Lab Sampling Procedures

1. Lab Sampling Procedures Tom Hahn Lakewood MLRA Office Soil Scientist Workshop March 17-19, 2009

2. MO6 Lab Sampling Guidelines See NSSH 631 MO6 Guidelines are for production soil surveys only Objective to ensure cost-effective sampling and meaningful results, improve quality of soil survey

3. Analyses at the Project Office CCE, pH run routinely on full pedon descriptions Other analyses: Sieving for sand content EC meters Hydrometer particle-size distribution

4. Reference Sampling Allow staff to plot lines, and describe and classify soils with added confidence Limited number of analyses, maybe not all horizons Short turn-around time No work plan needed

5. Characterization Sampling For important soils and where extensive soil property data needed Entire pedon sampled Standard suite of lab analyses Work Plan required Scheduled in advance

6. Planning Sample Collection Reference samples Sample all horizons if more than a few analyses requested Large scope reference samples When number of analyses approaches complete characterization Must be on approved map units Must be modal or representative pedons Follow complete characterization protocols

7. Approximate Lab Costs (1996) Reference Samples Per sample - $50 Per pedon - $250 Characterization Samples Per sample - $250 � 350 Per pedon - $1500 - 2100

8. Identifying numbers for field samples YR ST CCC 11 where: YR = two-digit calendar year (not fiscal year) ST = state FIPS code (e.g. CO, WY) CCC = three digit county FIPS code (note this may not be the same as the soil survey area code) 11 = two-digit consecutive pedon number (first pedon sampled in county in that year is 01, etc.)

9. Procedure for Requesting Lab Analyses Characterization Requested 1 yr in advance, through NSSC Work Plan required well in advance Reference Requested through MO6 SDQS Need pedon in NASIS Complete Request form

10. Key NASIS Elements Must be Populated Site latitude and longitude coordinates, with datum name Site Area Overlap (enter overlaps with legend, County, MLRA, and mapunit) Pedon User Site ID Pedon Horizon Sample �Field Sample ID (the field sample number for the horizon, e.g. 07WY041001-01) (These numbers do not need to be consecutive - if horizons are skipped during sampling, there will be a skip in the horizon sample numbers) DO NOT ENTER Pedon Horizon Sample �Lab Sample # - this is a number assigned by the lab only (such as 08N00362) Pedon Soil Name As Sampled Pedon Taxonomic Class Pedon PSC Top Depth Pedon PSC Bottom Depth DO NOT ENTER Pedon � Lab Pedon # - this is a number assigned by the lab only (such as 08N00560)

11. Request Form

12. Common Physical Analyses Code Analysis name Common Taxonomic Applications DbWR Bulk Density, Clod Andic materials PSDA PSDA, Air-dry, <2 mm Particles Particle-size families [special request: fine clay] Argillic horizon [special request: carbonate clay] Particle-size families WR15b Water Retention, 15 Bar, Isotic mineralogy, Pressure-Plate, <2mm Particle-size if poorly dispersed

13. Common Chemical Analyses Code Analysis Name Common Taxonomic Applications Carb Calcium Carbonate Equivalent, <2mm Calcic horizon; calculate % Org C Carb2 Calcium Carbonate Equivalent, 2-20mm Carbonatic and gypsic mineralogy CEC CEC and Cations, Routine CE Activity, base saturation, Natric (Exch. Sodium (ESP)) EC Electrical Conduct. 1:20, <2 mm Salic horizon Gyp2 Gypsum, <2mm Gypsic horizon Gyp2_20 Gypsum, 2-20mm Gypsic mineralogy NZPRe New Zealand Phosphorus Retention Andic materials Oxal Acid Oxalate Extract Andic materials, spodic materials pHNaF pH, NaF Isotic mineralogy, andic materials pHRou pH, Routine SatP Saturated Paste and Soluble Salts Natric horizon, SAR TotC Carbon, Total Mollic epipedon, spodic materials, Fluventic features