Soil Moisture Content Calculator

Work out soil moisture content instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Soil Moisture Content Calculator

Gravimetric moisture is water mass over oven-dry mass: 45 g of water in 195 g of dry soil is 23.1%. Multiplying by bulk density converts it to volumetric moisture, 31.2% here, which is the figure irrigation scheduling needs because it reads directly as millimetres of water per 100 mm of soil depth.

Formulas

Gravimetric moisture

theta(g) = (wet - dry) / dry x 100

Volumetric moisture

theta(v) = theta(g) x bulk density

Worked example

With the default values below, Soil Moisture Content Calculator returns Gravimetric Moisture Content of 23.08%. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Wet soil massminimum 0 g: 240 g
Oven-dry soil massminimum 0 g: 195 g
Soil bulk densityminimum 0 g/cm3: 1.35 g/cm3

Results

Gravimetric Moisture Content: 23.08%
Volumetric Moisture Content: 31.15%
Mass Of Water In The Sample: 45.0 g
Water Depth Per 100 mm Of Soil: 31.15 mm

Step by step

1Values used
2Gravimetric moisture
3Volumetric moisture
4Gravimetric Moisture Content= 23.08
5Volumetric Moisture Content= 31.15
6Mass Of Water In The Sample= 45.0 g
7Water Depth Per 100 mm Of Soil= 31.15 mm

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is volumetric moisture more useful?

Because it converts straight into an equivalent rainfall depth, which is what crops and irrigation systems are measured in.

What is field capacity?

The volumetric moisture retained after free drainage, typically 15% in sand and 35-40% in clay. Water beyond it drains away.