Section 385.30. Soil profile description and interpretations.

 

(1)   General.

(a) A soil profile description shall be prepared for each soil profile excavation constructed.

(b) Soil profile descriptions shall be written in accordance with the descriptive procedures, terminology and interpretations found in Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey Manual , USDA, October, 1993, except where modified by, or in conflict with, this chapter.

(c) A soil profile description to substantiate soil application rates shall include at least all of the following morphological information for each soil horizon or layer:

1. Thickness in inches or decimal feet.

2. Munsell soil color notation.

3. Soil mottle or redoximorphic feature color, abundance, size and contrast.

4. United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, soil textural class with rock fragment modifiers.

5. Soil structure grade, size and shape.

6. Soil consistence.

7. Root abundance and size.

8. Soil boundary.

9. Occurrence of saturated soil, groundwater, bedrock or disturbed soil.

(d) A soil profile description to substantiate soil characteristics other than for application rates shall include the information specified in par. (c) 1. to 4. and 9.

(2)   Soil interpretations.

(a) Redoximorphic features or mottles shall be interpreted as zones of seasonal or periodic soil saturation or groundwater, except as provided under sub. (3) .

(b) Unless otherwise determined under s. SPS 385.60 , the highest elevation of seasonal soil saturation shall be the ground surface where redoximorphic features are present within 4 inches of any of the following:

1. An A horizon that extends to the ground surface.

2. The lower boundary of overlying fill material where no buried A horizon exists.

3. An A horizon buried by overlying fill material.

(3)   Soil color pattern exemptions.

(a) Without filing a report under s. SPS 385.60 (2) , a certified soil tester may discount the following conditions, not limited by enumeration, as indicators of seasonally saturated soil:

1. Fossilized soil color patterns formed by historic periodic soil saturation.

2. A soil profile where redoximorphic features are confined within 12 inches of tension saturated silt loam or finer textured soil immediately overlying unsaturated coarse sandy loam or coarser textured soil that has a depth in the coarser material adequate to accommodate a distribution cell and dispersal zone.

3. A soil profile where redoximorphic features are confined within 24 inches of tension saturated silt loam or finer textured soil immediately overlying unsaturated coarse loamy sand or coarser textured soil that has a depth in the coarser material adequate to accommodate a distribution cell and dispersal zone.

4. Residual sandstone colors.

5. Unevenly weathered glacially deposited material, glacially deposited material naturally gray in color, or concretionary material in various stages of decomposition.

6. Deposits of lime.

7. Light colored silt or fine sand coatings on soil ped surfaces.

(b) Without filing a report under s. SPS 385.60 (2) for a specific site, the department may accept the results of soil saturation determinations or of the hydrograph procedure under s. SPS 385.60 previously conducted for areas adjacent to the site, provided that the soil profile descriptions and interpretations confirms that the soil and site conditions are similar for the specific site and the adjacent areas.

(4)  S oil color pattern reports. The certified soil tester shall report and describe any soil color pattern exemptions encountered.

(5)   Determination requests. A certified soil tester may request assistance by the governmental unit or department staff in evaluating the significance of unusual soil color patterns as indicators of soil saturation that may not indicate saturated soil conditions. The governmental unit or department may decline to provide such assistance, and defer to the use of soil saturation determinations pursuant to s. SPS 385.60 or some other method.

Cr. Register, April, 2000, No. 532 , eff. 7-1-00; CR 02-129 : r. and recr. (2) (b) and (3) (a) 2. and 3. Register January 2004 No. 577 , eff. 2-1-04; CR 07-100 : am. (5) Register September 2008 No. 633 , eff. 10-1-08; correction in (2) (b) (intro.), (3) (a) (intro.), (b), (5) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672 .