Principles of Site Evaluation

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Principles of Site Evaluation

• USDA-NRCS
• County Soil Survey

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AcknowledgementThis work was supported in
part by the National Decentralized Water
Resources Capacity Development Project with
funding provided by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency through a Cooperative Agreement
(EPA No. CR827881-01-0) with Washington
University in St. Louis.  The results have not
been reviewed by EPA or Washington University in
St. Louis. The views expressed in this
presentation are solely those of NCSU, and
University of Arkansas and EPA and Washington
University in St. Louis do not endorse any
products or commercial services mentioned in the
presentation.
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Site Evaluation Components

• Information collected prior to site visit (Items
  1-4)
• Soil and site conditions (items 5-9)
• Recording and reporting site evaluation data and
  recommendations to designer/client (item 10)

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Information collected prior to site visit

• Rules (subdivision, local, county, state,
  federal)
• Wastewater characteristics
• Type of system appropriate for the general area
• Preliminary site information
• General soils information about area
• Specific site information
• Septic system design options

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Soil and site conditions

• Full investigation of the site/soil
• Prediction of wastewater flow paths
• Determine the types of additional information
  needed
• Assessment of treatment potential
• Risk assessment of site

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Ten site evaluation components (cont.)

• Recording and reporting site evaluation data and
  recommendations to designer/client

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Site Evaluation Components

• Information collected prior to site visit
• Soil and site conditions
• Recording and reporting site evaluation data and
  recommendations to designer/client

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NRCS Soil Survey

• An invaluable resource for landuse planning and
  land management

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Web Soil Survey

• http//websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/
• OR
• Search for Web Soil Survey

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Air photo, used to start the survey
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Use landscapes to develop maps
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Information from a Soil Survey

• Maps
• General
• Specific
• Map Unit Description (MUD)
• Taxonomic Unit Description (TUD)
• Growing Season Tables
• Land Use Tables

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Sanitary Facilities Table
Based on little to no measured data.
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A Cautionary Note

• Soil Surveys are accurate to approximately 5
  acres
• Each map unit contains inclusions
• Always determine associated series to better
  understand soil/site relations
• Note Soil survey data is useful for initial
  planning, but field evaluation is necessary for
  proper site and soil evaluation

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Questions?

• David Lindbo, Associate Professor
• Soil Science Dept.
• North Carolina State University
• 919-515-2635
• david_lindbo_at_ncsu.edu