diff --git a/physics/MP/Thompson/module_mp_thompson.F90 b/physics/MP/Thompson/module_mp_thompson.F90
index 3114859b5..5d4495ae0 100644
--- a/physics/MP/Thompson/module_mp_thompson.F90
+++ b/physics/MP/Thompson/module_mp_thompson.F90
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ module module_mp_thompson
 !.. droplet number concentration.
    !real(wp), parameter :: Nt_c = 100.e6
    real(wp), parameter :: Nt_c_o = 50.e6
-   real(wp), parameter :: Nt_c_l = 100.e6
+   real(wp), parameter :: Nt_c_l = 150.e6
    real(wp), parameter, private :: Nt_c_max = 1999.e6
 
 !..Declaration of constants for assumed CCN/IN aerosols when none in
diff --git a/physics/Radiation/radiation_clouds.f b/physics/Radiation/radiation_clouds.f
index 979405cdb..d1518bfcb 100644
--- a/physics/Radiation/radiation_clouds.f
+++ b/physics/Radiation/radiation_clouds.f
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ module module_radiation_clouds
       real (kind=kind_phys), parameter :: ovcst  = 1.0 - 1.0e-8
 
       real (kind=kind_phys), parameter :: reliq_def = 10.0        !< default liq radius to 10 micron
-      real (kind=kind_phys), parameter :: reice_def = 50.0        !< default ice radius to 50 micron
+      real (kind=kind_phys), parameter :: reice_def = 25.0        !< default ice radius to 50 micron
       real (kind=kind_phys), parameter :: rrain_def = 1000.0      !< default rain radius to 1000 micron
       real (kind=kind_phys), parameter :: rsnow_def = 250.0       !< default snow radius to 250 micron
 
diff --git a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/module_sf_noahmplsm.F90 b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/module_sf_noahmplsm.F90
index a76a354e6..7ab496ddc 100644
--- a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/module_sf_noahmplsm.F90
+++ b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/module_sf_noahmplsm.F90
@@ -2511,7 +2511,19 @@ subroutine thermoprop (parameters,nsoil   ,nsnow   ,isnow   ,ist     ,dzsnso  ,
   real (kind=kind_phys), dimension(-nsnow+1:    0)              :: tksno   !snow thermal conductivity (j/m3/k)
   real (kind=kind_phys), dimension(       1:nsoil)              :: sice    !soil ice content
   real (kind=kind_phys), parameter :: sbeta = -2.0
+  real (kind=kind_phys), dimension(4,20)   :: soil_carbon                  ! soil carbon content [kg/m3]
+  real (kind=kind_phys), parameter         :: soil_carbon_df = 0.25        ! soil carbon therm cond (Lawrence and Slater)
+  real (kind=kind_phys), parameter         :: soil_carbon_hcpct = 2.5e6    ! soil carbon heat capacity (Lawrence and Slater)
 ! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+! soil carbon [kg/m3] by vegetation type estimated from global PNNL soil carbon dataset
+!   and VIIRS surface type
+
+  soil_carbon(1,:) = (/90,65,90,65,90,40,50,50,40,50,90,60,60,60,0,20,0,90,90,60/)
+  soil_carbon(2,:) = (/40,30,40,30,40,25,30,30,25,30,40,30,30,30,0,15,0,60,60,40/)
+  soil_carbon(3,:) = (/20,15,20,15,20,15,20,15,15,15,25,20,20,20,0,10,0,40,40,30/)
+  soil_carbon(4,:) = (/15,10,15,10,15,10,15,10,10,10,20,10,10,10,0,10,0,40,30,20/)
+
+  soil_carbon = soil_carbon / 130.0   ! convert to soil carbon relative to peat
 
 ! compute snow thermal conductivity and heat capacity
 
@@ -2530,6 +2542,11 @@ subroutine thermoprop (parameters,nsoil   ,nsnow   ,isnow   ,ist     ,dzsnso  ,
        hcpct(iz) = sh2o(iz)*cwat + (1.0-parameters%smcmax(iz))*parameters%csoil &
                 + (parameters%smcmax(iz)-smc(iz))*cpair + sice(iz)*cice
        call tdfcnd (parameters,iz,df(iz), smc(iz), sh2o(iz))
+
+! adjust for soil carbon organic content
+
+!      hcpct(iz) = (1.0 - soil_carbon(iz,vegtyp)) * hcpct(iz) + soil_carbon(iz,vegtyp) * soil_carbon_hcpct
+       df(iz)    = (1.0 - soil_carbon(iz,vegtyp)) * df(iz)    + soil_carbon(iz,vegtyp) * soil_carbon_df
     end do
        
     if ( parameters%urban_flag ) then
@@ -3003,6 +3020,10 @@ subroutine albedo (parameters,vegtyp ,ist    ,ice    ,nsoil  , & !in
     if (ib.eq.1) fsun = 0.
   end do
 
+! snow age
+  
+  call snow_age (parameters,dt,tg,sneqvo,sneqv,tauss,fage) 
+  
   if(cosz <= 0) goto 100
 
 ! weight reflectance/transmittance by lai and sai
@@ -3015,10 +3036,6 @@ subroutine albedo (parameters,vegtyp ,ist    ,ice    ,nsoil  , & !in
     tau(ib) = max(parameters%taul(ib)*wl+parameters%taus(ib)*ws, mpe)
   end do
 
-! snow age
-
-   call snow_age (parameters,dt,tg,sneqvo,sneqv,tauss,fage)
-
 ! snow albedos: only if cosz > 0 and fsno > 0
 
   if(opt_alb == 1) &
@@ -9128,7 +9145,9 @@ subroutine groundwater(parameters,nsnow  ,nsoil  ,dt     ,sice   ,zsoil  , & !in
 
 !      ka  = hk(iwt)
 ! harmonic average, c.he changed based on gy niu's update
-      ka  = 2.0*(hk(iwt)*parameters%dksat(iwt)*1.0e3) / (hk(iwt)+parameters%dksat(iwt)*1.0e3)
+!      ka  = 2.0*(hk(iwt)*parameters%dksat(iwt)*1.0e3) / (hk(iwt)+parameters%dksat(iwt)*1.0e3)
+!     tried one suggesteed by gy niu
+      ka =  0.5*(hk(iwt)+parameters%dksat(iwt)*1.0e3)      
 
       wh_zwt  = - zwt * 1.e3                          !(mm)
       wh      = smpfz  - znode(iwt)*1.e3              !(mm)