With regard to the CS650-L and the CS655-L, is there a generic calibration equation for organic soil?

No. The equation used to determine volumetric water content in the firmware for the CS650-L and the CS655-L is the Topp et al. (1980) equation, which works for a wide range of mineral soils but not for organic soils. In organic soils, the standard equations in the firmware will overestimate water content.

When using a CS650-L or a CS655-L in organic soil, it is best to perform a soil-specific calibration. For details on performing a soil-specific calibration, refer to “The Water Content Reflectometer Method for Measuring Volumetric Water Content” section in the CS650/CS655 manual. A linear or quadratic equation that relates period average to volumetric water content will work well.

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