RETC
RETC is a computer program which may be used to analyze the soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity functions of unsaturated soils. These hydraulic properties are key parameters in any quantitative description of water flow into and through the unsaturated zone of soils. The program uses the parametric models of Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten to represent the soil water retention curve, and the theoretical pore-size distribution models of Mualem and Burdine to predict the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function from observed soil water retention data. The program comes with a manual which gives a detailed discussion of the different analytical expressions used for quantifying the soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity functions. A brief review is also given of the nonlinear least-squares parameter optimization method used for estimating the unknown coefficients in the hydraulic models. The RETC program may be used to predict the hydraulic conductivity from observed soil water retention data assuming that one observed conductivity value (not necessarily at saturation) is available.
The program also permits one to fit analytical functions simultaneously to observed water retention and hydraulic conductivity data. Several examples are presented to illustrate a variety of program options.
The program comes with a user manual giving detailed information about the computer program along with instructions for data input preparation and listings of sample input and output files. A listing of the source code is also provided.
Resources in this dataset:
Resource Title: RETC download page.
File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/software/download/?softwareid=100&modecode=20-36-15-00
Funding
USDA-ARS
History
Data contact name
Skaggs, ToddData contact email
Todd.Skaggs@ars.usda.govPublisher
United States Department of AgricultureTemporal Extent Start Date
1991-01-01Theme
- Not specified
Geographic Coverage
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"geometry":{"type":"MultiPolygon","coordinates":[[[[-155.54211,19.08348],[-155.68817,18.91619],[-155.93665,19.05939],[-155.90806,19.33888],[-156.07347,19.70294],[-156.02368,19.81422],[-155.85008,19.97729],[-155.91907,20.17395],[-155.86108,20.26721],[-155.78505,20.2487],[-155.40214,20.07975],[-155.22452,19.99302],[-155.06226,19.8591],[-154.80741,19.50871],[-154.83147,19.45328],[-155.22217,19.23972],[-155.54211,19.08348]]],[[[-156.07926,20.64397],[-156.41445,20.57241],[-156.58673,20.783],[-156.70167,20.8643],[-156.71055,20.92676],[-156.61258,21.01249],[-156.25711,20.91745],[-155.99566,20.76404],[-156.07926,20.64397]]],[[[-156.75824,21.17684],[-156.78933,21.06873],[-157.32521,21.09777],[-157.25027,21.21958],[-156.75824,21.17684]]],[[[-157.65283,21.32217],[-157.70703,21.26442],[-157.7786,21.27729],[-158.12667,21.31244],[-158.2538,21.53919],[-158.29265,21.57912],[-158.0252,21.71696],[-157.94161,21.65272],[-157.65283,21.32217]]],[[[-159.34512,21.982],[-159.46372,21.88299],[-159.80051,22.06533],[-159.74877,22.1382],[-159.5962,22.23618],[-159.36569,22.21494],[-159.34512,21.982]]],[[[-94.81758,49.38905],[-94.64,48.84],[-94.32914,48.67074],[-93.63087,48.60926],[-92.61,48.45],[-91.64,48.14],[-90.83,48.27],[-89.6,48.01],[-89.272917,48.019808],[-88.378114,48.302918],[-87.439793,47.94],[-86.461991,47.553338],[-85.652363,47.220219],[-84.87608,46.900083],[-84.779238,46.637102],[-84.543749,46.538684],[-84.6049,46.4396],[-84.3367,46.40877],[-84.14212,46.512226],[-84.091851,46.275419],[-83.890765,46.116927],[-83.616131,46.116927],[-83.469551,45.994686],[-83.592851,45.816894],[-82.550925,45.347517],[-82.337763,44.44],[-82.137642,43.571088],[-82.43,42.98],[-82.9,42.43],[-83.12,42.08],[-83.142,41.975681],[-83.02981,41.832796],[-82.690089,41.675105],[-82.439278,41.675105],[-81.277747,42.209026],[-80.247448,42.3662],[-78.939362,42.863611],[-78.92,42.965],[-79.01,43.27],[-79.171674,43.466339],[-78.72028,43.625089],[-77.737885,43.