Both the CS650-L and the CS655-L can detect water as far away as 10 cm in wet sand. That distance decreases as the soil dries down to approximately 4 cm in dry sand. In practice, a depth of 5 cm will give a water content reading that is within the sensor accuracy specification even if a small amount of air near the soil surface is detected and averaged into the reading.
Note: Campbell Scientific does not recommend installing the sensor in a depth shallower than 5 cm.