21 March 1997
CECW-OR
MEMORANDUM FOR ALL MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS,
DISTRICT COMMANDS (ATTN: Regulatory Chiefs)
SUBJECT: NRCS Field Indicators of Hydric Soils
1. This memorandum supersedes the 12 December 1995 Memorandum on NRCS Field Indicators of Hydric Soils. A copy of Version 3.2 of the Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States - A Guide for Identifying and Delineating Hydric Soils, dated July 1996, developed by the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in coordination with the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils has been distributed to each district and division under separate cover from the Waterways Experiment Station on 3 March 1997.
2. The current version of the NRCS indicators has been provided for your information and use in conjunction with the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual (1987 Manual) and the supplemental guidance to the 1987 Manual. It includes a correlation table (see pages 21 - 22) identifying like indicators in the NRCS list and the 1987 Manual. NRCS indicators that can be correlated with indicators of hydric soils in the 1987 Manual may be noted as "other" and explained in the "Remarks" section of the March 1992 data form as corroborating evidence.
3. Paragraph 6 of the 6 March 1992 guidance (Clarification and Interpretation of the 1987 Manual) clarifies use of the Problem Area section of the 1987 Manual. Several of the NRCS Indicators were developed specifically to assist with the identification of hydric soils in these problem areas. They may be used under the procedures ofthe Problem Area Section of the 1987 Manual.
4. The NRCS Indicators have been officially adopted by the NRCS who shall use the indicators to indicate if the soils criterion is met. However, they have not been officially adopted by the Corps as stand alone indicators of hydric soils but are recommended for use as an additional tool in our wetland determinations and delineations.
5. Please continue to use these indicators in your district through the daily implementation of the Corps Regulatory Program consistent with the 1987 Manual. District comments regarding the implementation of the NRCS Indicators should be sent to Mr. Steve Sprecher, Soil Scientist at the Waterways Experiment Station, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vickburg, Mississippi, 39180-6199, or phone at (601) 634-3957. If you need additional information please contact Ms. Colleen Charles at (202) 761-1784.
JOHN F. STUDT
Chief, Regulatory Branch
Operations, Construction and Readiness Division
Directorate of Civil Works