The Use of a 2-Layer Model to Estimate Soil Moisture Conditions in Kentucky

Abstract

The verification of a simple two-layer soil moisture model using weekly rainfall and temperature is described. An index related to plant-moisture status is computed from the various parameters in the model. Actual reports of field moisture conditions were collected during an entire growing season in Kentucky; these agreed very well with the computed index. Climatological data, for a period of 20 years at Mayfield, Ky., were used to calculate average weekly values of the index at that location. The annual cycle of the index indicates the average time of onset of wet, dry, and favorable soil moisture conditions.