Determining Depths to the Seasonal High Water Table and Hydric Soils in Florida

Watts, Frank C.; Hurt, G. W.

doi:10.2136/sh1991.4.0117

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Table 1 provides an index and key of morphological features that identify depth to SHS in soils. The morphologies used to predict SHS depth on‐site have been explained previously on a regional basis (Watts and Hurt, 1991; Florida Soil Survey Staff, 1992; Hurt and Brown, 1995; Hurt et al, 1995) and are updated here for the entire United States. Off‐site prediction of SHS is based on the soil morphology of the soil series descriptions in the Soil Series and Their Morphology sections of published soil surveys, or from Official Series Descriptions published online (USDA‐NRCS, 2005; link to Official Soil Series Descriptions) when there is no published survey to consult.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Soil Morphology and Soil Survey Data for Restoring and Creating Wetlands

Hurt

Galbraith

2005

Soil Horizons

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Wetland restoration or creation projects often fail when the hydrology of the proposed site is not properly assessed, reproduced, or maintained. Precise interpretations of soil morphology from soil survey data maximize the likelihood of correctly predicting the long‐term seasonal high saturation (SHS) depth and occurrence of inundation. Familiarity with the biogeochemical processes such as oxidation‐reduction of Fe and Mn and recognizing their morphological expressions (redoximorphic features) in soils facilitates on‐site determination of depth to saturation and/or duration of inundation, confirmed by the presence of one or more of the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soil's (NTCHS) approved hydric soil indicators. A SHS index of three types of soil morphology was developed from previous research and based on correlation between soil morphology and saturation depths. Type A soils have morphology of hydric soils. Type B soils have evidence of saturation at depths below the approved field indicators of hydric soils. Type C soils do not have evidence of saturation within the depths described, or the features are relict. Soil types A and B were further divided and a key developed to predict a range or a depth of saturation. The morphological index and key were used to predict SHS depths on the basis of soil morphology, and results were then checked against the water table data for 30 randomly chosen soils in six published soil surveys. Agreement between predicted SHS and water table data was found for 24 of these soils. Disagreement occurred for six soils because the soil morphology (as described) did not agree with listed water table ranges in the Soil and Water Features table. Similar results were found in 15 other published surveys. These results suggest that SHS in soils may be reasonably predicted from soil morphology and may be more accurate than stated water table ranges. A set of guidelines for using the morphological index and key are provided and may be used to correctly predict SHS before planning and attempting wetland construction or restoration.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Soil Morphology and Soil Survey Data for Restoring and Creating Wetlands

Hurt

Galbraith

2005

Soil Horizons

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“…The regional indicators of hydric soils are currently under development and testing by the SCS. An excellent example of these criteria are those developed by the SCS soils staff in Florida Puckett, 1992, andWatts &Hurt, 1991).…”

Section: Phase 4 1985-presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Classification of Wetland Soils for Wetland Identification

Mausbach¹

1994

Soil Horizons

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The objective of this paper is to discuss the background in the development of the hydric soil definition and criteria. The hydric soil classification was developed at the request of the Fish and Wildlife Service as a tool for use in the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) of the USA. The objective of creating a hydric class of soils was to develop a class of soils that correlated with the presence of hydrophytic vegetation. This list of hydric soils in conjunction with soil surveys is used to help identify wetlands in the NWI. Development of the hydric soils classification was a result of extensive field studies and testing of proposed definitions. The resulting definition and criteria for hydric soils uses water table depths, flooding and ponding, drainage class, and permeability properties and qualities from the national soil survey database, and the aquic and Histosol classes in Soil Taxonomy. The definition and criteria were developed to generate a national list of hydric soils that support hydrophytic vegetation. The criteria were not meant for field use in identifying hydric soils. The use of morphologic indicators are suggested for field identification of hydric soils.

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“…Estimating the SHWT (as updated and revised from Florida Soil Survey Staff 1992 andWatts and Hurt 1991).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and application of hydric soil indicators in Florida

Hurt

Brown

1995

Wetlands

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The hydric soil definition and hydric soil criteria are often insutticient for use in field identification/ delineation ofhydric soils. This paper traces the experiences soil scientists and other wetland scientists had in Florida to properly identify, understand, and use hydric soil indicators to identify those soils that fit both the hydric soil definition and the hydric soil criteria. The hydric soil indicators that properly identify soils that fit the definition and criteria in Florida are as follows: hydrogen sulfide, organic bodies, stratified layers, muck, mucky texture, dark surface, stripped matrix, redox concentrations, gleyed matrix, depleted matrix, iron manganese masses, umbric epipedon, thick mollic epipedon, or marl. Exact thicknesses, depths, percemages, and colors that are required for each of the hydric soil indicators have been developed. Because of the knowledge gained from intense observations of morphological features in soils for hydric soil determinations scientists were able to transfer this technological ability to include the estimation of seasonal high water tables for all soils in Florida.

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Determining Depths to the Seasonal High Water Table and Hydric Soils in Florida

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Using Soil Morphology and Soil Survey Data for Restoring and Creating Wetlands

Using Soil Morphology and Soil Survey Data for Restoring and Creating Wetlands

Classification of Wetland Soils for Wetland Identification

Development and application of hydric soil indicators in Florida

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