Hydric Soil AND THE FARM BILL - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Hydric Soil AND THE FARM BILLUse of the Definition, Criteria, Field Indicators and Technical standard

Lenore

Matula

Vasilas

Soil Scientist

NRCS

Soil Survey DivisionSlide2

Not CoveredHydrophytic vegetation and wetland hydrology factors

Mapping conventions

Legislative issues other than those specifically related to hydric soilsSlide3

National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils7 CFR Part 12.30 NRCS responsibilities regarding wetlands.

(a)

Technical and coordination responsibilities

. In carrying out the provisions of this part, NRCS shall:

(1) Oversee the development and application of criteria to identify hydric soils in consultation with the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils and make available to the public an approved county list of hydric soil map units, which is based upon the National List of Hydric Soils;…Slide4

National Technical Committee for Hydric SoilsNRCSChris Smith, NHQ, chair

Shawn Finn, MA

Steve Lawrence, GA

Aaron Miller, NM

Steve Monteith, NSSC

Paul Rodrigue, MS

Lenore Vasilas, NHQ

USACEChris NobleUSEPARalph Spagnolo

USFS

Vacant

BLM

Robert Boyd

USFWS

Jim Dick

University

Richard Griffin, Prairie View

Wade Hurt, Univ. of FL

Chien

-Lu Ping,

Univ

of AK

Mike Vepraskas, NCSUSlide5

Delineation Methodology for FSAThe Corps of Engineers Wetland Determination and Delineation Manual and Regional Supplements with Variances

NRCS relies more often on off-site determinations (hydric soils

list and soil survey maps)

Soils information written in consultation with NTCHS

Supplements adopted NTCHS Field Indicators

Supplements adopted 14 day hydrology requirement

Hydric soils definition wording differences

Soon to be updated manual will eliminate many method inconsistencies between CWA and FSA and, therefore, eliminate many of the current variancesSlide6

Hydric Soil IdentificationSlide7

To be considered a hydric soil the soil must meet__________The hydric soils definition.

The characteristics of a map unit component on the hydric soil list

A field indicator of hydric soils

The technical standard.

Any of the above.

All the above.Slide8

To be considered a hydric soil the soil must meet__________

The hydric soils definition.

The characteristics of a map unit component on the hydric soil list

A field indicator of hydric soils

The technical standard.

Any of the above.

All the above.Slide9

Hydric SoilsSlide10

Hydric Soils DefinitionsFood Security Acta soil that, in its

undrained

condition, is saturated, flooded, or

ponded

long enough during the growing season to develop an anaerobic condition that supports the growth and regeneration of

hydrophytic

vegetation [16 U.S.C. 3801(a)(12)].

NTCHS a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part (Federal Register, 1994)Slide11

Determining You Meet the DefinitionMap unit component listed as hydric on

the Hydric Soils List

Meets at least one of the Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States

Has the characteristics of a problematic hydric soil and the site has been proven to

also

meet

hydrophytic

vegetation and wetland hydrology factorsMeets the Hydric Soil Technical StandardSlide12

Hydric Soils ListsSlide13

Original Database Selection Criteria for the National List of Hydric SoilsOriginally a list of soil seriesOriginal c

riteria required a water table and water table data

Original list was queried from old SSSD database and not NASIS

State and

Survey Area

lists were lists of map units and different than the National List

Original state and county list had to be significantly hand edited by statesSlide14

