Hydraulic Conductivity Ranges of Various Soil Types

More Properties

Soil Description Hydraulic Conductivity, k
Imperial (ft/s) Metric (m/s)
min. max. min. max.
Fine Sand6.56E-076.56E-042.00E-072.00E-04
Medium Sand2.95E-061.64E-039.00E-075.00E-04
Corse Sand2.95E-061.97E-029.00E-076.00E-03
Sand; Clean; Good Aquifer3.28E-053.28E-021.00E-051.00E-02
Sand/Gravelly Sand; Poorly Graded; Little to No Fines8.37E-051.76E-032.55E-055.35E-04
Sand/Gravelly Sand; Well Graded; Little to No Fines3.28E-083.28E-061.00E-081.00E-06
Inorganic Silty Fine Sand/Clayey Fine Sand; Slight Plasticity1.64E-083.28E-065.00E-091.00E-06
Silty Sand3.28E-081.64E-051.00E-085.00E-06
Clayey Sand1.80E-081.80E-055.50E-095.50E-06
Alluvial Gravel/Sand1.31E-031.31E-024.00E-044.00E-03
Sand/Gravel; Uniform1.31E-021.31E+004.00E-034.00E-01
Sand/Gravel; Well Graded; No fines1.31E-041.31E-024.00E-054.00E-03
Gravel9.84E-049.84E-023.00E-043.00E-02
Gravel/Sandy Gravel; Well Graded; Little to No Fines1.64E-031.64E-015.00E-045.00E-02
Gravel/Sandy Gravel; Poorly Graded; Little to No Fines1.64E-031.64E-015.00E-045.00E-02
Silty Gravel/Silty Sandy Gravel1.64E-071.64E-055.00E-085.00E-06
Clayey Gravel/Clayey Sandy Gravel1.64E-081.64E-055.00E-095.00E-06
Inorganic Silt; High Plasticity3.00E-101.64E-071.00E-105.00E-08
Silt; Compacted2.30E-092.30E-077.00E-107.00E-08
Inorganic Clay/Silty Clay/Sandy Clay; Low Plasticity1.60E-091.64E-075.00E-105.00E-08
Organic Clay/Silty Clay; Low Plasticity1.64E-083.28E-075.00E-091.00E-07
Marine Clay; Unweathered2.62E-126.56E-098.00E-132.00E-09
Organic Clay; High Plasticity1.60E-093.28E-075.00E-101.00E-07
Inorganic Clay; High Plasticity3.00E-103.28E-071.00E-101.00E-07
Clay3.28E-111.54E-081.00E-114.70E-09
Clay; Compacted3.28E-103.28E-091.00E-101.00E-09
Limestone / Dolomite3.28E-091.97E-051.00E-096.00E-06
Sandstone9.84E-101.97E-053.00E-106.00E-06
Siltstone3.28E-114.59E-081.00E-111.40E-08
Anhydrite1.31E-126.56E-084.00E-132.00E-08
Shale3.28E-136.56E-091.00E-132.00E-09
Permeable Basalt1.31E-066.56E-024.00E-072.00E-02
Igneous/Metamorphic Rock; Fractured2.62E-089.84E-048.00E-093.00E-04
Granite; Weathered1.08E-051.71E-043.30E-065.20E-05
Gabbro; Weathered1.80E-061.25E-055.50E-073.80E-06
Basalt6.56E-111.38E-062.00E-114.20E-07
Igneous/Metamorphic Rock; Unfractured9.84E-146.56E-103.00E-142.00E-10

Representative Values for Hydraulic Conductivity of Soils

Permeability Representative Values

Typical Permeability Classes

Permeability Classes

Notation and Units

Metric and Imperial Units

Page last modified on: 04/07/2024 05:36:37

The above values have been provided with both imperial and metric units. As with all calculations care must be taken to keep consistent units throughout. A guide to Soil Types has been provided by StructX and additional information has been provided below.

Notation

  • k = hydraulic conductivity, ft/s or m/s

Additional Resources

  1. Duffield, G. (2019, June 06). Aquifer testing 101: Hydraulic properties representative values of hydraulic properties. Retrieved from http://www.aqtesolv.com/aquifer-tests/aquifer_properties.htm
  2. H.T. Hwang, S.W. Jeen, A.A. Suleiman, K.K. Lee. Comparison of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Estimated by Three Different Methods. Basel, Switzerland. 2017. Publised online in "MDPI/Journal/Water".
  3. M.A. Lewis, C.S. Cheney, B.E. Odochartaigh. Guide to Permeability Indices. UK. 2006. Open Report.
  4. No Author. (n.d.). Hydraulic Conductivity and related terms. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/hydraulic-conductivity
  5. S.M. Seth. Determination of hydraulic Conductivity of Soils in Central Bihar. India. 1998. Print.
  6. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS). (n.d.). Saturated hydraulic conductivity in relation to soil texture. Retrieved from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/office/ssr10/tr/?cid=nrcs144p2_074846