Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-07-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:55:18Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 silvajunior_hm_me_botfca.pdf: 985374 bytes, checksum: cb99ee317e2bbf5318d8961c31b22a76 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Em irrigação, a uniformidade está relacionada com a capacidade do equipamento em fornecer a mesma quantidade de água em toda a área irrigada. Em sistemas de irrigação localizada, o dimensionamento baseia-se na uniformidade de emissão (UE) pré-estabelecida, que é o resultado conjunto das características do equipamento e de sua configuração hidráulica. Entretanto, este valor desejado de UE pode ou não ser confirmado pelo projeto final, em decorrência da declividade da área e dos diâmetros comerciais da tubulação, que dificilmente coincidem exatamente com aqueles definidos nos cálculos do dimensionamento. Além disso, há uma questão: dimensionar sistemas de irrigação localizada visando obter elevada uniformidade de emissão significa alcançar elevada uniformidade na produção ? Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a relação entre a uniformidade de emissão de projeto e a uniformidade da produção, em sistema de irrigação por microaspersão. A análise de sensibilidade envolveu diferentes declividades, 0%, 3%, 6%, 9% e 12%, e diferentes valores de uniformidade de emissão de projeto, 60% 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% e 94%. Considerou-se um pomar de citros com dimensões de 400m por 600m, com declividade variável na direção do menor comprimento. As linhas de plantio estavam em nível, na direção da maior dimensão. O espaçamento adotado no pomar era de 7m x 4m. A linha de derivação operava sempre em declive e tinha espaçamento regular entre linhas laterais de 7m, sendo que a primeira estava a 3.5m. Observou-se maiores valores de uniformidade da vazão nos maiores valores de declividade, exceto em 12%. Quando se calculou o coeficiente de variação da produtividade utilizando a função de produção para o fator água, verificou-se uma melhoria da uniformidade em todas... / Irrigation uniformity is related to the ability of equipment to provide the same amount of water throughout the irrigated area. In irrigation systems, the design is based on the pre-established emission uniformity (EU) which is the combined result of the equipment characteristics and its hydraulic configuration. However, this desired value of the EU may not be confirmed by the final project, due to the slope of the area and the commercial diameters of the pipe. This study aimed to evaluate the uniformity of design of an irrigation system and its relationship with yield. The sensitivity analysis involved different slopes, 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12%, and different values of emission uniformity, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 and 94% . The design of trickle irrigation was applied to a citrus orchard with dimensions of 400m x 600m, with variable slope towards the shorter length. The tree rows were leveled in the larger direction and the spacing adopted in the orchard was 7m x 4m. The manifold line was always operating on a slope and had regular spacing between the lateral lines of 7m, the first of which was 3.5m. Higher discharge values were observed in the highest slope values except at 12%. When we calculated the variation coefficient of productivity using the production function for the water factor, there was an improvement of uniformity in all the combinations evaluated. Comparing the index performance evaluation, it was observed they had the same pattern performance in all combinations studied. The lowest values were obtained for the indicator emission uniformity and the largest for distribution uniformity, and the Barragan index had intermediary performance. The variation pressure coefficients ranged from 0.02 to 0.33, the flow variation coefficient ranged from 0.01 to 0.17, and production variation coefficients with 60 days of irrigation ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0125

<p> The Penman combination model for potential evapotranspiration, using the improved wind function of Businger (1956), and measured net radiation, was tested for daily and hourly totals, over an irrigated perennial ryegrass surface at Simcoe, Norfolk County, Southern Ontario. The standard measurement of evapotranspiration was the energy balance method, using the Bowen ratio. The component fluxes of the energy balance were evaluated for ninety-seven hours on ten separate days. A comparison is made of two days with markedly different moisture availability to show how the magnitude of the component fluxes changed. Also the effect of the plant on the evaporative flux is examined. On days when water was non-limiting the model gave excellent results for hourly and daily totals: within 5% of measured evapotranspiration. When water became limiting the model overestimated by as much as 30%. It is further shown that the Penman model appears to be more sensitive to changes in the evaporative flux than the water equivalent of net radiation, The relationship of cumulative dry matter production of the crop and cumulative potential evapotranspiration was examined and was found to be linear for most of the field season, substantiating the hypothesis of Penman (1962).