Port Byron, NY Soil Survey

EVSP 311 Soil Science Final Project

Natalie AngersAmerican Public University

August 2015

Contents• Overview• Local area• Local demographics• Geological history• Local history• Soil overview• Camillus series• Ontario series

• Soil proliferation• Challenges• Nutrient depletion• Erosion• Water loss• Soil conservation

techniques• Future considerations• References

Overview

Images courtesy of Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2015 and ePodunk.com, 2007, respectively

Local Area

• Port Byron, NY is located within Cayuga County

• Port Byron is also part of the NY Finger Lakes Region, an area renowned for its wine and agriculture

• This specific area has long been used for farming and is located near the NYS Thruway in a small rural town west of Syracuse, NY

Cayuga County historical marker (USGenWeb, n.d.)

Map of the Finger Lakes (J., n.d.)

Port Byron, NY (NRCS, 2015)

Local Demographics

• Population of Cayuga County: 80,026

• Area: 734 square miles

• Cayuga County encompasses three Finger Lakes, multiple rivers and waterways, and two major watersheds

• Elevations in Cayuga County range from 250’ above sea level to nearly 2000’

• The climate in Cayuga County is classified as Humid Continental; characterized by a warm growing season from April to September and steady precipitation in the form of snow, sleet, or ice during the cool season from October to March

Cayuga County Planning Department, 2013

Map of Cayuga Coutny (Cayuga County Planning Department, 2013)

Geological History

Topographical map of New York (Sterner, 1995)

• Throughout the earth’s history, what is now New York has been through several periods of mountain building and erosion

• Up until about 8000 years ago, New York was covered with glaciers of about one-two miles thickness

• After the glaciers melted, they left behind rock and sediment deposits which has led to fertile valleys throughout upstate NY

McDonnell, n.d.

Local History

• In 1910, over 91% of Cayuga County included farms; 75% of the land was used for crops or cleared for pastures

• As of 2006:• 27% pasture/hay• 27% cultivated crops• 15% deciduous forest

• The majority of Cayuga Country remains farmland/rural with 53% of the population residing in rural farm or non-farm areas

Land Use

Cultivated CropsPasture/HayDeciduous ForestForested Wet-landScrub/ShrubOpen WaterMisc

Cayuga County Planning Department, 2013

Data derived from Cayuga County Planning Department, 2013

Soil ProfileMap Unit Symbol

Map Unit Name Acres in AOI

Percent of AOI

Ac Alden mucky silt loam 1.1 1.0%

CaB Camillus silt loam, 2-6% slopes 5.1 4.7%

CaC3 Camillus silt loam, 6-12% slopes, eroded 24.6 22.9%

ClB Collamer silt loam, 2-6% slopes 4.7 4.4%

LtB Lima silt loam, 3-8% slopes 2.8 2.6%

Ma Madalin silt loam, 0-3% slopes 0.2 0.2%

Nc Niagara and Canandaigua silt loams 6.6 6.2%

OnB Ontario loam, 2-8% slopes 17.3 16.1%

OnC Ontario loam, 8-14% slopes, 0.4 0.4%

OnC3 Ontario loam, 8-14% slopes, eroded 16.2 15.1%

OnCK Ontario loam, rolling 0.5 0.5%

OnD3 Ontario loam, 14-20% slopes, eroded 5.7 5.3%

OtE Ontario, Honeoye, and Lansing soils, 20-35% slopes

12.0 11.2%

OvB Ovid silt loam, 2-6% slopes 0.5 0.4%

PgA Palmyra gravelly loam, 0-3% slopes 1.7 1.6%

PgC Palmyra gravelly loam, 8-15% slopes 8.2 7.6%

Soil map and key for Port Byron, NY (NRCS, 2015)

Camillus Series• Camillus silt loam, 6-12% slopes, eroded (CaC3) makes up 22%

of the soil makeup of the selected area

• Camillus and similar soils make up 80% of the chosen area’s soil

• The Camillus soil series are moderately deep and well drained soils

• Camillus soils were formed through till and an underlying calcareous shale bedrock

• The average annual temperature is 45 F and the annual precipitation is 35 inches

NRCS, 2015 and National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012 Camillus pedon (CA Soil Resource, n.d.)

0”

10”

16”

22”

36”

39”

Camillus Series Cont.

