation displayed lower values if soil water retention curves were obtained from data obtained with the Stackman’s tables and Richards’ pressure plates apparatus instead of the dew point method. In soils, where the soil water retention curve was measured with traditional methods (Stackman’s tables and Richards’ pressure plates apparatus) average cumulative drainage was 173 mm, with respect to a combination of methods including the dew point methods, where the average cumulative drainage was 184 mm. Average cumulative evaporation was 77 mm for the traditional methods, while it was 91 mm, for the combination of methods. Overall, when simulation models are used for studies related to solute transport, polluted soil remediation, irrigation management and others, erroneous measurement of the SWRC for fine textured soils, may lead to erroneous computation of the soil water balance.

► We compared experimental methods for measuring the soil water retention curve.
► Comparative results showed that experimental errors were introduced by traditional methods.
► A relationship between experimental errors and textural properties was established.
► Experimental differences affected parameters estimation of hydraulic properties.
► Hydraulic properties parameters impacted computation of deep drainage and evaporation.