ENR Soil Analysis

Sand

Gritty, falls apart when wet

Low moisture holding capacity

Rapid drainage

Loamy

Mix of sand/silt/clay

Slightly gritty, not sticky

Ribbon does not form easily

Good moisture holding and fertility

Most productive for agriculture

Ribbon of less than 2.5 cm

Silt

Smooth but not sticky

Same features as loam, just a bit smoother

2.5-5 cm ribbon

Clay

Finest pores

Low permeability

High moisture holding

High fertility

More % —> stickier and stiffer, longer and more flexible ribbon

Ribbon 5 cm or longer

Excessively drained

Coarser than loamy find sand

Shallow to sand/grave/bedrock

NO redox features within 40 in/100cm

Somewhat excessively drained

Sandy and gravelly below 20 in

Moderately deep to bedrock

No redox within 40 in

Well drained

Finer than loamy find sand in upper 20 in

No redox within 30 in/76 cm

Moderately well drained

no redox in upper B, typically within 15-30 in

redox depletions usually present

Poorly drained

Many prominent redox features within 12 in/30 cm

Rapid

what permeability?

at least 6 ft/hr

Sandy

GW contamination!

Moderate

what permeability?

0.6 to 6 ft/hr

loam and silt

Slow

what permeability?

less than 0.6 ft/hr

Clay, loam, dense layer

What does re-orange soil indicate

water fluctuating table

Fe oxidation

Concentrations of Fe

Gray/gleyed soil

long-term wetness

depletions

low oxygen levels

rotten egg stench

methane, hydrogen sulfide, plant death

reasons why redox is not always reliable

different textures can trap water

red + gray can also be from parent materials

Vegetation indicator

hydrophilic plants are present

Root indication

root depth

roots do not grow past SHWT

color

uniform bright colors = well drained!

landscape and location

depressions or footslopes have poor drainage

Deep

> 40 in /100 cm to restrictive layer

Moderately deep

20 - 40 in / 50 - 100 cm to restrictive layer

Shallow

less than 20 in or 50 cm to restrictive layer

slope A

< 3 %

slope B

4-8%

slope C

9 - 15%

slope D

16 - 35%

slope E

35%

slow runoff

runoff in slope < 3%

moderate runoff

runoff in slope 4-8%

rapid runoff

>8%

prime farmland

deep to bedrock

well/moderately drained

level (<8%)

Loamy or silty, no stones!

forestry limitations

slope >35%

shallow to bedrock

poor drainage

rocky

row crop limitations

bedrock within 20 inches

slope >15%

rocky

hay land limitations

slope >35%

rocky