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|PAGE UPDATED ON May 9th, 2008|

Announcements - In Reverse Chronological Order

Please scroll down for the complete listings.
Use this link 2007 & 2006 EVENTS to download past event calendars.

Coarse fragment descriptions in the National Soil Survey Handbook have been updated.
Please check out this link to coarse fragment descriptions.

Maine Catena Key Update (spring, 2008)

Boothbay is now limited to MWD
Pushaw added as an aquept (SPD) to the Boothbay catena
Ricker now limited to cryic areas
Knob Lock replaces Ricker in frigid areas
Moosabec replaces Waskish as sphagnofibrists in the Northeast
Meadowsedge replaces Rifle as Euic Frigid Typic Haplohemists in the Northeast
Do NOT use the Peru soil series in the Marlow catena; use Dixfield
Do NOT use any mesic soil series in Maine
In the old soil surveys, Buxton soils on a B-slope are now Lamoine soils

PART II: NATURAL RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION AND REGULATION WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR 2008
On Wednesday, September 3rd, MAPSS, MASE, and MAWS will host a day-long field (from the intertidal zone to the landward limit of protection) conference at Reid State Park. Regulatory staff include Marcia Spencer-Famous (LURC), Jay Clement (US ACOE), Lana Clough, State Code Enforcement Officer Training Coordinator, Rich Baker (MDEP), Linda Kokemuller (MDEP), Steve Dickson (MGS), and Mike Mullen (MDEP). Topics to be covered include:

Determination of Highest Anual Tide (H.A.T.) level using surveying methods
NRPA versus Shoreland Zoning definition of a stream
Wetlands of Special Significance in the S.Z.
Vernal pools
Hydraulic connectivity in the S.Z.
Significant Wildlife Habitat
Where to start your measurements for shoreland zoning setbacks
Where is the Normal High Water Mark (Great Ponds, streams)
Wetlands adjacent to great ponds (so they are considered part of the pond)
Sand dunes
"Special Freshwater Wetlands" (plumbing Code designation)
Shoreland zoning setbacks from streams

Download the field conference description and registration form.

Last year, the New Hampshire Board of Certification for Natural Scientists granted 2 CEUs for this workshop. MAPSS will verify if CEUs will be credited again this year. You must register at 9am and participate in the afternoon panel discussion. Certificates of attendance will be available at the conclusion of the workshop.

Photo on left shows the transition zone from low marsh (Spartina alterniflora) to high marsh (Spartina patens) to upland salt intolerant forested vegetation. Photo on right shows workshop participants delineating the salt tolerant vegetation from freshwater vegetation (Typha angustifolia, Spartina patens from Rynchospora alba, Cladium mariscoides, Aster nemoralis, Drosera rotundifolia, Sphagna ssp., Vaccinium ssp.).

Photo on left shows a group determining the normal high water mark of a Great Pond and the starting point for beginning the Shoreland Zoning measurement. Photo on right shows a group determining whether a water course meets NRPA "River, Stream, Brook" criteria.

Photo on left shows bedrock outcrop with interspersed wrack lines and mixed freshwater/halophytic vegetation. The survey method will be used to determine the Highest Annual Tide line for Shoreland Zoning purposes. Photo on right shows the afternoon discussion session with State and Federal regulators in the pavillion. This is also the lunch area. BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH AND DRINKS.

LOGISTICAL NOTES
Be sure to tell the ranger at the gate that you are registering for the MAPSS workshop. Otherwise, you will be charged $4.50 per person to enter the park.

Parking is limited, so PLEASE CAR-POOL to the extent practicable.

BAD E-MAIL ADDRESSES
Please contact: Chris Dorion if your e-mail address changes and you wish to remain on the MAPSS bulk e-mail notification list. This is the primary means of communication now.

Annual Meeting Summary: Thanks to all who helped organize the meeting in 2008, and especially the speakers

AGENDA
The REGISTRATION FORM is now available.
Please review the minutes from last year's annual meeting (go to navigation column at left, click on meeting minutes, scroll down - it's a PDF file).
Please review the Exec. Comm. meeting minutes (on left navigation pane) from June 1, 2007 regarding Licensing of Wetland Scientists in Maine. The MAPSS membership will be voting whether to endorse/not endorse MAWS's efforts.

Please read the background letter from the MAWS Certification Committee to MAPSS, presented at the June 1st MAPSS Exec. Comm. meeting.
Please go to Final Exploratory Paper on the Issue of Credentialing Wetland Scientists in Maine (03/02/2007) for more background information on this issue.
1.0 CEU will be awarded for New Hampshire Certified Soil Scientists. For past CEU credits in Hew Hampshire, go to theNH Board of Natural Scientists.

Spring 2008 courses at UNH
Download the spring brochure describing seminars in Surveying, Soil Science, Local and State Planning, and Engineering Management. New Hampshire CEUs available.

SSSNNE Annual Meeting February 22, 2008 at USM: AGENDA and REGISTRATION.

