Which soil type has an AWHC of 0.20 inches of water per inch of soil?

• A. Medium soil
• B. Coarse soil
• C. Fine texture soil
• D. Very fine soil

Answer: (A)

Available water-holding capacity (AWHC) is the amount of plant-available water a soil can store per inch of soil, measured between field capacity and wilting point. Soil texture governs how much water those pore spaces can hold: coarse soils drain quickly and hold less water, while finer textures trap more water and hold more overall. An AWHC around 0.20 inches per inch of soil sits at a moderate level—typical for a medium-texture soil that isn’t too sandy or too clayey. So the soil type with that AWHC is medium soil.