Nonwoody debris includes Items such as rocks, bricks, and con- 

 crete fragments. 



£. Sabsurface plowing. Has the area recently been plowed below 

 the A-horizon or to depths of greater than 10 In.? 



d. Removal of surface layers. Has the surface soil layer been 



removed by scraping or natural landslides? Look for bare soil 

 surfaces with exposed plant roots or scrape scars on the 

 surface . 



£. Presence of man-made structures. Are buildings, dams, levees, 

 roads, or parking lots present? 



Determine the approximate date* when the alteration occurred. This may 



require checking aerial photography, examining building permits, etc. 



Record on DATA FORM 3, and PROCEED TO STEP 2. 



• Step 2 - Describe Effects on Soils. Record on DATA FORM 3 a general 

 description of how identified activities in STEP 1 have affected the 

 soils. Consider the following: 



a. Has the soil been buried? If so, record the depth of fill 

 material and determine whether the original soil is intact. 



b. Has the soil been mixed at a depth below the A-horizon or 

 greater than 10 inches? If so, it will be necessary to examine 

 the original soil at a depth immediately below the plowed zone. 

 Record supporting evidence. 



£. Has the soil been sufficiently altered to change the soil 

 phase? Describe these changes. 



PROCEED TO STEP 3. 



• STEP 3 - Characterize Soils That Previouslv Occurred. Obtain all 



■ 



possible evidence that may be used to characterize soils that pre- 

 viously occurred on the area. Consider the following potential sources 

 of information: 



a. Soil surveys. In many cases, recent soil surveys will be 

 available. If so, determine the soil series that were mapped 

 for the area, and compare these soil series with the list of 

 hydric soils (Appendix D, Section 2). If all soil series are 

 listed as hydric soils, the entire area had hydric soils prior 

 to alteration. 



b. Characterization of buried soils. When fill material has been 

 placed over the original soil without physically disturbing the 

 soil, examine and characterize the buried soils. To accomplish 

 this, dig a hole through the fill material until the original 

 soil is encountered. Determine the point at which the original 



* It is especially important to determine whether the alteration occurred 

 prior to implementation of Section 40A. 



87 



