Soil Rating - Leachate Rate (SWR), rated nationwide

The seepage water rate is a characteristic value for evaluating the soil as part of the water balance and describes the amount of water that the soil can no longer hold due to its limited water holding capacity and which therefore leaves the root area or seeps away (groundwater recharge). Lateral outflows (drainage, ditch drainage) are not considered here. Sandy soils can hold less water than loamy or clayey soils, so (all other things being equal) the leachate rate is greater under sandy soils than under loamy/clayey soils. More water seeps away in areas with high precipitation than in areas with less precipitation. With the seepage water rate, a natural soil function is evaluated according to § 2 Para. 2 BBodSchG, namely according to point 1.b) as a component of the natural balance, in particular with its water and nutrient cycles. The criterion chosen for this are the general water balance conditions with the parameter seepage water rate. The maps are available for the following scale levels: - 1 : 1,000 - 10,000 for high-resolution or plot-specific planning, - 1 : 10,001 - 35,000 for planning at community level, - 1 : 35,001 - 100,000 for planning in larger regions, - 1 : 100,001 - 350,000 for statewide differentiated planning, - 1 : 350,001 - 1000,000 for statewide to nationwide planning. In this representation, the leachate rate is classified uniformly across the country. Under the title "Soil assessment - field capacity in the seepage water rate (SWR), regionally specific evaluated" there is another natural area-related classification of the seepage water rate, which shows the seepage water rate regionally differentiated.