16
For maximum accuracy, you
may choose to perform a soil
-specific calibration rather
than use either of the internal (Standard or High Clay) soil
calibrations coded into the TDR meter’s firmware. In
these cases, an independent soil moisture content meas-
urement is required. A relation can then be developed that
relates the meter’s period reading (see MODE button, pp.
4-5) to actual volumetric water content (VWC). This is
most easily accomplished by doing a regression of one set
of data against another.
VWC data can be obtained with a device such as a neutron
probe, by measuring the weight of a saturated soil column
of known volume as it is gradually dried, or by gradually
wetting a known volume soil with the addition of known
increments of water. In most cases, however, the calibra-
tion will be done with gravimetric sampling. This proce-
dure is briefly described below.
In the field, establish a number of sites to sample. Each
site should be wetted to a different soil moisture content
by adding varying amounts of water. At each site a Field
Scout TDR reading is taken followed by the extraction of
a known volume of soil. Ideally, this would be an undis-
turbed soil core. The wet weight of this soil must be de-
termined. If the soil cannot be weighed immediately, it
should be stored in a plastic bag to reduce evaporation.
The soil is then oven-dried (105
o
C for 48 hours is a com-
mon requirement) and weighed again. The volumetric
water content is calculated as follows:
Appendix 1
Soil-Specific
Calibration
Period = 0950 uS
N015
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