Demonstrating Effects of Compaction Best Management Practices on Soil Properties and Water Movement

Soil compaction can be a significant yield-limitation and conservation concern. Compacted soils often result in poor drainage, increased runoff, reduced soil aeration and decreased root penetration and subsequent plant-access to available soil moisture. The compaction problem is common on many farms, especially in cool, humid regions of the country with a relatively short growing season. To remediate deep compaction, producers often employ deep tillage, or subsoiling, in an effort to loosen soil to reduce bulk density and allow for deeper root penetration and improved percolation of soil water. Management practices that involve less soil disturbance, such as cover cropping and no-till, can also help remediate and prevent compaction by improving overall soil health and "bio-drilling." Furthermore, soil moisture status within the soil profile, and its susceptibility to compaction or fracture, is commonly assumed without reliable qualitative or quantitative indicators. Demonstrating user-friendly and inexpensive on-farm soil moisture monitoring, and its meaningfulness to compaction prevention, is needed by farmers working to improve soil health. This project will demonstrate how soil health, and specifically structure, available water capacity, and ability to transmit water, are influenced by management practices intended to alleviate compaction.