Current National Hydric Soil List

area symbol

area name

map unit sequence

map unit symbol

map unit name

component name and phase

component percent

landforms

hydric rating

IA067

Floyd County, Iowa

3

43

Bremer silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes

Bremer

100

Stream terraces

Yes

IA067

Floyd County, Iowa

9

84

Clyde silty clay loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes

Clyde

85

Interfluves

Yes

IA067

Floyd County, Iowa

9

84

Clyde silty clay loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes

Maxfield

2

Flats

Yes

IA067

Floyd County, Iowa

9

84

Clyde silty clay loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes

Marshan, 32 to 40 inches to sand and gravel

3

River valleys

Yes

IA067

Floyd County, Iowa

10

88

Nevin

silt

clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes

Bremer

5

Stream terraces

Yes

IA067

Floyd County, Iowa

11

96

Turlin loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes

Coland, occasionally flooded

5

Flood plains

Yes

IA067

Floyd County, Iowa

14

135

Coland clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes

Coland, occasionally flooded

95

Flood plains

YesSlide15

Changes to Criteria for Populating the National ListFederal Register 12234 Vol. 77, No. 40 Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Based on deliberations of the NTCHS

30 day public comment period

Fixed issues related to changes in database and changes to format (list of series vs. list of map units)

Biggest issue was water table requirement in old criteria but not in definition of hydric soilSlide16

Drained vs. Undrained

Same Soil Series but Possibly Different Map UnitsSlide17

New Criteria(1) All Histels except

Folistels

and

Histosols

except

Folists

; or

(2) Map unit components in Aquic suborders, great groups, or subgroups, Albolls suborder, Historthels great group, Histoturbels great group, or Andic

,

Cumulic

,

Pachic

, or

Vitrandic

subgroups that:

(a) Based on the range of characteristics for the soil series, will at least in part meet one or more Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States, or

(b) Show evidence that the soil meets the definition of a hydric soil;

(3) Map unit components that are frequently

ponded

for long duration or very long duration during the growing season that:

(a) Based on the range of characteristics for the soil series, will at least in part meet one or more Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States, or

(b) Show evidence that the soil meets the definition of a hydric soil; or

(4) Map unit components that are frequently flooded for long duration or very long duration during the growing season that:

(a) Based on the range of characteristics for the soil series, will at least in part meet one or more Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States, or

(b) Show evidence that the soils meet the definition of a hydric soil.Slide18

Where to Find Hydric Soils List?The National List of Hydric Soils can be found on the NTCHS

website (

http://soils.usda.gov/use/hydric

/

)

National Coverage

Updated yearly

Local List of Hydric Soils can be found on Soil Data Mart or Web Soil Survey (http://soils.usda.gov/) Soil Data Mart data grouped by Survey Area

Web Soil Survey has size limit

Updated as official data is updatedSlide19

When to use the Hydric Soils Lists?

General

planning

Preliminary

data

g

atheringAlong with other info for off-site determinations

Identification of potential WRP sitesSlide20

Working on New Report in NASISHydric

All major and minor components are hydric

Predominantly Hydric

All major components are hydric but some minor components non-hydric

Partially Hydric

Complex with at least one major component hydric and one major component non-hydric

Predominantly Non-hydric

All major components non-hydric and at least one minor component hydricNon-Hydric

All major and minor components non-hydricSlide21

Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United StatesSlide22

Field IndicatorsField indicators are soil morphological features used to identify hydric soilsThe features result from soil genesis in the presence of “anaerobic conditions”

They are used for on-site verificationSlide23

Development of Field IndicatorsContinuous processOn-going since mid-80’s

Inter-agency

Including universities, private sector, federal, state, and local agencies

Multi-disciplinary

Soil scientists, hydrologists,

botanistsSlide24

Hydromorphic ProcessesReduction, translocation, and precipitation of iron and manganeseAccumulation and differential translocation of organic matter

Reduction of sulfurSlide25

Hydric Soil IndicatorsIndicators are not intended to replace or relieve the requirements contained in the Hydric Soil Definition

Indicators are used to identify the hydric soil component of wetlands; however, there are some hydric soils that lack one of the currently listed indicatorsSlide26

Important ConceptsSlide27

Proof positiveIf it meets a Field Indicator it is a hydric soilIf it does not meet a Field Indicator it may still be a hydric soil if it meets the definition of a hydric soilSlide28

Three Major DivisionsAll soilsUse regardless of textureMostly organic based indicators

Sandy soils

Loamy soils

Use sandy indicators in sandy layers, and loamy indicators in loamy layersSlide29

Rules for Field Indicator UseA chroma of 2 or less means that the chroma cannot be higher than 2Values should be rounded to the nearest color chip

Except for F8, F12, F19,

F20 and F21

all mineral Field Indicators must have less then 15 cm (6 in) of a chroma > 2 above the indicator.Slide30

Soil SurfaceIn al LRRs, for Field Indicators A1, A2, and A3 begin measurements at the actual soil surface.In

LRRs R, W, X, and Y,

all other observations begin at

the top of the mineral surface.

