Download Soil Problems

Soil Problems
Unit 2
Chapter 20
Lesson 2
Soil Problems
 Soil Structure
 Slope
 Droughty
 Wind erosion
 Stony
 Water erosion
 Drainage
 Organic matter
 Wet spots
 Permeability
 Seasonal flooding
Soil Structure
 Problem in fine, medium, or moderately coarse
surface soil
 Must also have medium or light color
 Also a problem in soils with dull subsoil color
Droughty
 Not enough water holding capacity (think of a
drought)
 Problem with bright subsoil
Stony
 Problem if there are many rocks present
 Stones break farm equipment and interfere with
building development
Drainage
 Opposite of droughty
 Too much water held in soil
 Dull subsoils
Wet Spots
 Small areas of mottled or dull subsoil in an area
with bright subsoil
 Usually depressed (sunk in or lower) than
surrounding soils
 May have water standing in them if it has been
rainy
Seasonal Flooding
 Low flat area where water will stand in spring
 Usually dull or mostly dull subsoil
 Also known as a Flood plain
Slope
 Any land with a slope greater than 12% is a
problem for machinery and buildings
Wind erosion
 Coarse or Moderately coarse topsoil
 Usually on mainly flat ground where wind can
gust through
 Don’t mark if there is not any erosion present in
the area
Water erosion
 Fine, Medium, and Moderately Coarse surface
soil with greater then a 2% slope may have a
problem
 Don’t mark if there is not any erosion present in
the area
Organic Matter
 Any light or medium surface soil color indicates a
problem
Permeability
 The rate at which water is absorbed by soil
 Fine textured subsoil have a slow permeability
which is a problem