correspondence with leah juarros

8/8/2019 Correspondence With Leah Juarros

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Natural Resources Conservation Service132 SW 5th Avenue, Meridian, ID 83642-2994Telephone: 208-888-1890 FAX: 208-888-1536

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SUBJECT: Soil Use in CAFO DATE: 13 July 2010

TO: Shavon Hasse

CC: John Bilderback, Julie Phelps

Shavon,

As a Soil Scientist, I investigate the soil resources for CAFO operations. I can only respond toyour questions that deal with the soil resource. I do not have any documentation about the

engineering aspects of a project. My responses to the soil questions in your email follow.

The trip report you have from June 29, 2010 was in response to a request from the landowner to

inspect his berm and make sure it was still meeting NRCS specifications. In order to meet

NRCS engineering guidelines the berms construction material has to have a minimum of 15%

clay content. I determined soil texture in the field at several locations along the ditch/berm.

Determining soil texture in the field is a common practice used by soil scientist. It is not merely

looking at the soil, but getting the soil to an appropriate moisture content level and rubbing the

soil between fingers and thumb. Molding the soil into ribbons or wires assists in determinationof the soil texture (clay content can be consistently determined within 2% by me or another

trained soil scientist). A 10% Hydrochloric Acid was used to determine presence of carbonates

at that time.

I did not record penetrometer readings when in the field on June 29th

. I was investigating if theberm was compacted, not at what level of compaction. We sampled the compaction at several

sites along the berm. I noted that the berm was compacted under the spoil. I do not know if

other compaction tests were taken at other times.

When the berm was inspected, I did note that the spoil material was high in organic material.

This organic material was predominately undigested plants. Because the berm is used to divert

manure into the storage area and keep it on the property, there will be minor amounts of manure

in the spoil when it is cleaned. During our phone conversation I did agree to this inclusion in the

spoil.

The berm that we inspected on June 29th

, 2010 meets the clay content and compaction levelequal to or greater than NRCS requirements for berm construction.

Leah JuarrosResource Soil Scientist


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