Abstract.Relationships between soil colour patterns and depth and duration of water tables were studied using piezometers in three soil hydrosequences. A colour index was developed to quantify matrix colour, size and colour of mottles, and continuity and colour of clay films. It correlated well with duration of saturation when above 5°C (r= 0.88) and with duration of total saturation (r= 0.87). The colour index is useful to evaluate soils for various land uses