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Energy and Environment Directorate

Technologies & Products

Water Fluxmeter

A Vadose-zone Water Fluxmeter to Measure Drainage Rates and Water Quality

We have designed, built and tested a device called a water fluxmeter that is capable of directly measuring water flow in draining soils. The water fluxmeter has a large dynamic range, from less than 1 mm/yr to more than 1000 mm/yr. This means that the device is sensitive to drainage rates under almost all conditions, from dry deserts to wet tropical environments. The fluxmeter can be used in a variety of applications that include the following:

  • Farming operations - to measure and control irrigation during a cropping season, to measure fertilizer losses from the root zone and to help improve fertilizer application efficiencies.
  • Recreational facilities - to measure and control excess water and nutrient losses.
  • Waste landfill sites - to advise operators when drainage is occurring and where cover systems need to be improved.

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