Variability in surface moisture content along a hillslope transect: Rattlesnake Hill, Texas

Surface soil moisture content exhibits a high degree of spatial and temporal variability. The purpose of this study was (a) to characterize variations in moisture content in the 0–5 cm surface soil layer along a hillslope transect by means of intensive sampling in both space and time; and (b) to make inferences regarding the environmental factors that influence this variability. Over a period of seven months, soil moisture content was measured (gravimetric method) on a near-daily basis at 10 m intervals along a 200 m downslope transect at the Rattlesnake Hill field site in Austin, Texas. Results indicate that significant variability in soil moisture content exists along the length of the transect; that variability decreases with decreasing transect-mean moisture content as the hillslope dries down following rain events; and that the dominant influences on moisture content variability are dependent upon the moisture conditions on the hillslope. While topographic and soil attributes operate jointly to redistribute soil water following storm events, under wet conditions, variability in surface moisture content is most strongly influenced by porosity and hydraulic conductivity, and under dry conditions, correlations are strongest to relative elevation, aspect and clay content. Consequently, the dominant influence on soil moisture variability gradually changes from soil heterogeneity to joint control by topographic and soil properties as the transect dries following significant rain events.