In May, we ran sprinkling experiments on a hillside in Freiburg to observe how water moves beneath the surface during storms. We used special “heavy” water (Deuterium) to trace its path through the soil.

At the final Watson Cost Action project conference, I shared our first findings: water traveled through the soil in just 20-40 minutes! And when we checked the soil the next day, we found that the water mainly stayed in the top layer, so the quick response must be due to following fast, preferential pathways—like water taking the Autobahn!