Re: Aquaflex soil moisture sensor

[Rick Allen <AllenRic@cc.usu.edu>]

I appreciated reading Adrian Orloff's latest response regarding the
Aquaflex.  I have one additional question that I would like Adrian's opinion
on.   Can the Aquaflex be installed vertically, either to a 3 m depth, or in
a U or V shape to 1.5 m, so as to integrate water content in a complete root
zone?  This would be quite valuable in ET research and monitoring.  Or do
layering or other changes in texture or water content with depth cause problems?

By the way, I was curious as to whether changes in horizontal distribution
of water in the flooded pasture that Adrian described (or under drip
irrigation) cause any change in the way that the Aquaflex will determine the
average water content along it's 3 m length.  In other words, if water is
nonuniformily added from irrigation to only part of the 3 m length, as this
water is extracted, so that the spatial distribution of magnitude of water
content changes over time, what impact does this have?

Also, I was curious on the role that roots and tubers play on the aquiflex
readings.  I presume that it would be similar to other sensors that read
integrated water content, in that the water content of the tuber would
impact any readings.

Thanks for your thoughts and comments, Adrian.

Rick Allen
Utah State University