Or. Admin. Code § 603-080-0040

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 10, October 1, 2024

Section 603-080-0040 - Acceptable Soils Reports

The department shall consider the soils analyses in soils reports soundly and scientifically based if they meet the following:

(1) General Information, shall include:

(a) The title of the report;

(b) Land owner for whom the report has been prepared;

(c) Names of soil scientist(s) conducting the field work and preparer(s) of the report, along with their certification numbers and qualifications as required in OAR 603-080-0030(2);

(d) Land use case file number (if available);

(e) County in which the survey was conducted;

(f) Location of the project site, including the township, range, section, and lot(s) number;

(g) Present zoning designation;

(h) Current land use;

(i) A description of the purpose of the investigation.

(2) Previous Mapping or Background: The soil scientist shall provide a copy of the applicable and most current National Cooperative Soil Survey map(s) provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with the area of investigation outlined on the map(s). The scale of the map(s) shall be identified and a list of the map units under investigation be listed. The applicable interpretations and inclusions for the map units for which the investigation is being made shall also be provided.

(3) Methods Used By Soil Scientist: The soil scientist shall describe the methodologies used for the preparation of the report and shall include the following:

(a) The level of order of survey used in the field survey, scale and type of maps used for field investigations, number of sample locations and observation points all confirming or disagreeing with the NRCS mapping units. The level of order of survey shall be one or more higher than the NRCS survey as described in the NRCS Soil Survey Manual, 1993;

(b) The date/s of the field investigation;

(c) The methods used for observations (backhoe, auger, shovel etc.) and methods used for documentation (for slope, color, pH etc.);

(d) A notation of any limitations encountered during the field investigation such as soil depth, drainage, slope or inaccessibility.

(4) Results, Findings, Decisions: The soils report shall describe how the level of order of survey used on this investigation differs from that used by NRCS in the original soil survey. The soils report shall also include:

(a) An overview of the geology or geologic setting, describing sources of parent material, bedrock and related factors;

(b) A description of the landforms and topography, confirming the relationship of landforms to soil mapping units;

(c) A description of on-site and adjacent hydrology, including surface and subsurface features, intermittent versus perennial, flood plain and floodways and other related information;

(d) A description of the revised soil mapping units with their range of characteristics, explaining how and why they differ from NRCS soil mapping. The soils report shall include a summary of soil characteristic variabilities incorporating significance of preceding weather (above or below average) and crops and natural vegetation present;

(e) A tabulation of all previous and revised soil mapping units complete with their acreages and land use classifications.

(5) Summary or Conclusion: The soils report shall contain a section reiterating the purpose of the investigation, explaining the significance of the revised soil mapping and describing any other significant issues related to the report's purpose.

(6) References: This section shall be used to detail the qualifications of field investigators and the preparers of the report. This section may also list any manuals or publications utilized or referenced by the report.

(7) Attachments: Other informational materials provided as attachments, such as maps, figures or appendices shall include the following and shall be printed on 8 1/2" X 11" wherever possible:

(a) Vicinity map with a scale of 1:48,000 or smaller showing the project location;

(b) The NRCS soils map with a scale of 1:20,000 or larger outlining the project site;

(c) Site condition map (aerial photo) with a scale of 1:5,000 or larger outlining the project site;

(d) Topography map with a scale of 1:24,000 or larger outlining the project site;

(e) Assessor's map with a scale of 1:5,000 or larger outlining the project site;

(f) Revised soils map of the project site with a scale of 1:5,000 or larger;

(g) Soil profile and site observation notes;

(h) Representative soil profile descriptions of any soil mapping unit identified that is not described in the published soil survey for the area mapped.

Or. Admin. Code § 603-080-0040

AD 12-1994, f. & cert. ef. 8-30-94; AD 16-1995, f. & cert. ef. 11-20-95

Stat. Auth.: ORS 215.705

Stats. Implemented: ORS 215.705 & ORS 215.710