International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage Commission Interationale des Irrigation et du Drainage



(1097) Field capacity, Normal field capacity, Normal moisture capacity, Maximum field carrying capacity, Field capillary (moisture) capacity, Effective water-holding capacity, Specific retention
1 - The amount of water held in the soil after the excess gravitational water has drained away and after the rate of downward movement of water has materially decreased. Essentially the same as `specific retention`, a more general term used in studies of groundwater, except that specific retention is generally given as a percentage by volume whereas field capacity is usually given as a percentage of weight. Field capacity is sometimes referred to as `normal field capacity`, `normal moisture capacity`, `(maximum) field carrying capacity`, `field capillary (moisture) capacity`, `effective water-holding capacity`. 2 - See 1816 and 5249.

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