Estimating Infiltration Rate Using Hydraulic Conductivity

[LeifM]

This is may be a relatively stupid question, but I am trying to determine the infiltration rate of the soils
for a site my company is working on. So far the only thing I can come up with is using Darcy's Law assuming a hydraulic gradient of 1 (as if the water flows straight down). This would mean that the infiltration rate is equal to the hydraulic conductivity. Is this valid? Any other advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

[theCorkster]

Check out NRCS Soil Survey for site. This will include estimates of infiltration rate of different soil units to 60 to 80 inch depths. Infiltration rate (determined from short-term test) and hydraulic conductivity (saturated) do not usually correlate well.