Our three-day course will provide the necessary tools for determining whether a site meets the suitability requirements for placement of a septic system using stormwater runoff Best Management Practices (BMPs). We will present the fundamentals of soil-forming processes and principles of soil water movement, which are essential for wetland design, soil remediation and septic installation. You will spend equal time in the classroom and in soil pits, completing hands-on activities. You will observe, record and evaluate the site-specific soil characteristics required to write and support a complete soil log, and evaluate the soil and landscape data to determine design input.
Learn to identify limitations of soil so that you do not end up “between a rock and a hard place” - let alone a fragipan! Learn the difference between infiltration and percolation. Be efficient and effective in choosing where to test and use BMPs and/or septics - the design of both are dictated by the movement of water through soil.
To give you a better feel for the soil, you can choose to extend your training with field trips to the hills of Morris County, the plains of Burlington County, or both! Please be sure to bring your own soil-probing tools!
Featured Topics
- Soil Physical Properties: Soil Texture and the Textural Triangle
- Soils and Geology of New Jersey
- New Jersey Regulatory Requirements for Site Evaluation
- Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs)
- County Soil Survey Reports and Web Soil Survey
- Soil Physical Properties: Soil Structure, Texture and Color
- Soil Physical Properties: Coarse Fragments and Consistence
- Permeability Testing
- Perched Water and Indicators of Seasonal High Water Tables
- Soil Morphology of Septic Effluent
- Soil Suitability and Safety in the Pits
- Unique Local Soil Formations
- Infiltration: What Works and What Doesn’t
- Field Determination of Mottling (Redoximorphic Features)
- Horizon Nomenclature / Restrictive Horizons
- Tips for Writing and Reviewing Soil Logs
Attention Professionals
Health Officers/Registered Environmental Health Specialists - The health and safety of the public depends on your site evaluations. As a health professional and permit provider, you must be familiar with all aspects of soil science to make a reliable assessment. Increase your efficiency in the field while earning continuing education credits towards your HO/REHS license.
Engineers and Scientists - In today's economy, every decision must be precise and cost effective. Clients are demanding accurate soil evaluations and will search for the most qualified provider. Back up the services you provide with the expertise gained from attending our course. Using the Soil Survey (now online!) is only the initial step. With the BMP requirements, knowing the soil limitations at the beginning can prevent costly design revisions
Faculty Coordinator
Marilyn Mroz, PE, former NRCS staffer, has a unique gift for soils instruction while standing nose-deep in a soil pit. She will be assisted by a team of soil specialists from around the state
Recommended Textbook
Munsell Soil Color Chart - $125
Since there will be extensive discussion of soil color, you are encouraged to bring a soil color chart. Munsell Soil Color Charts are available from this office for $125 each. If you would like to order a soil chart, please check the appropriate box on the registration form and include the cost in your registration payment.
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