Wick samplers were installed on an undisturbed soil column to determin
e if they would measure the volume of waterflowing vertically through
the soil profile. The wicks intercepted about 45% of the vertically de
scending water and caused the additional water to flow around the wick
array. Tensiometer data were used to develop the flow nets which port
ray this effect. The wicks were not found to be useful to measure desc
ending water volumes. Caution is also advised in interpreting solute c
oncentrations from wick data if it can be shown that solute concentrat
ion is a function of flow velocity.