Hydric Soils

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Hydric Soils

• An In-Depth, Three Part, Short Course for
• Wetland Professionals

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Course Objective

• To present technical information to assist
  soil/wetland scientists in the identification and
  delineation of hydric soils.

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Major Topics

• Soil description
• Hydric soils definition, criteria, indicators and
  technical standard
• Pedogenic processes related to hydric soils
• Redoximorphic features
• Regional hydrology
• Installation of monitoring equipment
• Interpreting data

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Instructor

• Michael Vepraskas, Professor, Soil Science
  Department, NCSU, Raleigh, NC
• michael_vepraskas_at_ncsu.edu
• Specializes in wetland soil processes, and
  wetland soil identification
• Member National Technical Committee for Hydric
  Soils (NTCHS)
• Co-teaches NRCSs Advanced Hydric Soils Workshop
• Teaches short courses for consultants and
  regulators on hydric soil identification

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Instructor

• Larry West, Professor, Soil Science Department,
  University of Georgia, Athens, GA
• lwest_at_uga.edu
• Specializes in soil morphology and landscape
  analysis in predicting hydraulic properties,
  wetland soils, and onsite wastewater issues
• Teaches academic courses in Pedology, Mineralogy,
  and Site Assessment

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Instructor

• David Lindbo, Associate Professor, Soil Science
  Department, NCSU, Raleigh, NC
• david_lindbo_at_ncsu.edu
• Specializes in wetland soil identification and
  evaluation of soils and sites for onsite
  wastewater treatment and dispersal
• Teaches short courses for consultants and
  regulators on hydric soil identification, water
  table determination, and basic soil science

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Agenda

• Morning lectures
• Afternoon field trips
• Homework exercise
• Discussion of homework in the morning

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Focus

• Soil water is a major pedogenic force in most
  soils.
• The course is designed to focus on hydric soils,
  but cannot ignore whole landscape hydrology and
  the soil/water continuum.

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General Information

• The notebook is tabbed by lecture
• The agenda is flexible
• Feedback and questions during lecture are welcome

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Field Indicators

• Field indicators have been approved for use by
  NTCHS USDA uses them daily
• Field indicators are believed to be the most
  accurate way to identify hydric soils
• Field indicators CAN be correlated to indicators
  in the 87 Manual
• Use of the FIELD INDICATORS will be stressed in
  this course.

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Regulations

• Instructors are not regulators
• Instructors do not keep up-to-date on specific
  regulations
• We explain the meaning of regulations from the
  standpoint of teachers
• For specific regulatory question you should talk
  to the regulator in charge

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Participants Responsibilities

• If you have questions ask
• Complete homework
• Participate
• Complete self evaluation
• Complete course and instructor evaluations
• Try to be on time
• Turn off your cell phones and beepers!

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Additional Learning Oppertunities

• Book
• Wetland Soils, edited by Richardson and Vepraskas
• Short Courses on Soils taught through NSCU
  Extension Service (http//www4.soil.ncsu.edu)
• Wetland Soils Class taught on-line by M.J.
  Vepraskas and S.W. Broome
• Web site www.soils.ncsu.edu/wetlands