Non-Peer ReviewedSoil hydrophobicity drastically impacts water infiltration, retention and transport.
Hydrophobicity index, a ratio of the sorptivity of water to ethanol, is a common measure
of soil hydrophobicity. The sorptivity may be measured using the disk infiltrometer. The
standard disk infiltrometer is large, cumbersome and expensive while the mini disk
infiltrometer is compact and readily accessible. The objective of this study was to
determine if the mini disk infiltrometer is comparable to the standard disk infiltrometer as
a means of analyzing the soil hydrophobicity index. The soil hydrophobicity index was
calculated from the sorptivities of water and ethanol as determined by both infiltrometer
methods. Results indicate no statistical difference between soil hydrophobicity indices
calculated from the standard and mini disk infiltrometer methods