Frozen soil study reveals impact of climate change on water movement.
Hydraulic conductivity was measured in frozen and unfrozen soil conditions in the Red River of the North basin using a minidisk infiltrometer. The study found that frozen sandy loam soil had the highest hydraulic conductivity, while frozen silty clay soil had the lowest. Three equations were developed to predict frozen soil hydraulic conductivity for the different soil types. Freeze-thaw cycles were shown to reduce soil hydraulic conductivity.