629056],[-76.820034,43.628784],[-76.5,44.018459],[-76.375,44.09631],[-75.31821,44.81645],[-74.867,45.00048],[-73.34783,45.00738],[-71.50506,45.0082],[-71.405,45.255],[-71.08482,45.30524],[-70.66,45.46],[-70.305,45.915],[-69.99997,46.69307],[-69.237216,47.447781],[-68.905,47.185],[-68.23444,47.35486],[-67.79046,47.06636],[-67.79134,45.70281],[-67.13741,45.13753],[-66.96466,44.8097],[-68.03252,44.3252],[-69.06,43.98],[-70.11617,43.68405],[-70.645476,43.090238],[-70.81489,42.8653],[-70.825,42.335],[-70.495,41.805],[-70.08,41.78],[-70.185,42.145],[-69.88497,41.92283],[-69.96503,41.63717],[-70.64,41.475],[-71.12039,41.49445],[-71.86,41.32],[-72.295,41.27],[-72.87643,41.22065],[-73.71,40.931102],[-72.24126,41.11948],[-71.945,40.93],[-73.345,40.63],[-73.982,40.628],[-73.952325,40.75075],[-74.25671,40.47351],[-73.96244,40.42763],[-74.17838,39.70926],[-74.90604,38.93954],[-74.98041,39.1964],[-75.20002,39.24845],[-75.52805,39.4985],[-75.32,38.96],[-75.071835,38.782032],[-75.05673,38.40412],[-75.37747,38.01551],[-75.94023,37.21689],[-76.03127,37.2566],[-75.72205,37.93705],[-76.23287,38.319215],[-76.35,39.15],[-76.542725,38.717615],[-76.32933,38.08326],[-76.989998,38.239992],[-76.30162,37.917945],[-76.25874,36.9664],[-75.9718,36.89726],[-75.86804,36.55125],[-75.72749,35.55074],[-76.36318,34.80854],[-77.397635,34.51201],[-78.05496,33.92547],[-78.55435,33.86133],[-79.06067,33.49395],[-79.20357,33.15839],[-80.301325,32.509355],[-80.86498,32.0333],[-81.33629,31.44049],[-81.49042,30.72999],[-81.31371,30.03552],[-80.98,29.18],[-80.535585,28.47213],[-80.53,28.04],[-80.056539,26.88],[-80.088015,26.205765],[-80.13156,25.816775],[-80.38103,25.20616],[-80.68,25.08],[-81.17213,25.20126],[-81.33,25.64],[-81.71,25.87],[-82.24,26.73],[-82.70515,27.49504],[-82.85526,27.88624],[-82.65,28.55],[-82.93,29.1],[-83.70959,29.93656],[-84.1,30.09],[-85.10882,29.63615],[-85.28784,29.68612],[-85.7731,30.15261],[-86.4,30.4],[-87.53036,30.27433],[-88.41782,30.3849],[-89.18049,30.31598],[-89.593831,30.159994],[-89.413735,29.89419],[-89.43,29.48864],[-89.21767,29.29108],[-89.40823,29.15961],[-89.77928,29.30714],[-90.15463,29.11743],[-90.880225,29.148535],[-91.626785,29.677],[-92.49906,29.5523],[-93.22637,29.78375],[-93.84842,29.71363],[-94.69,29.48],[-95.60026,28.73863],[-96.59404,28.30748],[-97.14,27.83],[-97.37,27.38],[-97.38,26.69],[-97.33,26.21],[-97.14,25.87],[-97.53,25.84],[-98.24,26.06],[-99.02,26.37],[-99.3,26.84],[-99.52,27.54],[-100.11,28.11],[-100.45584,28.69612],[-100.9576,29.38071],[-101.6624,29.7793],[-102.48,29.76],[-103.11,28.97],[-103.94,29.27],[-104.45697,29.57196],[-104.70575,30.12173],[-105.03737,30.64402],[-105.63159,31.08383],[-106.1429,31.39995],[-106.50759,31.75452],[-108.24,31.754854],[-108.24194,31.34222],[-109.035,31.34194],[-111.02361,31.33472],[-113.30498,32.03914],[-114.815,32.52528],[-114.72139,32.72083],[-115.99135,32.61239],[-117.12776,32.53534],[-117.295938,33.046225],[-117.944,33.621236],[-118.410602,33.740909],[-118.519895,34.027782],[-119.081,34.078],[-119.438841,34.348477],[-120.36778,34.44711],[-120.62286,34.60855],[-120.74433,35.15686],[-121.71457,36.16153],[-122.54747,37.55176],[-122.51201,37.78339],[-122.95319,38.11371],[-123.7272,38.95166],[-123.86517,39.76699],[-124.39807,40.3132],[-124.17886,41.14202],[-124.2137,41.99964],[-124.53284,42.76599],[-124.14214,43.70838],[-124.020535,44.615895],[-123.89893,45.52341],[-124.079635,46.86475],[-124.39567,47.72017],[-124.68721,48.184433],[-124.566101,48.379715],[-123.12,48.04],[-122.58736,47.096],[-122.34,47.36],[-122.5,48.18],[-122.84,49],[-120,49],[-117.03121,49],[-116.04818,49],[-113,49],[-110.05,49],[-107.05,49],[-104.04826,48.99986],[-100.65,49],[-97.22872,49.0007],[-95.15907,49],[-95.15609,49.38425],[-94.81758,49.38905]]],[[[-153.006314,57.115842],[-154.00509,56.734677],[-154.516403,56.992749],[-154.670993,57.461196],[-153.76278,57.816575],[-153.228729,57.968968],[-152.564791,57.901427],[-152.141147,57.591059],[-153.006314,57.115842]]],[[[-165.579164,59.909987],[-166.19277,59.754441],[-166.848337,59.941406