Classification

Description Soils containing more than 50 per cent stones over 1 inch in diameter. If remainder is sufficiently fertile, this soil type may have gardening value, although it will be hard to work. Soil with over 50 per cent gravel and much sand. Practically no garden value. Soils with more than 75 per cent sand. Low garden value. Soils with 50 to 75 per cent fine sand mixed with much silt and some clay. Fairly good garden soils. Soils with 50 to 75 per cent sand and much silt, some clay. Among the better light garden soils. Soils with 35 to 50 per cent sand mixed with much silt and some clay. Most of the better garden soils fall in this class. Soils with more than 50 per cent silt and less than 15 per cent clay. Are too "tight" to be good soils without some modification. Soils with 15 to 25 per cent clay, much silt and little sand. Usually are good garden soils if not worked when wet. Soils with more than 25 per cent clay, usually with much silt. Can be good if handled properly. Soils with 15 to 25 per cent partially decomposed organic matter with much clay and silt. Good for certain crops, but modification is usually needed for general garden use. Soils with 15 to 35 per cent organic matter mixed with much sand and some silt and clay. If acid, are good for broadleaved evergreens. Very coarse 2.0-1.0 mm sand Coarse sand 1.0-0.5 mm Medium sand Fine sand Very fine sand Silt Clay 0.5-0.25 mm 0.25-0.10 mm 0.10-0.05 mm 0.05-0.002 mm <0.002 mm

Stony loams

Gravels Sands Fine sandy loams Sandy loams

Sandy Soil -Sandy soil is very common near mountain foothills, along rivers and streams, and in certain coastal areas. Approximately 80 to 100 percent sand, 0 to 10 percent silt, and 0 to 10 percent clay by volume, sandy soils tend to be poor water holders. This soil is light and drains freely. Loam Soil- Loam soil is common in valleys and flat areas surrounding rivers and streams. Approximately 25 to 50 percent sand, 30 to 50 percent silt, and 10 to 30 percent clay by volume, loam soils are also free draining. Loam soil is a bit heavier than sandy soil and has low organic content. Clay Soil- Clay soil can be found around urban areas, where it is used as fill soil in subdivisions and developments. Approximately 0 to 45 percent sand, 0 to 45 percent silt, and 50 to 100 percent clay, clay soils tend to to not be free draining. Water does not penetrate easily. This soil will allow virtually all water to run off when it is wet, and when it is dry, it tends to be heavy and hard to work.

Loams

Silt loams

Clay loams

Clays

Mucks

Peaty loams

Sandy Soils Sandy Soils Soils have a gritty and formed from weathered with 35texture per cent or are more organic matter, mixed rocks such as limestone, quartz, granite, and If sandy soil contains enough Peats with some sand, siltshale. and clay. Need more mineral matter organic matter it is easy to however it is use. prone to over-draining and tocultivate, be suitable for garden summer dehydration, and in wet weather it can have problems retaining moisture and nutrients. Silty Soil Silty soil is considered to be among the most fertile of soils. Usually composed of minerals (predominantly quartz) and fine organic particles, it has more nutrients than sandy soil yet still offers good drainage. When dry it has rather a smooth texture and looks like dark sand. Its weak soil structure means that it is easy to work with when moist and it holds moisture well. Clay Soil When clay soils are wet they are very sticky, lumpy and pliable but when they dry they form rock-hard clots. Clay soils are composed of very fine particles with few air spaces, thus they are hard to work and often drain poorly they are also prone to water logging in spring. Blue or grey clays have poor aeration and must be loosened in order to support healthy growth. Red colour in clay soil indicates good aeration and a "loose" soil that drains well. As clay contains high nutrient levels plants grow well if drainage is adequate. Loamy Soil Considered to be the perfect soil, Loamy soils are a combination of roughly 40 % sand, 40% silt and 20% clay. Loamy soils can range from easily workable fertile soils full of organic matter, to densely packed sod. Characteristically they drain well, yet retain moisture and are nutrient rich, making them ideal for cultivation. Peaty Soil Peaty soil contains more organic material than other soils because its acidity inhibits the process of decomposition. This type of soils contains fewer nutrients than many other soils and is prone to over-retaining water. Through good management and use of fertiliser and artificial drainage excellent plants can be grown. Chalky Soil Chalky soils are alkaline, usually light brown in colour, and contain large quantities of stones of varying sizes. They dry out quickly in the summer and have a tendency to block trace elements such as iron and manganese so that they are unavailable to plants - this in turn causes poor growth and yellowing of leaves. Chalky soil is extremely poor quality and needs regular, substantial addition of fertilizers and other soil improvers

Class Nutrients

Examples Nitrogen, phosphorus

Major Sources Wastewater treatment plants, fertilizers, leaking septic tank systems, animal wastes, agricultural return flows, sediment

Major Effects Production of excess algae. When algae die, decomposer organisms consume them. This process can use up most of the oxygen in the water, harming cold-water fish species and other aquatic organisms. Harms habitat and reproduction of fish and other aquatic life. Makes water unsafe for human consumption and recreation.

Cation Exchange Clay psrticles are composed of minerals that, in general, possess a negative electrical charge. In some mineral particles this charge is built in to the clay crystals, and is unaffected by changing soil conditions. This is called fixed charge. In other clay minerals, and in organic particles, the charge is altered by changes in soil acidity. This charge is called variable charge. Variable charge is greatest under alkaling conditions, and least under acidic conditions. The negative charges of clay particles give them the ability to attract and hold positively-charged molecules ( cation). Nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and many other soil elements are cations. The ability of the soil to hold on to cations is cation exchange capacity (CEC). Nutrients retained by CEC are prevented from leaching out of the rooting zone, yet are held lossely enough to be available to growing plants. The soil properties most closely related to CEC are soil texture and organic matter content. Fine textured soils have more CEC than coarse-textured soils, and soils high in organic matter have more CEC than low organic matter soils. Also, non-acidic soils have more CEC than acidic soils. Some soil particles have a small positive electrical charge, and can attract anions (negatively-charged molecules.) Anion exchange capacity is usually insignificant in Arizona soils.

Sediments

Soil, sand, silt, dust, gravel

Erosion of soil by water or wind, road de-icing, storm drains

Pathogens

Bacteria, viruses, parasites

Agricultural return flows, cattle, horses, humans, leaking septic systems, storm drains

Toxins

Hydrocarbons, heavy metals

Chemical spills, automobile products and emissions, street runoff, improper use of storm drains, leaking underground petroleum storage tanks, mining activities, industry, improper use of pesticides, etc.

Harms wildlife, fish and human drinking water.

Salinity

Total dissolved solids (TDS), salts

Agricultural return flows, wastewater treatment plants, geothermal springs

Accumulates in agricultural fields, terminal lakes and wetlands in the Great Basin. Water holds less dissolved oxygen; harms fish and other aquatic life.

Thermal Pollution

Increased water temperature

Agricultural return flows, geothermal springs, loss of streamside tree canopy