National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012

• Typical Pedon:• Ap: 0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown silt loam;

many medium and large pores; 1 percent rock fragments; neutral

• Bw: 10 to 16 inches; yellowish brown silt loam; many medium and large pores; 1 percent rock fragments; slightly acid

• BC: 16 to 22 inches; brown in the upper part grading to grayish brown in the lower part silt loam; many medium and large pores; few partially weathered fine shale fragments; neutral

• C: 22 to 36 inches; grayish brown silt loam; many large pores; 25 percent soft shale fragments; 1 percent hard rock fragments; slightly alkaline

• 2Cr: 36 to 39 inches; grayish brown soft partially disintegrated calcareous silty shale bedrock

• 2R: 39 to 42+ inches; grayish brown soft calcareous silty shale bedrock

0”

10”

16”

22”

36”

39”

Camillus pedon (CA Soil Resource, n.d.)

Ontario Series• Ontario loam, 8-14% slopes, eroded, makes up about 15% of

the soil make up of the selected area

• In total, Ontario soil series make up about 30% of the chosen area’s soil types

• Ontario soils are deep to very deep, and are well drained

• The series is strongly influenced by limestone and sandstone

• The average annual temperature is 48 F and the annual precipitation is 38 inches; both of which are slightly above Camillus series soils

NRCS, 2015 and National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012 Ontario Pedon (Soil Data Explorer, n.d.)

Ontario Series Cont.• Typical Pedon:

• Ap: 0 to 8 inches, dark brown loam; 10 percent rock fragments; moderately acid

• E: 8 to 14 inches, brown loam; common fine pores; 10 percent rock fragments; moderately acid;

• Bt/E: 14 to 21 inches, brown loam; thin clay linings on surfaces along pores and on all faces of peds; 10 percent rock fragments; slightly acid;

• Bt: 21 to 39 inches, reddish brown gravelly loam; firm; dark reddish brown clay films on all faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; 20 percent rock fragments; neutral;

• C1: 39 to 48 inches, brown gravelly loam; few pores; 20 percent rock fragments; slightly alkaline, slightly effervescent;

• C2: 48 to 72 inches, brown gravelly loam; few pores; 20 percent rock fragments; slightly alkaline, slightly effervescent

National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2007 Ontario Pedon (Soil Data Explorer, n.d.)

Soil Proliferation

Ontario Series

Soil Data Explorer, n.d.

Camillus Series

• While both soil series are limited in their proliferation along the I-90 corridor, the Camillus series has an even smaller area of concentration

Challenges

• While both Ontario and Camillus soil series are regarded as fertile soils, these soils are as vulnerable as any other to nutrient depletion, erosion, and water loss

• Constant agricultural use may exacerbate these issues

• By utilizing methods known to improve soil health, Cayuga County can continue to be a premiere area for agriculture

Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, n.d.

NRCS, 2015 and National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012

Nutrient Depletion• Nutrient depletion is going to happen as plants consume

nutrients from the soil; however, unless those nutrients are replaced, the soil will become unhealthy

• Nutrient management is the practice of managing the amount, source, placement, and timing of plant nutrients and soil additives

• Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient, and can be applied to soil or injected into soil in a no-till operation

• Phosphorus is another commonly used additive, but has been shown to leach into surface water if not properly placed

• Manure is an ideal fertilizer that provides organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are crucial to soil health

USDA, 2015

Manure fertilizer (NRCS, n.d.)

Nutrient Cycle (Agriculture Resource, n.d.)

Erosion• Erosion reduces the overall quantity of soil

available for use, as well as often leading to loss of nutrients and water

• Erosion can also lead to polluted waterways when soil leaches into nearby waters

• Several conservation practices have been shown to decrease erosion:• Residue and tillage management• No-till• Crop rotation• Use of a cover crop• Mulching

• With much of Cayuga County and Port Byron containing slopes of at least 3-8%, these areas are especially vulnerable to wind and water erosion

USDA, 2015 & NRCS, 2015

Example of erosion (Trix, 2014)

Water Loss• Conserving soil moisture is vital to ensuring a

soil’s health

• Both Ontario and Camillus soils are porous and well drained

• Conservation practices that help conserve soil moisture include: • Mulching• Using a cover crop

• Soil moisture is organized by whether the soil is:• Saturated• At field capacity• Typical• At its wilting point

USDA, 2015 & NRCS, 2015

Soil moisture (COMET, n.d.)

