This information is plotted on an equilateral triangle where the legs of the triangle are the percentage of each soil component from 0 to 100. This is known as the soil triangle. The triangle is subdivided into 11 regions based on the percentages of the various components. Each of these regions have different infiltration rates and soil moisture holding capacity. This information can then be used to design irrigation systems and set preliminary managed allowable depletions (MADs) for different crops on the different soil types.Determining the various components can be fairly easy and inexpensive to time consuming and pricey based on the level of accuracy required for your application. The easiest way to determine the components is to take a soil sample, remove the twigs and large gravel, and place the sample in a glass mason jar. Add a dash of liquid detergent and water to cover the soil by 1” or more then screw on a lid tightly. Shake the jar for about 4 minutes then place on a flat surface and leave for two days. At that time the water above the soil should be clear and you should discern three soil layers in the jar. The bottom layer is the sand component since it has the largest particles and settles the fastest. The silt is the middle layer and the clay is the top. To determine the percentages of the components you only need to measure the height of each individual layer and sum them together. Dividing the height of each layer by the total height will give you the percentage of each component. The other way to determine this is to collect a soil sample and send it to a testing laboratory in your area.