</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Com a ascensÃo do paradigma do desenvolvimento sustentÃvel, cresceu a importÃncia das questÃes sociais e ambientais. Hoje, para se dizer que uma atividade està contribuindo para o desenvolvimento sustentÃvel, à necessÃrio avaliar suas implicaÃÃes sociais e ambientais, pois tais dimensÃes sÃo tÃo importantes quanto a dimensÃo econÃmica. A fruticultura irrigada à uma atividade que vem crescendo no Estado do CearÃ, sobretudo em certas regiÃes favorÃveis do Estado. Entre estas regiÃes encontra-se o Baixo Jaguaribe, onde diversas empresas exploram a atividade. Para avaliar, portanto, se a fruticultura irrigada desenvolvida na regiÃo tem contribuÃdo para o desenvolvimento sustentÃvel, procurou-se, nesta pesquisa, avaliar os aspectos sociais e ambientais da atividade. Os aspectos sociais foram avaliados atravÃs de entrevistas com funcionÃrios das empresas produtoras de frutas na regiÃo. Foram entrevistados funcionÃrios que trabalhavam diretamente na produÃÃo (cultivo, colheita e pÃs-colheita), jà que estes sÃo a maioria dos trabalhadores nestas empresas. As entrevistas abrangeram aspectos como: serviÃos de educaÃÃo e saÃde nos municÃpios de residÃncia, habitaÃÃo, aspectos sanitÃrios, posse de bens durÃveis e emprego. Os aspectos ambientais da atividade foram avaliados com base em entrevistas com os tÃcnicos responsÃveis das empresas visitadas. Foram abordados nas entrevistas itens como: utilizaÃÃo de prÃticas de conservaÃÃo do solo, existÃncia de reserva legal na propriedade, controle de pragas e doenÃas, uso de fogo em atividade agropecuÃria, sistema de irrigaÃÃo utilizado, entre outros. A partir das informaÃÃes obtidas foram calculados dois Ãndices: um de qualidade de vida dos funcionÃrios e outro de viabilidade ambiental. A partir desses dois Ãndices, foi obtido um Ãndice de viabilidade sÃcio-ambiental da fruticultura irrigada nas empresas. Ambos os Ãndices base, Ãndice de qualidade de vida e Ãndice ambiental, apresentaram bons resultados. Verificou-se que as condiÃÃes de vida dos funcionÃrios sÃo adequadas e que, em geral, sÃo tomados nas propriedades os principais cuidados ambientais necessÃrios. Assim, o Ãndice de viabilidade sÃcio-ambiental obteve tambÃm um bom resultado, caracterizando a fruticultura irrigada desenvolvida pelas empresas visitadas na regiÃo como ambiental e socialmente viÃvel. Entretanto, para que a atividade contribua de maneira mais significativa para o desenvolvimento do Estado, à preciso que um maior nÃmero de pessoas tenha acesso a ela. Isto pode ser conseguido atravÃs de polÃticas de democratizaÃÃo do acesso à terra e apoio à agricultura familiar, com crÃdito desburocratizado e mais assistÃncia tÃcnica. / With the ascent of the sustainable development paradigm, the importance of social and environmental matters has increased. Nowadays, in order to affirm that an activity is contributing for sustainable development, it is necessary to evaluate its social and environmental implications, because such dimensions are as important as the economic one. The irrigated fruit cultivation is an activity that has been growing in the State of CearÃ, especially in certain favourable areas. Among these areas, there is the Low Jaguaribe, where various enterprises explore the activity. To evaluate, therefore, whether the irrigated fruit cultivation developed in the region has been contributing for the sustainable development, this research tried to evaluate the social and environmental aspects of the activity. The social matters were evaluated through interviews with the workers of the enterprises that produce fruits in the region. Were interviewed people who worked directly in the production (cultivation, harvest and after harvest cares) because these are the majority of workers in these enterprises. The interviews included items such as: education and health public services in the municipalities of residence, housing, sanitary aspects, possession of lasting consumer goods and job. The environmental matters of the activity were evaluated through interviews with the responsible technicians in the enterprises visited. Items such as use of soil conservation practices, existence of legal reserve in the property, plagues and illnesses control, fire use in the agricultural activity, kind of irrigation system used, among others, were included in the interviews. Starting from these information, two indexes were calculated: one of workersâ quality of life and another of environmental viability. Starting from these two indexes, it was obtained an index of socio-environmental viability of the irrigated fruit cultivation in the regionâs enterprises. Both the basic indexes have presented good results. It was verified that the living conditions of the workers are good and that in the properties the most important environmental cares are observed. Thus, the socio-environmental viability index presented a good result as well, characterizing the irrigated fruit cultivation developed by the enterprises visited in the region as environmental and socially viable. However, to allow the activity to contribute in a more significant way to the Stateâs development, itâs necessary that a larger group of people may access it. This can be achieved through policies of land access democratization and stronger support to family agriculture, with easier credit and technical assistance.

