Organic Material and Groundwater Runoff
Organic material in the soil has a tremendous effect upon the process in which the soil handles rain or irrigation.
1) Water: 28,000 gallons = 1 acre inch (650 gallons per 1000 sq ft.)
2) Organic Materials: 1% (in top 6” as measured on soil test) is equal to 20, 000 lbs in one acre
3) Water: generally weighs 8 lbs per gallon
4) Organic Material: holds water @ a 4/1 ratio
So - 20,000 lbs of organic materials (1%) will hold 80,000 lbs of water which is 10,000 gallons.
Thus- a 1” rain on 1% organic material soil could have up to a 60% run off !!! (28,000 gallons of rain and the soil only holds 10,000).
And that’s where erosion comes from.
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