],[-167.455277,60.213069],[-166.467792,60.38417],[-165.67443,60.293607],[-165.579164,59.909987]]],[[[-171.731657,63.782515],[-171.114434,63.592191],[-170.491112,63.694975],[-169.682505,63.431116],[-168.689439,63.297506],[-168.771941,63.188598],[-169.52944,62.976931],[-170.290556,63.194438],[-170.671386,63.375822],[-171.553063,63.317789],[-171.791111,63.405846],[-171.731657,63.782515]]],[[[-155.06779,71.147776],[-154.344165,70.696409],[-153.900006,70.889989],[-152.210006,70.829992],[-152.270002,70.600006],[-150.739992,70.430017],[-149.720003,70.53001],[-147.613362,70.214035],[-145.68999,70.12001],[-144.920011,69.989992],[-143.589446,70.152514],[-142.07251,69.851938],[-140.985988,69.711998],[-140.992499,66.000029],[-140.99777,60.306397],[-140.012998,60.276838],[-139.039,60.000007],[-138.34089,59.56211],[-137.4525,58.905],[-136.47972,59.46389],[-135.47583,59.78778],[-134.945,59.27056],[-134.27111,58.86111],[-133.355549,58.410285],[-132.73042,57.69289],[-131.70781,56.55212],[-130.00778,55.91583],[-129.979994,55.284998],[-130.53611,54.802753],[-131.085818,55.178906],[-131.967211,55.497776],[-132.250011,56.369996],[-133.539181,57.178887],[-134.078063,58.123068],[-135.038211,58.187715],[-136.628062,58.212209],[-137.800006,58.499995],[-139.867787,59.537762],[-140.825274,59.727517],[-142.574444,60.084447],[-143.958881,59.99918],[-145.925557,60.45861],[-147.114374,60.884656],[-148.224306,60.672989],[-148.018066,59.978329],[-148.570823,59.914173],[-149.727858,59.705658],[-150.608243,59.368211],[-151.716393,59.155821],[-151.859433,59.744984],[-151.409719,60.725803],[-150.346941,61.033588],[-150.621111,61.284425],[-151.895839,60.727198],[-152.57833,60.061657],[-154.019172,59.350279],[-153.287511,58.864728],[-154.232492,58.146374],[-155.307491,57.727795],[-156.308335,57.422774],[-156.556097,56.979985],[-158.117217,56.463608],[-158.433321,55.994154],[-159.603327,55.566686],[-160.28972,55.643581],[-161.223048,55.364735],[-162.237766,55.024187],[-163.069447,54.689737],[-164.785569,54.404173],[-164.942226,54.572225],[-163.84834,55.039431],[-162.870001,55.348043],[-161.804175,55.894986],[-160.563605,56.008055],[-160.07056,56.418055],[-158.684443,57.016675],[-158.461097,57.216921],[-157.72277,57.570001],[-157.550274,58.328326],[-157.041675,58.918885],[-158.194731,58.615802],[-158.517218,58.787781],[-159.058606,58.424186],[-159.711667,58.93139],[-159.981289,58.572549],[-160.355271,59.071123],[-161.355003,58.670838],[-161.968894,58.671665],[-162.054987,59.266925],[-161.874171,59.633621],[-162.518059,59.989724],[-163.818341,59.798056],[-164.662218,60.267484],[-165.346388,60.507496],[-165.350832,61.073895],[-166.121379,61.500019],[-165.734452,62.074997],[-164.919179,62.633076],[-164.562508,63.146378],[-163.753332,63.219449],[-163.067224,63.059459],[-162.260555,63.541936],[-161.53445,63.455817],[-160.772507,63.766108],[-160.958335,64.222799],[-161.518068,64.402788],[-160.777778,64.788604],[-161.391926,64.777235],[-162.45305,64.559445],[-162.757786,64.338605],[-163.546394,64.55916],[-164.96083,64.446945],[-166.425288,64.686672],[-166.845004,65.088896],[-168.11056,65.669997],[-166.705271,66.088318],[-164.47471,66.57666],[-163.652512,66.57666],[-163.788602,66.077207],[-161.677774,66.11612],[-162.489715,66.735565],[-163.719717,67.116395],[-164.430991,67.616338],[-165.390287,68.042772],[-166.764441,68.358877],[-166.204707,68.883031],[-164.430811,68.915535],[-163.168614,69.371115],[-162.930566,69.858062],[-161.908897,70.33333],[-160.934797,70.44769],[-159.039176,70.891642],[-158.119723,70.824721],[-156.580825,71.357764],[-155.06779,71.147776]]]]},"type":"Feature","properties":{}}]}ISO Topic Category
- environment
National Agricultural Library Thesaurus terms
computer software; soil water retention; soil water; soil; water flow; models; soil water characteristic; unsaturated hydraulic conductivity; least squares; system optimizationOMB Bureau Code
- 005:18 - Agricultural Research Service
OMB Program Code
- 005:040 - National Research
Pending citation
- No
Public Access Level
- Public