Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States - ITC

Field Indicators of Hydric Soils*Gleyed matrix. Soils that have a gleyed matrixhave the following combinations of hue, value,and chroma and the soils are not glauconitic:1. 10Y, 5GY, 10GY, 10G, 5BG, 10BG, 5B, 10B, or5PB with value 4 or more and chroma 1; or2. 5G with value 4 or more and chroma 1 or 2;or3. N with value 4 or more; or4. (for testing only) 5Y, value 4 or more, andchroma 1.In some places the gleyed matrix may changecolor upon exposure to air (reduced matrix).This phenomenon is included in the concept ofgleyed matrix.*Hemic. See Mucky peat.Histic epipedon. A thick (20–60 cm [8–24 in])organic soil horizon that is saturated with waterat some period of the year unless artificiallydrained and that is at or near the surface of amineral soil.Histels. Organic soils that overly permafrost andshow evidence of cryoturbation. See USDA,NRCS, Soil Taxonomy (1999) for completedefinition.Histosols. Organic soils that have organic soilmaterial in more than half of the upper 80 cm(32 in), or that are of any thickness if overlyingrock or fragmental materials have intersticesfilled with organic soil materials. See USDA,NRCS, Soil Taxonomy (1999) for completedefinition.Horizon. A layer, approximately parallel to thesurface of the soil, distinguishable from adjacentlayers by a distinctive set of propertiesproduced by soil forming processes. See USDA,NRCS, Soil Taxonomy (1999) for completedefinition.Hydric soil criteria.1. All Histels except Folistels and all Histosolsexcept Folists, or2. Soils in Aquic suborders, great groups, orsubgroups, Albolls suborder, Aquisalids,Historthels, and Histoturbels great groups,and Cumulic or Pachic subgroups that are:a. somewhat poorly drained with a watertable equal to 0.0 foot from the surfaceduring the growing season, orb. poorly drained or very poorly drained andhave either:(1) water table equal to 0.0 foot duringthe growing season if textures arecoarse sand, sand, or fine sand in alllayers within 20 inches, or for othersoils; or(2) water table at less than or equal to 0.5foot from the surface during thegrowing season if permeability isequal to or greater than 6 inches perhour in all layers within 20 inches; or(3) water table at less than or equal to 1foot from the surface during thegrowing season, if permeability is lessthan 6 inches per hour in any layerwithin 20 inches; or3. Soils that are frequently ponded for long orvery long duration during the growing seasonor4. Soils that are frequently flooded for long orvery long duration during the growing season.Hydric soil definition (1994). A soil that formedunder conditions of saturation, flooding, orponding long enough during the growing seasonto develop anaerobic conditions in the upperpart.Hydrogen sulfide odor. The odor of H2S, which issimilar to rotten eggs.Hydromorphic. Features in the soil caused orformed by water.Layer(s). A horizon, subhorizon, or combination ofcontiguous horizons or subhorizons that shareproperty(s) referred to in the Indicators.Lithologic discontinuity. Occurs in a soil that hasdeveloped in more than one type of parentmaterial. Commonly determined by a significantchange in particle-size distribution, mineralogy,and other properties that indicate adifference in material from which the horizonsformed.Land Resource Region (LRR). These geographicareas are characterized by a particular patternof soils, climates, water resources, and landuse. Each LRR has a different letter of thealphabet (A–Z). LRRs are defined in USDAAgriculture Handbook 296.Many. When referring to redox concentrations and/or depletions, many represents more than 20percent of the observed surface.Marl. An earthy, unconsolidated deposit consistingchiefly of calcium carbonate mixed with clay inapproximately equal proportions, formed primarilyunder freshwater lacustrine conditions.Complete definition in description USDA NRCS,Soil Taxonomy (1999).Matrix. The dominant soil volume that is continuousin appearance and envelopes microsites. Whenthree colors exist, such as when a matrix,depletions, and concentrations are present, thematrix may represent less than 50 percent ofthe total soil volume.(430, FIHS, Ver. 5.01, March 2003) 27