AMARAL, Cecília Reis. Análise da viabilidade sócio-ambiental da fruticultura irrigada no Baixo Jaguaribe, Ceará. 2007. 86 f. : Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Programa Regional de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente - PRODEMA, Fortaleza-CE, 2007. / Submitted by demia Maia (demiamlm@gmail.com) on 2016-04-26T12:41:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2007_dis_cramaral.pdf: 1316911 bytes, checksum: a8f19c84eedd2d2d501c28f7b0cf5688 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by demia Maia (demiamlm@gmail.com) on 2016-04-26T12:42:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2007_dis_cramaral.pdf: 1316911 bytes, checksum: a8f19c84eedd2d2d501c28f7b0cf5688 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T12:42:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2007_dis_cramaral.pdf: 1316911 bytes, checksum: a8f19c84eedd2d2d501c28f7b0cf5688 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / With the ascent of the sustainable development paradigm, the importance of social and environmental matters has increased. Nowadays, in order to affirm that an activity is contributing for sustainable development, it is necessary to evaluate its social and environmental implications, because such dimensions are as important as the economic one. The irrigated fruit cultivation is an activity that has been growing in the State of Ceará, especially in certain favourable areas. Among these areas, there is the Low Jaguaribe, where various enterprises explore the activity. To evaluate, therefore, whether the irrigated fruit cultivation developed in the region has been contributing for the sustainable development, this research tried to evaluate the social and environmental aspects of the activity. The social matters were evaluated through interviews with the workers of the enterprises that produce fruits in the region. Were interviewed people who worked directly in the production (cultivation, harvest and after harvest cares) because these are the majority of workers in these enterprises. The interviews included items such as: education and health public services in the municipalities of residence, housing, sanitary aspects, possession of lasting consumer goods and job. The environmental matters of the activity were evaluated through interviews with the responsible technicians in the enterprises visited. Items such as use of soil conservation practices, existence of legal reserve in the property, plagues and illnesses control, fire use in the agricultural activity, kind of irrigation system used, among others, were included in the interviews. Starting from these information, two indexes were calculated: one of workers’ quality of life and another of environmental viability. Starting from these two indexes, it was obtained an index of socio-environmental viability of the irrigated fruit cultivation in the region’s enterprises. Both the basic indexes have presented good results. It was verified that the living conditions of the workers are good and that in the properties the most important environmental cares are observed. Thus, the socio-environmental viability index presented a good result as well, characterizing the irrigated fruit cultivation developed by the enterprises visited in the region as environmental and socially viable. However, to allow the activity to contribute in a more significant way to the State’s development, it’s necessary that a larger group of people may access it. This can be achieved through policies of land access democratization and stronger support to family agriculture, with easier credit and technical assistance. / Com a ascensão do paradigma do desenvolvimento sustentável, cresceu a importância das questões sociais e ambientais. Hoje, para se dizer que uma atividade está contribuindo para o desenvolvimento sustentável, é necessário avaliar suas implicações sociais e ambientais, pois tais dimensões são tão importantes quanto a dimensão econômica. A fruticultura irrigada é uma atividade que vem crescendo no Estado do Ceará, sobretudo em certas regiões favoráveis do Estado. Entre estas regiões encontra-se o Baixo Jaguaribe, onde diversas empresas exploram a atividade. Para avaliar, portanto, se a fruticultura irrigada desenvolvida na região tem contribuído para o desenvolvimento sustentável, procurou-se, nesta pesquisa, avaliar os aspectos sociais e ambientais da atividade. Os aspectos sociais foram avaliados através de entrevistas com funcionários das empresas produtoras de frutas na região. Foram entrevistados funcionários que trabalhavam diretamente na produção (cultivo, colheita e pós-colheita), já que estes são a maioria dos trabalhadores nestas empresas. As entrevistas abrangeram aspectos como: serviços de educação e saúde