Given below are two statements:
Statement I : In an initially dry soil. the infiltration rate is low at the beginning of the rain or irrigation.
Statement II : The basic infiltration rate of a soil is approximately equal to the permeability of saturated soil.
In the light of the above statements. choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Statement I is incorrect: In dry soil, the infiltration rate is actually highest at the beginning because the soil pores are empty and have high matric suction; the rate then decreases as the soil becomes saturated.

Statement II is correct: As the soil becomes fully saturated, the infiltration rate reaches a constant, steady state known as the basic infiltration rate, which is effectively equal to the soil's saturated hydraulic permeability.
Thus, the answer is Option D.