Get more out of every field visit
Saturated hydraulic conductivity is a pain to measure in the field. And that’s only the beginning. When you get back to the office, you still have to convert the raw data into hydraulic conductivity and infiltration rates. We think you should spend less time on complexity and more time being productive. That’s why we automated almost everything in the new SATURO.
Set it up, and leave
The SATURO dual-head infiltrometer does almost everything for you. It’s fully automated and doesn’t require post-processing of data. Use the borehole accessory kit to auger a borehole to depths of up to 2 m (6 ft), install the ring, connect the hoses, and push start. It’s that simple.
The infiltrometer automatically measures infiltration rates, and the control unit calculates field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) on the fly. That means if you need a value right away, it’s there. If you want to dig deeper, you can always download the raw data.
Widely adopted
The SATURO has been adopted by the USDA National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Soil Survey Team and the Soil Health Institute as the standard method of measuring saturated hydraulic conductivity. The Soil Health Institute considers it a tier 1 indicator for soil health assessments. Additionally, the SATURO is a standard test method described by ASTM standard D8550-25, making it available for a wide range of civil, geotechnical, and environmental engineering projects.
With this infiltrometer, one person can do everything
Unlike double ring systems, the SATURO infiltrometer is designed for one person to carry and set up. Plus, it requires way less water than other infiltrometer and permeator methods, saving you a ton of time and effort. How? The SATURO ponds water on top of the soil and uses air pressure to create two different pressure heads. It uses a pump to automatically maintain the correct water levels.
No more constant measuring and adjusting
SATURO operates unattended, which means you can get other field work done instead of having to babysit the instrument. And, you can run multiple instruments simultaneously, allowing you to further maximize the efficiency of your time in the field.
Eliminate guessing
Single and double ring infiltrometers require you to know—or guess—the “alpha factor” (soil macroscopic capillary length) to manually correct for three-dimensional flow. The SATURO infiltrometer changes everything. It automates the well-established dual head method which measures infiltration at two different pressure heads to estimate sorptivity. This simplifies the three-dimensional flow analysis, allowing you to determine field saturated hydraulic conductivity without making any dubious assumptions. And the best part is that it does all the calculations for you, saving you hours of tedium.
A simple, precise solution
The SATURO infiltrometer combines automation and simplified data analysis together in one system. It even computes infiltration rates and field saturated hydraulic conductivity on the fly. And the SATURO is recommended by the Soil Health Institute as a standard method for measuring Kfs: a Tier 1 soil health indicator. The SATURO makes life a little easier for those who need a faster, more accurate way to measure Kfs in the field.
