Soil Infiltration and Leaching Tool (SILT)

The Soil Infiltration and Leaching Tool (SILT) is a Microsoft Excel-based spreadsheet tool that allows users to simulate one-dimensional contaminant fate and transport processes in a simple, user-friendly, and efficient manner. The user can specify fate and transport parameters for the contaminant of concern in the soil source zone before it leaches to the vadose zone, and as it is transported through the vadose zone. The model utilizes both analytical and semi-analytical methods to solve the Convection-Dispersion Equation (CDE) with reactions to model leachate concentrations out of the vadose zone.

Model output from SILT is multi-faceted. Leachate concentrations can be used to evaluate loss processes in the vadose zone, as a screening level comparison against published groundwater standards, or as the source term for a groundwater contaminant plume model such as TS-CHEM.

SILT includes a comprehensive User Guide, and can be downloaded free of charge via the link below.