Soil moisture - capacitance (EC-10)

Parameter to be measured:

Soil moisture

Method:

Capacitance

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Equipment:

• EC-5
• EC-10 (ECH₂O)
• EC-20

Advantages:

• Relatively cheap
• Easy to install
• Compatible with many loggers

Disadvantages:

• Only for low salinity soils (Decagon has developed newer ECH₂O probes that are less sensitive to salinity issues, e.g. the EC-5)
• Calibration needed

What to watch out for:

• Temperature sensitivity

Links

Projects that used the above equipment:

• HYGRA – The effect of water storage variations on in-situ gravity measurements and their use for hydrology

Other related web sites:

• EC-5, EC-10, EC-20 Manual

Decacon Device Calibrating ECH2O Soil Moisture Sensors

• http://www.decagon.com/Ech2o/
• USGS ECH2O calibration summary
• USGS ECH2O probe calibration protocol (destructive harvest)
• sowacs.com - the central resource for soil moisture measurement