1 Field Site Soil Quality Assessment Caldwell

Zac Caldwell

Field Site Soil Quality Assessment Term Project

AG131

June 7, 2017
2 Field Site Soil Quality Assessment Caldwell

Introduction

The field I selected to do my soil quality assessment term project on belongs to a good

friend of mine. The field is located at 4641 Sites Rd, Lapeer, MI; it is approximately 6 acres in

size and has been in alfalfa for the last 5 + years. Average yearly rainfall is 31”-32”, average

annual temperature is 47*-48* F, and the field is frost free for approximately 108-178 days a

year. Very little is done to this field other than harvest.

Soil Data/Characteristics

This field is comprised of 3 different soil series: CvA – Conover loam, CvB – Conover

loam, and MmB – Menominee loamy sand. The following is a listing of the characteristics of

each:

 CvA – Conover loam

o Slope: 0-2 percent
o Somewhat poorly drained
o Depth to water table: 6 inches
 CvB – Conover loam
o Slope: 2-6 percent
o Somewhat poorly drained
o Depth to water table: 6 inches
 MmB – Menominee loamy sand
o Slope: 2-6 percent
o Well drained
o Depth to water table: More than 80 inches
From knowing the history of this field, I knew that there were some drainage and ponding issues.

It seems as though the high water table is the major culprit of this, as well as soil that is

somewhat poorly drained. Also, the field tends to have an uneven stand, which I believe can also

be attributed to the saturated soil.

3 Field Site Soil Quality Assessment Caldwell

The following are some tests I did on this field and their results:

Earthworm Population Medium-High, Avg 12/sq. ft

Density
Soil Quality Test Kit N: Low-Medium
P: Low
K: High
pH: 7.0
Soil Sample- Lab Analysis N: Medium
P: Low
K: Medium
pH: 6.3

Recommendations

Based off my findings, I recommended improving drainage by installing tile, adding lime

at 1 ton/acre to increase ph, as well as adding 55lbs/acre of N, 140 lbs/acre of P, and 355 lbs/acre

of K. Because of the size of the field, the cost involved, and potential government regulations,

the landowner and I both agreed the tile was not going to be cost effective. The landowner does

plan to add the lime within the next 3 months, and is considering adding the NPK inputs at the

end of this season/before next season.

Conclusion

This was a great hands on experience to better understand what all goes into a soil quality

assessment. Like our labs in class, this provided an excellent learning opportunity by allowing us

to get our hands dirty and to do some of the different tests in the field. It was also interesting to

get to know more about a field that I am familiar with.