Case Studies > Haddam Demonstration Site > Rain Garden > Results > Moisture

Moisture

This table contains mosture averages (%). During the calibration period, moisture content in the control and treatment gardens was statistically identical for all depths measured. Overall moisture content in the control garden significantly (p=0.001) decreased from the calibration to the treatment period. Lower average moisture was to be expected; the treatment period was drier than the calibration period, and had close to normal precipitation. However, the treatment garden did not follow the same pattern as the control garden. Percent moisture significantly (p=0.001) increased for all depths in the treatment garden due to the creation of the saturated zone. The deepest measurement (30-45 cm) was in the saturated zone; the average soil moisture of 42.8% was close to the calculated porosity of the soil. An increase in the average percent moisture in the saturated zone was expected. However, the moisture content of the upper layers increased as well. The depth of soil above the saturated zone in the treatment garden in Haddam was 36 cm, and was within the possible range of 0-50 cm capillary fringe height typical of loamy sands (Brady and Weil, 1999). Therefore, it is assumed that the moisture increase found in the upper soil layers was due to capillary rise.

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