Soil Properties Flashcards
Silt particles
.05-.002mm diameter
Sand particle size
2-.05mm diameter
Clay particles
Less than .002mm diameter
Course particles
Larger than 2mm diameter
Friable
Moist soil crumbles into aggregates under light pressure.
Suitable for tillage
Ball test for tillage conditions
If you can form a ball soil is susceptible to compaction.
If breaks apart and is friable, tillage is okay
Total available water capacity
The portion of water that can be absorbed by the roots. The amount of water available, stored, or released between in-situ field capacity and the permanent wilting point water contents
Field capacity
The amount of water remaining in the soil a few days after having been wetter and after free drainage has ceased.
Hydric soils
Formed under saturation flooding or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part
Soil particle type most susceptible to erosion
Silt
Bc clay is typically aggregated and sand is too course
Rusle 2 equation
Annual soil loss Erosivity of rainfall Erodibility of the soil Slope length and steepness Cropping and management factors Erosion control practices
Good soil tilth
High aggregate stability and low bulk density.
Refers to the physical condition of the soil in relation to plant growth
Depression storage
Water stored in a field depression therefore not contributing to surface runoff
Detention storage
The water in excess of the depression storage which is temporarily stores somewhere in the watershed en route to streams. ie wetland
Perennial stream
Always flowing