nos municípios de residência, habitação, aspectos sanitários, posse de bens duráveis e emprego. Os aspectos ambientais da atividade foram avaliados com base em entrevistas com os técnicos responsáveis das empresas visitadas. Foram abordados nas entrevistas itens como: utilização de práticas de conservação do solo, existência de reserva legal na propriedade, controle de pragas e doenças, uso de fogo em atividade agropecuária, sistema de irrigação utilizado, entre outros. A partir das informações obtidas foram calculados dois índices: um de qualidade de vida dos funcionários e outro de viabilidade ambiental. A partir desses dois índices, foi obtido um índice de viabilidade sócio-ambiental da fruticultura irrigada nas empresas. Ambos os índices base, índice de qualidade de vida e índice ambiental, apresentaram bons resultados. Verificou-se que as condições de vida dos funcionários são adequadas e que, em geral, são tomados nas propriedades os principais cuidados ambientais necessários. Assim, o índice de viabilidade sócio-ambiental obteve também um bom resultado, caracterizando a fruticultura irrigada desenvolvida pelas empresas visitadas na região como ambiental e socialmente viável. Entretanto, para que a atividade contribua de maneira mais significativa para o desenvolvimento do Estado, é preciso que um maior número de pessoas tenha acesso a ela. Isto pode ser conseguido através de políticas de democratização do acesso à terra e apoio à agricultura familiar, com crédito desburocratizado e mais assistência técnica.

The effect of furrow spacing on infiltration should be determined in order to properly design an irrigation system. The blocked furrow infiltrometer (BFI) and the flowing furrow infiltrometer (FFI) methods were investigated for this purpose in two areas upon a precision field furrow. Three irrigations were performed in each method. The initial and final soil moisture contents (before and after irrigation), the furrow cross-section (before and after irrigation), the inflow volume and the furrow water surface elevations (during irrigation) were measured in each test furrow. Cumulative infiltration and infiltration rates were determined for each irrigation. The results indicate that the FFI test furrows infiltrated more water than did the BFI test furrows for the same infiltration time. The infiltration rates were higher in the FFI test furrows than in the BFI test furrows until they approach the basic intake rate. The infiltration rates were also higher during the 0.90 m spacing tests than during the 1.80 m spacing tests. The 0.90 m spacing test furrows infiltrated more water than did the 1.80 m spacing test furrows.

Master of Science / Department of Agronomy / Loyd R. Stone / Corn (Zea mays L.) yields are often reduced by limited pumping capacity of irrigation wells drawing from the High Plains Aquifer. As a result of decreased well capacities in this region, many irrigation systems no longer have the ability to meet peak irrigation (water) needs during the growing season. The purpose of this study was to measure easily identifiable plant characteristics of corn hybrids and relate those characteristics with the ability to maintain yield under water-limited conditions. This study involved measuring several plant characteristics of 18 corn hybrids grown under irrigated and dryland conditions near Tribune, KS during the growing seasons of 2005, 2006, and 2007. During each year, hot and dry conditions occurred during silking which resulted in large differences, and many poor yields, in the dryland plots. The number of days and growing degree days (GDD) to initiation of silking were the variables most strongly correlated with grain yield in the dryland environment. The shorter the time it took to reach initiation of silking the greater the grain yield. The number of days, or the GDD, to initiation of silking in irrigated environments did not have a significant correlation with corn grain yield. Other characteristics including canopy temperature, PAR (photosynthetically active radiation), color, leaf angle, number of internodes, number of leaves, and leaf N had no significant correlation with corn grain yield for either dryland or irrigated environments in 2005 and 2006. In this study using hybrids with maturity ratings between 98 and 118 d, there were no significant differences in grain yield in the irrigated environment. In the dryland environment, the hybrids used (98 – 118 d) in this study resulted in a decrease in grain yield with an increase in maturity. By considering the maturity of a hybrid, a producer will potentially be able to better select a variety that will perform well in a growing season with potential or likely severe water cutbacks as a result of limited water supply or reduced well capacity.

