Check this link maybe helpful
https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr046/psw_gtr046.pdf
regards
Its a very interesting question. And we have very little understanding about soil water repellancy not only in forest trees but some of the perennial fruit trees as well produce such cause and effect relationship. Gall of leaves in Citrus trees is one of them causing soil water repellancy due to deposition of different waxes . Lets have discussion in depth , first the causes then off course, the remediation...
Hot burns can cause hydrophobic soils. One of my studies on Hazel Pistol Erosion Plots ... in Oregon had hydrophobic issues after clearcutting and hot burning of fuel residues. If prescribed burning, manage to avoid excessive fuel accumulations and conditions producing high temperatures and severe burns. A soil additive called PAM may be helpful to mitigate areas burned too hot. The PAM becomes a clear gel goo that is supposed to aid infiltration. You might try treating small areas with a dishwashing solution like Dawn to see if that hastens the breakup of the hydrophobicity (I have not tried this). The hydrophobicity will eventually disappear on its own after rainfall events, the hazard is having a severe storm while the soils are hydrophobic. Areas subject to severe wildfires may have this problem, and sandy soils tend to be more susceptable. Soil testing involves just timing how fast water drops are absorbed, so not really rocket science. Land managers should make more effort in itentifying hazards and warning the public downstream of affected wildfire areas with susceptable soils and monitoring storm forecasts to help assess potential for flooding, severe erosion, high sediment loading and sometimes landslides in unstable terrain. I think the US Forest Service may have a few publications on wildfire that address some of this issue.
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