Presentation given at 2008 Northwest Ohio Environmental Health Association Fall Conference on November 14, 2008 at Kalahari Resorts, Sandusky.

9. Proposed septic field

11. Okay . . . . . . Now for a little diversion

12. Sand Sandy loam Silt loam Clay loam Clay 1 2 3 4 Available Water Inches water/ft soil Plant Available Water Field Capacity Wilting Point

13. Available Water Holding Capacity Rhoads and Yonts, 1984. Storage capacity Silty clay loam 1.8 Clay loam 1.8 Silty clay 1.6 Silt loam 2.0 Sandy loam 1.4 Texture (in./ft.)

14. Comparison of Coarse Textured and Fine Textured Soils Coarse Textured Soil Less porespace but more macropores Fine Textured Soil More total porespace Texture and Pore Space

15. Granular Small Polyhedrons or Spheroids Bounded by Curved or Irregular Surfaces Symbol for Structure (gr)

16. GRANULAR

17. Blocky Subangular or Angular Subangular Blocky – the three dimensions are about the same size, but polyhedrons are subrounded. Symbol (sbk) Angular Blocky – the three dimensions are about the same size, but edges are shape and faces appear flattened. Symbol (abk)

18. BLOCKY

19. Bulk Density Determination For our example, let’s assume we have 1 cubic centimeter of soil that weighs 1.33 grams Soil is made of solids and pore spaces 1.33 grams { } To calculate Bulk Density: Volume = 1 cm 3 Weight = 1.33 grams Bulk Density = Weight of Soil Volume of Soil Bulk Density = 1.33 1 Bulk Density = 1.33 grams/cm 3

20. Bulk Density (con’t.) Bulk density (g/cm 3 ) Soil Cropped Uncropped Hagerstown loam (PA) 1.25 Marshall silt loam (IA) 1.13 Nappanese silt loam (OH) 1.31 Data from Lyon et al. (50%) (56%) (51%) (57%) (63%) (60%) 1.07 0.93 1.05 What impact does this have on pore space?

21. Bulk Density and Compaction 8 inches 1.43 0 inches 7 inches 9 inches 10 inches Bulk Density (g/cm 3 ) 1.90 1.87 1.84 1.80 1.60 Plow layer Compacted zone Uncompacted subsoil Depth Data from Camp and Lund Till 2.20

23. What do you notice about this soil core? macropores

24. Preferential Flow A B Soil Horizon Calculated from Kladivco, et al. (1999); models from Cornell Example of pesticide leaching through preferential flow. Atrazine applied. Initial storm of season. Notice preferential flow. 68% of leachable atrazine was lost to preferential flow during the first storm. What are the implications from a treatment standpoint?

25. What ‘stands out’ about the landscape? COLOR!

26. Soil Color, Soil Aeration or Drainage, and the Oxidation State of Iron 1. Iron is reduced 2. Fe ++ 3. dull colors (grays, blue ) 4. poorly drained 1. Iron is oxidized 2. Fe +++ 3. bright colors ( yellows , browns) 4. well drained POOR AERATION GOOD AERATION

30. Okay . . . . . . Back to the site and soil evalution.

34. Approx. 1.1 acre

37. Approx. 20 acres

41. Keep all traffic off the soil absorption fields (including construction traffic), especially when saturated or if there is snow cover.