Soil Conservation Techniques• Mulching, or applying suitable material such

as plant residue to the land surface• Generally has a positive impact on

physical properties of soil such as bulk density and porousness

• Shown to increase earthworm and total carbon content in soil

• Shown to increase soil quality index

• A cover crop is vegetation grown for seasonal cover, either into or after a cash crop• May provide and conserve nitrogen • Increases soil organic matter content• Decreases runoff• Improves soil structure and water

infiltration

USDA, 2015

Mulching (Norton, 2012)

Cover crop (Johnson, 2010)

Soil Conservation Techniques Cont.• Crop rotation is defined as growing different

crops in a set sequence in one location• Benefits may depend on which crops

are used in the rotation• Benefits are maximized when used in

conjunction with other soil conservation techniques

• No-till soil conservation is done by limiting the amount of soil disturbance in order to allow plant residue to remain in the field• Reduces erosion• Increases soil quality and organic

content• Increases water efficiency and storage

USDA, 2015

Crop rotation (Roger, 2014)

No-till soybeans on corn (Barron County, n.d.)

Future Considerations• Port Byron and Cayuga County will likely

continue to be utilized primarily for agriculture

• Ensuring the soil remains healthy in the long term is essential for the area to be successful

• Utilizing soil conservation techniques such as mulching, crop rotation and strip cropping, as well as proper nutrient management will help ensure the soil stays healthy

• With climate change and accelerated global warming, maximizing soil moisture should be a primary concern

BASF, n.d.

Wallpapers.free-review.net, n.d.

References Agriculture Resource. (n.d.). Soil Nutrient Cycle. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Agriculture Resource.org:

http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/images/resources/images-learning/module-2-figure-5-soil-nutrient-cycle/image_view_fullscreen

Barron County, Wisconsin. (n.d.). Agriculture Programs & Services. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Barron County, Wisconsin: http://www.barroncountywi.gov/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={89D075CD-5873-4056-8599-65155CFB943F}&DE={4F5A25A9-D9B9-4736-A73E-5898131DCD96}

BASF. (n.d.). BASF. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from BASF New Business.com: http://www.basf-new-business.com/

CA Soil Resource. (n.d.). Soil Taxonomy. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from CA Soil Resource: http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/soil_web/ssurgo.php?action=explain_component&mukey=293538&cokey=10957221

Cauyga County Planning Department . (2013). DMA 2000 Hazard Mitigation Plan. Cayuga County, NY: DMA 2000.

COMET. (n.d.). Understanding the Hydrologic Cycle. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from COMET: http://stream2.cma.gov.cn/pub/comet/HydrologyFlooding/UnderstandingtheHydrologicCycleInternationalEdition/comet/hydro/basic_int/hydrologic_cycle/navmenu.php_tab_1_page_4.3.0.htm

ePodunk. (2007). Cayuga County Profile. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from ePodunk.com: http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=22461

J, M. (n.d.). Finger Lakes. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_Lakes

McDonnell, T. (n.d.). Physical Geography of New York. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from NYgeo.org: http://www.nygeo.org/ny_geo.html

National Cooperative Soil Survey. (2007, January). Ontario Series. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from National Cooperative Soil Survey: https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/O/ONTARIO.html

National Cooperative Soil Survey. (2012, April). Camillus Series. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from National Cooperative Soil Survey: https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CAMILLUS.html

References Cont.Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2015, August 19). Web Soil Survey. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service: http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx

Natural Resources Conservation Service. (n.d.). Manure and Nutrient Management. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from USDA NRCS: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/ecoscience/mnm/

Norton, J. (2012, March 19). The Joys of Mulching. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from UT Market Garden Project: https://utmarketgarden.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/the-joys-of-mulching/

Roger. (2014, January 16). Crop Rotation Tips. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Growers Learning: http://growerslearning.com/blog/crop-rotation-tips-what-crops-to-follow-up-with/

Soil Data Explorer. (n.d.). Ontario. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Soil Data Explorer: http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/sde/?series=ontario

Sterner, R. (1995). Color Landform Map of NY. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory: http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/states/maps1/ny.gif

The USGenWeb Project. (n.d.). History of Cayuga County, New York. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from rootsweb: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycayuga/history.htm

Trix, H. (2014, April 28). 10 State erosion conference held in Quad Cities. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Peoria Public Radio: http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/10-state-erosion-conference-held-quad-cities#stream/0

Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District. (n.d.). Soil Health and Erosion. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District: http://www.swcd.net/resource-areas/soil-health-and-erosion/

United States Department of Agriculture. (2015, January 09). Soil Health Literature Summer - Effects of Conservation Practices on Soil Properties in Areas of Cropland. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from USDA: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/soils/health/mgnt/?cid=stelprdb1257753