A method of decreasing water evaporation from soil, the method comprising the following two application treatments: introducing a bulk additive to a target soil area; and contacting a top layer of the target soil area with a surface additive, whereby the surface additive forms a layer on the top of the soil, and wherein contacting the top layer of soil comprises spraying an aqueous mixture comprising the surface additive onto the soil, wherein the bulk additive is selected from the group consisting of unwashed guar gum, washed guar gum, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, polyethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, a derivative of any of the foregoing and a combination of any of the foregoing, and wherein the surface additive is selected from polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, guar, unwashed guar gum, washed guar gum, cationic guar, carboxymethyl guar (CM guar), hydroxyethyl guar (HE guar), hydroxypropyl guar (HP guar), carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar (CMHP guar), cationic guar, hydrophobically modified guar (HM guar), hydrophobically modified carboxymethyl guar (HMCM guar), hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl guar (HMHE guar), hydrophobically modified hydroxypropyl guar (HMHP guar), cationic hydrophobically modified hydroxypropyl guar (cationic HMHP guar), hydrophobically modified carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar (HMCMHP guar), hydrophobically modified cationic guar (HM cationic guar), guar hydroxypropyl trimonium chloride, hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyl trimonium chloride, starch, corn, wheat, rice, potato, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, alginate compositions, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, cationic hydroxyethyl cellulose, cationic starch, a derivative of any of the foregoing or a combination of any of the foregoing. introducing a bulk additive to a target soil area; and contacting a top layer of the target soil area with a surface additive, whereby the surface additive forms a layer on the top of the soil, and wherein contacting the top layer of soil comprises spraying an aqueous mixture comprising the surface additive onto the soil, wherein the bulk additive is selected from the group consisting of unwashed guar gum, washed guar gum, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, polyethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, a derivative of any of the foregoing and a combination of any of the foregoing, and wherein the surface additive is selected from polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, guar, unwashed guar gum, washed guar gum, cationic guar, carboxymethyl guar (CM guar), hydroxyethyl guar (HE guar), hydroxypropyl guar (HP guar), carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar (CMHP guar), cationic guar, hydrophobically modified guar (HM guar), hydrophobically modified carboxymethyl guar (HMCM guar), hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl guar (HMHE guar), hydrophobically modified hydroxypropyl guar (HMHP guar), cationic hydrophobically modified hydroxypropyl guar (cationic HMHP guar), hydrophobically modified carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar (HMCMHP guar), hydrophobically modified cationic guar (HM cationic guar), guar hydroxypropyl trimonium chloride, hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyl trimonium chloride, starch, corn, wheat, rice, potato, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, alginate compositions, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, cationic hydroxyethyl cellulose, cationic starch, a derivative of any of the foregoing or a combination of any of the foregoing.