Procedure for Submitting Comments

List of Hydric Soils or Criteria

If you have comments on the criteria for hydric soils or if soils should be removed from or added to the list of hydric soils, gather supporting data to make your case and either:

1. Submit the documentation and the proposed changes in the criteria along with your supporting data to Chris Smith, Chair, National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (NTCHS), Room 4250 South Building, 14th and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250. Comments may be sent by e-mail to ChristopherW.Smith@wdc.usda.gov.

   or
    

2. Submit supporting documentation and the proposed changes in the definition of the series to your NRCS State Office with copies to the Chair, National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (address above). Supporting documentation must include information on the geographic area (soil survey area) and hydrology, vegetation, and soil characteristics that support changing the definition of the soil series. A written response will be given to inquiries within a reasonable time.

Field Indicators

Guidelines for requesting changes to field indicators are as follows:

1. Adding indicators or changing existing indicators: Minimally, the following should accompany all requests for additions and changes to existing hydric soil indicators in Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States:
   1. Detailed pedon descriptions of at least three pedons that document the addition or change and detailed pedon descriptions of the neighboring non hydric pedons.
   2. Detailed vegetative data collected to represent the vegetation of the six pedons.
   3. Saturation (inundation) data and Eh data for a duration that captures the saturation cycle (dry-wet-dry) of, at least, one of the hydric pedons and one of the non hydric pedons. Precipitation and in-situ soil-water pH data from the same sites should also be provided.
2. Adding a Test Indicator: Minimally, the following should accompany all requests for adding a test indicator to Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States:
   1. Detailed pedon descriptions of at least three pedons that document the test indicator and detailed pedon descriptions of the neighboring non hydric pedons.
   2. Detailed vegetative data collected to represent the vegetation of the six pedons.
3. All requests involving 1 and 2 above, additionally require a short written plan that:
   1. Identifies the problem,
   2. Explains the rationale for the request, and
   3. Provides the following:
      • person responsible and point of contact (e-mail, mail addresses, and phone number)
      • timeline for supporting data and final report to be delivered to NTCHS
      • timeline needed for final NTCHS decision
      • partners involved in the project

Requests, plans, and data should be sent to:

Wade Hurt, Chair
NTCHS Field Indicator Subcommittee
P.O. Box 110290
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0290
E-mail:  Wade_Hurt@mail.ifas.ufl.edu