A zero inertia mathematical model as described by Strelkoff and Katopodes (1977b) was used to simulate irrigations in blocked-end or ponded sloping borders. The model is based on the assumption that inertia is negligible. A linearization method was then used to decrease the difficulty and expense of the solution. The resulting mathematical expressions were solved with a double sweep technique. Border irrigations were simulated, using the model, for selected intake families (soil infiltration characteristics), required depths of infiltration, discharge rates, lengths, times of application, slopes, and roughness values. The output from the model, including the depth of infiltration, the maximum depth of flow at the upper end of the border, the maximum depth of ponding at the downstream end and the application efficiency, was used to develop the design charts for ponded sloping irrigation borders. These were combined with the operational input parameters to provide the design charts for a given intake family, slope and roughness. Since the same input parameters apply, the design charts developed can be used for ponded or free outflow borders. In cases of free outflow borders, ponding is replaced by runoff. Ponding can improve application efficiency over free outflow borders, provided that ponding affects a significant length of the border. Where runoff can not be reused, ponding or end-blocking a border strip is recommended. The maximum potential application efficiencies, on ponded borders, with adequate irrigation and minimum deep percolation were determined, with respect to intake family, required depth of infiltration, slope, roughness and length of run. A sensitivity analyses to evaluate the effect of infiltration showed that it is better to underestimate than to overestimate infiltration. The effects of roughness and slope on irrigation efficiencies and depth of ponding were also studied. A comparison of the Soil Conservation Service method for extended length, with blocked-end borders, and the maximum application efficiencies computed showed the SCS method to be satisfactory, provided that there is runoff adequate to irrigate the length extended.

Selected components of the water and energy balances at the surface of a bare clay loam were measured at 57 locations in a 1 ha field. Spatial and temporal variability of these components were also studied. Components included evaporation, irrigation, moisture storage, sensible heat flux and long wave radiation. Sub-studies were conducted on irrigation uniformity under low pressure sprinklers; and, on steel versus plastic microlysimeters (ML) of various lengths. An energy balance model of evaporation, requiring minimal inputs, was developed and validated giving an r$\sp2$ value of 0.78. Model improvements included an easy method of accurately estimating soil surface temperature at many points in a field, and an empirically fitted transfer coefficient function for the sensible heat flux from the reference dry soil. The omission of soil heat flux and reflected shortwave radiation terms was shown to reduce model accuracy. Steel ML underestimated cumulative evaporation compared to plastic ML at 20 and 30 cm lengths. Cumulative evaporation increased with ML length. The 10 and 20 cm ML were too short for use over multiple days but 30 cm ML may not be long enough for extended periods. Daily net soil heat flux for steel ML averaged 44% higher than that for both plastic ML and undisturbed field soil. Christiansen's uniformity coefficient (UCC) was close to 0.83 for each of 3 irrigations when measured by both catch cans and by profile water contents. But UCC for the change in storage due to irrigation averaged only 0.43 indicating than the high uniformity of profile water contents was more due to surface and subsurface redistribution than to the uniformity of application. Profile water contents and catch can depths were time invariant across at least 3 irrigations. Midday soil surface temperatures and daily evaporation were somewhat less time invariant. Variogram plots for evaporation and surface temperature showed mostly random behavior. Relative variograms represented well the spatial variability of both catch can depths and profile water contents. A strong link was demonstrated between the time invariance of a variable and the usefulness of kriging on that variable.

