From Soils Classification to Hydrogeological Implications

The understanding of soil and the movement of effluent through it is critical in onsite wastewater management.

Designers planning onsite systems need to know soils classification and hydrogeological movement and their interconnected relationships to ensure proper design. If not fully understood, the implications in wastewater management can be extensive and costly. Knowing what you don’t know is the corner stone in avoiding costly problems.

How soils develop, factors of soil formation and processes are introduced to set the stage. The video: “How Water Moves Through Soil” will be presented followed by water movement demonstrations in models similar to those shown in the video. A brief overview of the Canadian System of Soil Classification will follow. The ten Canadian soil orders will be reviewed with specific attention to limiting horizons and their relationship to wastewater management.

Soil elements such as horizon designations, depths, texture, structure, colour, and consistency, and their effect on hydrology will also be reviewed. These critical planning variables will be described in detail and where possible related back to orders, formation and processes. To wrap up, updated research on smectite clay in BC will be introduced. The problem with shrink-swell (smectite) clay appears bigger in the onsite industry than previously realized.

Participant exercises will be included to enhance the take-away design tools presented. Participants will understand how to calculate texture, COLE results, determine soil structure and the limiting layer(s), vertical separation and locate oneself on Table 2 – 8 of the SPM to confidently select hydraulic loading rates. Subsequently participants will understand the hydrological challenges of the soil with respect to other site constraints. Numerous training web resources will be provided that cover presented topics and ideas.

Finally, time allowing, there will be a general discussion on design strategies for difficult sites that do not fit neatly into industry standards of practice.

Where: Abbotsford, BC
When: February 7, 2013

Registration Fee:
Convention Delegates – $125.00 + applicable tax
Member (non-delegate) – $250.00 + applicable tax
Non-member (non-delegate) – $300.00 + applicable tax

Registration is now closed.