In LRRs F, G, H, and M, we begin our observations at the actual soil surface if the soil is sandy and

for all other observations at

the muck or mineral

surfaceFor all other LRRs we begin all other observations at the muck or mineral surface.Slide31

Combining IndicatorsIt is permissible to combine certain hydric soil indicators if all requirements of the indicators are met except thickness

The most restrictive

requirement

for

thickness of layers

must

be metSlide32

Example of a Soil That is Hydric Based on a Combination of Indicators

3-6 inches meets F6 Redox Dark Surface, but thickness requirement is 4 inches

6 to 10 inches meets F3 Depleted Matrix requirements, but thickness requirement is 6 inches

Add the 3-6 inch and 6 to 10 inch layer thicknesses together to get 7 inches which is thicker than the most restrictive requirement of 6 inchesSlide33

Example of a Soil That is Hydric Based on a Combination of Indicators

0 to 3 inches meets F6 Redox Dark Surface, but thickness requirement is 4 inches

3 to 6 inches meets S5 Sandy Redox, but thickness requirement is also 4 inches

Combine the thickness of the 2 layers to get 6 inchesSlide34

Key to Soils that Lack Field Indicators

Dig a hole to 6 in.

Do organic soil materials or mucky modified layers exist?

Does chroma

≤ 2 exist?

Are there any distinct or prominent redox concentrations as soft masses or pore linings?

Is there a hydrogen sulfide odor?

Are you in a depression, on a floodplain, in red parent material or within 200 m of an estuarine marsh and 1 m of mean high water?If answer is no to all questions, the soil will not meet an indicator.Slide35

New and Often Overlooked IndicatorsSlide36

Loamy Depressions

F8. Redox Depressions

In CD’s subj. to ponding, 5% or more redox conc. in a layer 2 cm or more thick entirely within upper 15 cm.Slide37

F19. Piedmont Floodplain SoilsChroma less than 4 and 20 percent or more redox

concentrationsSlide38

F20. Anomalous Bright Loamy SoilsWithin 200 m of estuarine marshes or waters and within 1 m of mean high water

Chroma less than 5 and 10 percent redox concentrationsSlide39

Red Parent MaterialF3. Depleted Matrix

F21. RED Parent MaterialSlide40

Technical StandardSlide41

Technical Standard for Hydric SoilsRequirements

Saturated,

Ponded

, or Flooded conditions

Water

table

measurements

Well and piezometersReducing ConditionsRedox potential measurements Reduced Iron (Fe II)

measurements

Alpha-Alpha

Dipyridyl

IRIS tubes

In-situ pH measurements

On-site precipitation data

ReplicatesSlide42

NTCHS Web Site UpdatesI am in the process of updating to delete obsolete tech. notes and provide more complete and up-to-date info on hydric soil issues. If there is any info you would like to see on the page let me know.Slide43

National Hydric Soil ProjectsNational Wetland Condition AssessmentEPAPotential Wetland Landscapes Map based on gridded SSURGO

Association of State Wetland Managers Wetland Mapping ConsortiumSlide44

NRCS Training Opportunities on Hydric SoilsNEDC Courses

Advanced Hydric Soils – Meridian, MS August 20 – 25

th

, 2012

SSSA

Hydric Soils Field

Tour

Cincinnati, OH, Saturday, October 20, 2012Slide45

Questions???????Lenore.Vasilas@wdc.usda.gov