Improved Water Infiltration?

I have written on this topic before.  There are always products out there that claim to improve water infiltration.  These products almost always contain some sort of surfactant or soap product.  There is not much research on these products because the people who produce them depend on testimonials.  These products seem to have merit, but they break down quickly or they become neutralized by the soil itself.  Journal of Soil and Conservation recently published an article on the Effects of Four Soil Surfactants.  The products are not shown in a favorable light.  Some products contain microbes too.  The microbes are not likely to work either.  Remember that if it sounds to good to be true, try it on a small scale side by side.  There really is no substitute for as healthy soil that has the right pH, blanced soil fertility, and good tillage practices.  And there is no substitute for earthworms and other soil macro-invertibrates to help keep water moving through the soil.  Tile drainage is on that list for most midwestern soils too.