Workshop February 7, 2008; Maine Association of Wetland Scientists/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
A Jurisdictional Wetland Determination Workshop: Featuring a discussion by Ruth Ladd on Rapanos/Carabell Decision Guidance; at the Elks Lodge; 397 Civic Center Drive; Augusta, ME (click for agenda and more info)

CEU REQUESTS
If you need a certificate for the August 2nd, 2007 "Natural Resources Identification and Regulation" field conference held at Reid State Park, please send an e-mail to: Chris Dorion (or, 866-7806) with your name as you need it to appear on the certificate of attendance.

REQUEST FOR PROFILE DESCRIPTIONS
Documentation substantiating the validity of New England Hydric Soil Indicator XI is urgently needed by Dave Rocque(or, 287-2666). This request is being made in light of ACOE's proposal to develop a Northeast Region supplement for the 1987 Wetland Manual that will use Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States instead of our own Field Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England ( we have been told we have no choice in the matter). I have a number of issues with this approach but the one I am sending this e-mail about is the lack of anything in the National Indicators that resembles New England Indicators XI.a and XI.b. In order to plug the gap, we have been told by the ACOE that we have to submit our own indicator, written in the format of the National Indicators, that is accompanied by documentation that the indicator is valid. Ideally, that would be a profile description, vegetation plot data and groundwater monitoring data. Lacking that, profile descriptions and vegetation plot data would be good and any accompanying groundwater table observations (during the growing season) would be better. If we have weak data, they may accept the new indicators for testing only. If the data is good, it may be accepted as new indicators for use in our region. My biggest concern is that we may end up with a regional manual that results in a significantly different wetland boundary than would be delineated now (unless our present criteria is too conservative and can be documented as such). Even worse, would be the need to use two separate documents that result in differing wetland boundaries (an ACOE boundary and a state and/or local boundary).
The data is needed as soon as possible since the draft Northeast Region supplement will be developed very soon. I have been told that the material must be submitted to the National Committee for Hydric Soils by the end of January in order to make the Committee's annual meeting. Our own New England Hydric Soils Technical Committee next meets on January 9 and I would like to take the data with me to that meeting. Immediately below is my attempt at writing indicators XI.a and XI.b in the national format.

DRAFT

PROPOSED HYDRIC SOIL INDICATORS FOR NEW ENGLAND IN NORTHEAST REGIONAL SUPPLEMENT OF ACOE WETLAND DELINEATION MANUAL
December 6, 2007
New Indicator A 17: Depletions Below Dark Surface

A layer with a depleted or gleyed matrix, starting within 50 cm (20 inches) of the soil surface. The layer(s) immediately above the depleted or gleyed matrix, to a depth of less than 30 cm (12 inches), must have 5% or more redox depletions and must be immediately beneath a layer with a value of 3 or less, chroma 2 or less or an organic matter layer. User Notes: This indicator applies to soils that have a black surface layer less than 30 cm (12 inches) thick with a value of 3 or less and chroma of 2 or less. Any layers between the dark surface layer and depleted or gleyed matrix layer must have at least 5% redox depletions.

New Indicator A 18: Depletions below Thick Dark Surface

A layer with a depleted or gleyed matrix, starting within 50 cm (20 inches) of the soil surface. The layer(s) immediately above the depleted or gleyed matrix, to a depth of greater than 30 cm (12 inches), must have 5% or more redox depletions and must be immediately beneath a layer with a value less than 3 and chroma of 2 or less. User Notes: This indicator applies to soils with a black surface layer 30 cm (12 inches) thick or thicker with value less than 3 and chroma of 2 or less. Any layers between the dark surface layer and depleted or gleyed matrix layer must have at least 5% redox depletions.

UNH SOIL AND WETLAND COURSES offered for late fall 2007 and 2008. Download the PDF information here.

COMMON GROUND FAIR booth, backhoe soil pits, and related information:
MAPSS is again fielding an informational booth for 2008 adjacent to the Maine Soil Testing Lab booth. Several backhoe-dug soil pits at the fairgrounds will be open for those interested. A PowerPoint presentation on Maine soils will be given also.
For information on helping with this event (a bonus being free admission), please contact: Dave Turcotte for more information.

Summer edition of The Lay of the Land will be mailed to MAPSS members in July, 2008. The on-line version will be posted 2 weeks later.

MOOSABEC soil series adopted in Maine

The MOOSABEC series has replaced the Waskish series. These are very poorly drained organic soils. For more information, visit the links in the left navigation column SOIL DATA and head to the OSD descriptions.

KNOB LOCK soil series adopted in Maine

"The Knob Lock series consists of very shallow and shallow, well drained to excessively drained organic soils on mountains and hills. They formed in thin organic deposits underlain in most places by a very thin mineral horizon over bedrock. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Dysic, frigid Lithic Udifolists" (Official Series Description)
Note that this soil series is in the frigid temperature regime. Ricker soils are now limited to the cryic temperature regime.
For more information, visit the links in the left navigation column SOIL DATA and head to the OSD descriptions.

MAPSS Display Board
MAPSS Secretary Dave Turcotte has overhauled the MAPSS display board. If you need it for a presentation, please contact Dave Turcotte.