2509.18_2
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FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
DENVER, CO
FSH 2509.18 - SOIL MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK
R2 Supplement No. 2509.18-92-1
Effective August 15, 1992
POSTING NOTICE. Supplements to this title are numbered consecutively. Post by
document name. This is the first Region 2 Supplement to this handbook. Retain
this transmittal as the first page of this document.
Document Name
2509.18_2
Digest:
Establishes Regional Soil Quality Monitoring Standards.
TOM L. THOMPSON
Acting Regional Forester
Superseded New
(Number of Pages)
3
R2 SUPPLEMENT 2509.18-92-1
EFFECTIVE 8/15/92
2509.18_2
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FSH 2509.18 - SOIL MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 2 - SOIL QUALITY MONITORING
2.03 - POLICY.
1. Management activities will be conducted in such a way as to not exceed the
Soil Quality Standards. The emphasis is on protecting the soil resource before
excessive damage occurs.
2. Where excessive soil impacts already exist from prior activity, the emphasis
shall be on preventing any additional detrimental impact, and on reclamation
where feasible.
2.05 - DEFINITIONS.
10. Detrimental Compaction:
a. A 15% increase in bulk density from the average undisturbed density,
or
b. Bulk density values that exceed the following Threshold Values:
1.25 g/cc - Silt and Clay,
1.30 g/cc - Silty Clay, Silty Clay Loam and Silt Loam,
1.40 g/cc - Loam and Clay Loam,
1.50 g/cc - Sandy Loam, Sandy Clay Loam and Sandy Clay,
1.60 g/cc - Sand and Loamy Sand.
11. Detrimental Displacement - The removal of soil from a continuous area of
100 square feet or more.
12. Detrimental Erosion.
a. Sheet Erosion - The general loss of soil from the soil surface. Indicators
include pedestalled rocks and plants, deposition of soil on the uphill side of
rocks and plants, and/or erosion pavement.
b. Rills and Gullies - Erosion channels greater than one-inch deep.
13. Effective Ground cover - All living and dead herbaceous and woody
materials in contact with the ground and all rocks greater than 3/4 inch in
diameter.
14. Detrimental Puddling - Detrimental Puddling typically occurs in
conjunction with detrimental compaction. Detrimental Compaction will be used to
monitor Detrimental Puddling.
15. Activity Area - An area of land impacted by a management activity or
activities. It can range from a few acres to an entire watershed depending on the
type of monitoring being conducted. It is commonly a timber sale cutting unit.
R2 SUPPLEMENT 2509.18-92-1
EFFECTIVE 8/15/92
2509.18_2
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2.2 - SOIL QUALITY STANDARDS.
3. Detrimental Compaction, Displacement, Puddling, Severe Burning and
Erosion. No more than 15 percent of an activity area will be left in a detrimentally
compacted, displaced, puddled, severely burned, and/or eroded condition. This does
not include the permanent transportation system.
4. Effective Ground Cover. Required Minimum Percent Effective
Groundcover for the first and second year after disturbance:
Erosion Hazard
Class
Low
Moderate
High
Very High
1st Year
(%)
50
40
30
30
2nd Year
(%)
70
60
50
50
Project plans which propose to exceed Regional standards for Detrimental
Compaction, Displacement, Puddling, Severe Burning, and Erosion should contain
justification and planned mitigation, and be approved by the Forest Supervisor.
Standards for Detrimental Compaction, Displacement, Severe Burning, and Erosion
apply to the cumulative effects of management practices over time. If a standard is
exceeded in an initial entry, future entries must have no additional detrimental
effect unless mitigative measures have been applied or natural recovery has taken
place between entries.
2.42 - SOIL SAMPLING TECHNIQUES. Sampling techniques range from
extensive visual observations to intensive sampling techniques using statistically
sound methodologies. The intensity of sampling must be determined on a case by
case basis depending on the values and risks at stake.
"Guidelines For Sampling Some Physical Conditions of Surface Soils" by Howes,
Hazard, and Geist (1983), has proven to be an effective intensive sampling
technique. When the local site variability is unknown, approximately 20, 100 foot
transects should be used.
Soil core samplers, nuclear gages, and cone penetrometers have all been used
successfully to measure soil bulk densities. Other methods may be used provided
they have been properly validated in the field.