Below is a water infiltration project my niece did several years ago.
A 50 gallon drum cut in half without a bottom was used. The barrel was
pushed into the ground about 5 inches.
A plastic jug filled with water was
laid down in the bottom of the barrel.
A 9.5 liter jug of water was then
poured on to the jug in the bottom of the barrel to prevent soil disturbance
when pouring in the water. Next the jug was removed and water depth measured at
30 second intervals.
4 tests with a repetition in another area on each
type were done.
Tillage without Nightcrawlers, No-Till without
Nightcrawlers, No-Till with Nightcrawlers, 8 year CRP with
Nightcrawlers.
Once the water had soaked in another 9.5 liters of water was
poured in and timed.
The tilled field is chiseled every other year, sub soiled every so often and
planted to row crops using traditional tillage methods.
Another thing about the No-Till with nightcrawlers test is the middens were
counted.
There averaged 5 to 7 middens in the space of the barrel.