Lake Munson Soil Analysis

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Lake Munson Soil Analysis

• Jordan Frances, Krystal Jack, Jamie (Amber)
  Nelson, Tabitha Taylor, and Katie Shafer

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Problem

• The water making up Lake Munson is the result of
  a sewage treatment plant that used to dump into
  Munson Slough. Toxic sediments have settle on the
  lakebed including the soil, contaminating the
  lake and its' life. An analysis of the soil at
  the shore of Lake Munson will be done to
  determine the condition of soil, as well as
  nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels.

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Hypothesis

• Our group believes that the surrounding
  pollutants affecting the water at Lake Munson
  could have seeped into the soil and affected the
  different levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, and
  potassium in the soil. Being that the water at
  Lake Munson is polluted it can be expected that
  through the water table pollutants would work
  their way through the soil surrounding the

lake increasing the level of nitrogen, a
component of many of the fertilizers and other
such things that run into the lake. We also
predict that the potassium level would be
marginally low due to the pollution of the water,
and that the phosphorus levels would be high in
response to the poisonous reputation of the
water.
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Variables

• Independent Variable The independent
  variable in this project is
  the different
  horizons in the ground.
• Dependent Variable The dependant
  variable in this project is
  the level of
  phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium
  in the soil.
• Controlled Variable The controlled
  variable in
  this experiment is the location
  of the hole, and the
  testing kit used to
  identify the different levels of
  potassium,
  phosphorus, and nitrogen in the soil

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Materials and Equipment

• The following materials are mandatory for the
  completion of the afore mentioned experiment
• Shovel (s)
• Spray Bottle
• Tap Water
• Distilled Water
• Empty Garbage Bags
• Core Auger
• Plastic Bags
• Tape
• Permanent Marker
• La MOTTE NKP soil testing kit
• Hand Held Shovel

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Procedure

• The group gathered the
  materials needed for the
  project and proceeded on to
  Lake Munson. A located was
  selected and sectioned off.
  After which a core auger was dug
  and laid upon flat garbage bags.
  Alas, the digging began

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Procedures Continued

• The group began digging a
  2-3 foot wide hole. However,
  the water table
  soon interfered
  with the digging.
  Therefore the
  group members
  were forced to take samples
  from the digging they
  had been
  able to do.

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Procedures Continued.

• Soil samples
  were stored
  in boxes
  impenetrable
  by light. They were
  then taken back to the
  lab to conduct the
  experiments.
  Instructions of the experiment
  were included in the soil kit.

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Data and Observations

• Depth of Hole 2 ½ feet deep (should have been 3
  feet but the water table was high and after about
  2 ½ feet it began to fill with water)
• Number of soil horizons 5

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Soil Horizon 1

• Characteristics the soil is friable,
• granular and is loamy sand.
• The soil is dark due to a
• high level of decayed matter
• Nitrogen level high
• Phosphorus level low
• Potassium level very high

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Soil Horizon 2

• Characteristics the soil is friable, singular
  granular and is loamy sand. The soil is much more
  sandy and lighter
• Nitrogen level low
• Phosphorus level low
• Potassium level high

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Soil Horizon 3

• Characteristics the soil is granular, firm,
  loamy clay, and darker than the second horizon.
• Nitrogen level medium low
• Phosphorus level low
• Potassium level very high

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Soil Horizon 4

• Characteristics The soil is loamy sand, firm,
  loamy sand, lighter in color than the third
  horizon but darker than the second.
• Nitrogen level very low
• Phosphorus level low
• Potassium level very high

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Soil Horizon 5

• Characteristics massive, firm, sandy, silty
  sand, second lightest soil aside from the second
  horizon.
• Nitrogen level low
• Phosphorus level low
• Potassium level very high

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Data Analysis
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Conclusion

• Hypothesis of nitrogen level stated that levels
  would be high, which was found to be correct.
• The nitrogen level was considered to be high in
  the first horizon but steadily declined, bringing
  the nitrate level decreasingly lower
• Possibly because more organic matter can be found
  on the first horizon of the soil than in the
  lower levels, which also explains why the soil
  horizons are increasingly low because as the
  horizons get lower in the soil, less organic
  matter is present.
• The potassium level of the soil was constant
  throughout the horizons of the soil collected and
  was considered to be found in high or very high
  levels of phosphorus.
• Hypothesis stated that the potassium level would
  be low, but was proven incorrect. Throughout the
  levels of the soil the potassium was found in
  large quantities in every layer, this could be
  due mainly in part to the fact that the water
  from the lake would be constant throughout the
  soil granting the potassium horizon of the soil
  the same general level of potassium throughout
  the horizons.
• Hypothesis stated that phosphorus levels would be
  high, also proven incorrect. Phosphorus levels
  were low.

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Evaluation

• Since the level of phosphorus in the soil was
  low, considering how this was consistent
  throughout the entire hole, and the water in the
  hole would be distributed equally throughout, it
  can be deducted from the amount of potassium
  found in the lake that Lake Munson is not nearly
  as acidic as once believed.

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Limitations

• First hole dug was located in a landfill and the
  experiment was for to relocate which used a
  sufficient amount of experimentation time. Proper
  research of Lake Munsons geography would have
  aided in the avoidance of such problem.
• Despite that the soil was properly stored and
  un-tampered with, since the group waited a few
  weeks after digging the hole to gather the data
  to analyze the soil and conduct the
  experimentation the results may have been
  altered.
• Hole was dug too closely to the lake and the
  water table prevented further digging.

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Improvements

• More qualitative observations should have been
  recorded.
• Experiment should have been replicated at least
  2-3 times for accuracy.
• Hole should have been dug at a greater distance
  from the lake.

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Thank You!
Jordan Frances Krystal Jack Amber (Jamie)
Nelson Katie Shafer Tabitha Taylor