Soil water repellency (WR) occurs worldwide and aff ects hydrologic processes such as infi ltra on, preferen al fl ow, and surface erosion. The degree of WR varies with soil organic C (SOC) and water contents. In this study, we measured WR (by ethanol molarity) as a func on of moisture condi ons for two soil profi les (17 layers, of which 13 exhibited WR), representing diff erent vegeta on and SOC between 0.6 and 14%. Generally, WR was found at SOC ≥2%. Based on measured data, a two-region water repellency (TRWR) model was developed. The model assumes two linear regions in a WR vs. pF (=log[−ψ], where ψ is the soil water matric poten al in cen meters of H 2 O) plot, with linear increase in WR from the moisture content where WR fi rst occurs during drying to the maximum WR at pF WR-max , and a linear decrease from pF WR-max un l ambient air-dried condi ons. The van Genuchten soil water reten on model was used to convert WR-θ (where θ is the volumetric water content) to WR-pF. The TRWR model fi ng parameters, slopes, and intercepts, were all highly correlated with SOC (R 2 > 0.8). The TRWR model was tested against an independent data set for fi ve soils with 2 to 12% SOC and predicted well the measured WR-θ and WR-pF rela ons. For high-SOC surface soils, the TRWR model seems promising to predict WR from fully wettable to ambient air-dried condi ons, i.e., within the interval where WR-induced fi ngered water fl ow probably occurs. Finally, our data imply that clay satura on by SOC (quan fi ed by the so-called Dexter index) is useful for predic ng if soils are likely to exhibit WR.Abbrevia ons: DAS, dry aggregate stability; DMWD, dry mean weight diameter; MED, molarity of ethanol droplet; SOC, soil organic carbon; SWRCC, soil water repellency characteris cs curve; TRWR, two-region water repellency; VG, van Genuchten; WDPT, water droplet penetra on me; WR, water repellency.