This grant will support the costs of developing a Feedback Syringe Pump Method (FSPM) for the rapid, precise, and direct determination of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K) and water retention in soil samples. The system will be fully automated and will require minimal operator attention. Phased developments will include: 1) construction of a prototype system to optimize and test various system components and control methods, and 2) development of a system for routine measurements that would accommodate six to eight samples at a time. These activities will involve collaboration between the University of California at Riverside and the George E. Brown Jr. Salinity Laboratory (USDA-ARS) in Riverside. Funds will purchase materials necessary for development of the FSPM and will support part of the salary for the PI and a postdoc. No NSF funding is requested for the activities of the collaborator or the GEBJ Salinity Laboratory. ***
