Infiltration rates on residential lawns in central Pennsylvania

Home lawns account for a large portion of the pervious segments of urbanized watersheds. Soil movement and compaction during building construction processes alter soil physical properties, and thus, change hydrologic characteristics of the area. This research quantified the infiltration rates of 15 home lawns in central Pennsylvania and correlated the infiltration rates with selected turf and soil characteristics. Average infiltration rates ranged from 0.4 to 10.0 cm/hr (0.16 to 3.94 in/hr). Correlations with grass tiller density, soil bulk density, and percentages of sand, silt, and clay were not significant. Excavation procedures and lawn establishment methods appear to affect infiltration of home lawns more than any other factors.