Soil moisture observation

Estimate the moisture content with your hands or shoes. Imagine that you place a backpack on the ground or sit down on the ground. Choose the class that best describes what would happen:

• DRY:  You could put the backpack on the ground, and even after a long time, it would still be dry.
• GRADUALLY DAMP:  You could put the backpack on the ground, but after some time, it would slowly get moist.
• GRADUALLY WET:  You could put the backpack on the ground, but after some time, it would get wet.
• IMMEDIATELY WET:  If you would put the backpack on the ground, it would immediately get wet.
• MUDDY:  If you were to step on the ground, you could hear a squeaky sound from the wet soil.
• WELLING:  If you were to step on the ground, you could see water coming out of the ground next to your shoe.
• SUBMERGED:  There is water visible on the surface.
• RAIN/SNOW:  There is snow on the surface, or it is currently raining – this means you cannot make a soil moisture observation.