Grace Larsen

Annual Water Budget Comparison:
The annual water budgets for the Hava soil series and the Paxton soil series are remarkably similar. They both experience states of surplus in the cold weather season, and states of usage and recharge in the middle of the year. The amount of precipitation received by the Hava soil series has a significantly larger range, seeing close to 325 mm of water at its highest and only 40 mm of water in the summer. On the other hand, the precipitation falling on the Paxton soil series remains rather stable through the year, staying between 110 mm and 78 mm of water.
Plant Available Water Comparison:
The Hava and Bullards soil series have far more plant available water than the Paxton soil series. This is due to the fact that the Paxton series only has three horizons with roots, while the Hava and Bullards series’ have 4 and 5 horizons in the root zone.

Annual Water Budget for Paxton Soil Series
By: Grace Larsen on 11/07/2018

If, for once, there was a drought in humid Connecticut, I would do my very best to protect the Paxton soil series. I would do this by implementing sprinkler and watering systems at the very East of the profile of land. Looking West, the land slopes drastically downward, so I would put the sprinklers on the Eastern edge so the soil soaks in its full potential of water and the surplus trickles downward to the rest of the profile. Additionally, I would hope to foster plant growth, assuming the profile is not currently being actively farmed. I would do this with the expectation that the plant roots would effectively hold water, and therefore decrease the amount being lost by evapotranspiration.
Sources:
Brady, N. C., & Weil, R. R. (2010). Elements of the nature and properties of soils.