Trickle irrigation is the latest technique to efficiently apply irrigation water to plants. It is selected over other irrigation systems when water is scarce or expensive, the soils are very permeable or cannot be leveled, and crop values are high or require specialized cultural practices. Trickle irrigation is also very popular in commercial landscaping because of its ease for automation. Plant growth is optimized when the soil water content is near field capacity so that adequate water and oxygen are available to the plant root. Thus, the knowledge of moisture movement from a point source is most critical in designing, operating and managing a trickle irrigation system. This knowledge could help improve the irrigation efficiency so that maximum growth and production could be achieved per unit of water. A simple procedure was developed which reasonably predicted the wetted soil volume, lateral movement and vertical movement of water from a point source. The underlying assumptions are that the soil moisture in the wetted profile approximates field capacity and trickle irrigation is defined to exclude large flow rates which would cause excessive ponding and surface runoff or small flow rates which would not increase the soil moisture so it can approach field capacity. Moisture contents in excess of field capacity would be lost to deep percolation because of gravity. This procedure was verified with field tests on a Superstition Fine Sand soil and in the laboratory on a Gadsden Clay soil. The moisture movement in the soil from a trickle source is more a function of the water volume applied than the rate at which it was applied. Higher flow rates can cause greater moisture contents in the soil during the application but the values decrease and approach water contents from lower flow rates if given similar redistribution periods. It is expected that the procedure for predicting wetted soil volume, lateral movement and vertical movement can be used by both designers and managers of trickle irrigation systems. Estimates of the soil moisture contents and volume of water applied are needed. Greater accuracy in predicting the moisture movement can be attained by some simple measurements in the field. The procedure resulting from this study is more advantageous over the mathematical models which require complicated unsaturated hydraulic conductivity functions and high-speed computers to solve them.

Spatial variation of in situ available water content was studied along with related parameters over three 16-ha irrigated fields. The fields, two near Marana (Pima County, Arizona) and one near Casa Grande (Pillai County), range in texture from very fine loam to loamy sand. All soil series present are mapped as Entisols or Aridisols. A 50-m grid provided 56 sampling sites in each field. Each site was sampled at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 cm. Samples were collected from each field following a heavy irrigation in March 1977. Bulk samples were collected two days and four weeks after the application of approximately 300 mm of water, to determine in situ water content at field capacity and moisture redistribution with time. Related parameters such as particle size distribution and soil water characteristics were also studied. Bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity were determined from undisturbed, core samples. The measured parameters showed different patterns of variation within the same field as well as from one field to the other. Spatial variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity was the highest for which coefficient of variability (CV) ranged upward to 108%. Bulk density, on the other hand, showed the lowest coefficient of variability, as low as 5%. The in situ available water content (AWC), estimated by subtracting moisture content at 15 bars from the corresponding in situ FC values, showed a general tendency to increase with depth corresponding to the increase in percent silt plus sand with depth in all three fields. The coefficient of correlation between the two parameters was high (up to 0.70). The mean values of AWC as estimated using 0.1 bar values for field capacity in the laboratory were consistently higher than the in situ values. The values were within 25 - 35% of each other in Fields 1 and 2, while in the sandier soil of Field 3, the AWC was overestimated by an average of 74% in the laboratory. The CV showed an irregular tendency to increase with depth, but was consistently high in the 150 cm layer in all three fields. Values estimated in the laboratory showed lower CV and higher correlations with soil separates than in situ AWC in all three fields. These two observations can be attributed to the elimination of in situ factors such as texture stratification, compaction, and/or amount of water applied. Agricultural soil formed on water transported material at 0.1 bar were highly correlated with sand (r = -0.8) and the 15 bar values were better correlated with clay (r = 0.5). Also, the coefficient of variability increased consistently with decreases in moisture content. The analysis of variance showed the three fields to be heterogeneous. The variation for within and between the 5 depth groups was significant. A two-way interaction between depths and subareas within each field accounted for 44, 45 and 38% of the total variability in Fields 1, 2, and 3 respectively. Cumulative frequency distribution plots, full normal plots, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests of goodness-of-fit, tests of skewness and tests of kurtosis were conducted to test the null hypothesis of normal distribution for each parameter. The full normal plots, being sensitive to deviations from normality, rejected the null hypothesis in all cases with few exceptions. They showed the data tends to be skewed to the right and/or kurtic. The alternative frequency distribution of the parameters indicated the data to be asymmetric, short tailed with the exception of percent sand which was symmetric, short tailed for all three fields. A power transformation is suggested as a possibility for transforming the data to get near normal distribution.