Please direct all questions and comments to Dr. Christian De Kimpe Soil condition Agricultural soils are a major factor in determining how much water leaves farmland and how it leaves.
Soils have natural characteristics that determine how well they receive and hold water.
Fine-textured soils, like clays, are less permeable to water, but these soils generally have a good capacity to store water. Agricultural management practices also influence a soil's role in determining water quality. Some tillage and cropping practices can degrade the quality of soil, making it less permeable to water and more vulnerable to erosion, both of which can contribute to declining water quality. Others can maintain or build up soil quality and help to control the agricultural effects on downstream water quality.