Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID GA_2025_Gaur

Testing F19 Hydric Soils Field Indicator in the Southern Piedmont for Wetland Delineation

Institute: Georgia
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $20,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $20,001

Principal Investigators: Nandita Gaur

Project Summary: Wetland delineators use indicators while out in the field to delineate wetlands. Indicators of hydrology, vegetation, and soils are three categories that must be met to be classified a wetland. We are focusing on the F19 Hydric Soils Indicator that occurs in the Southern Piedmont. F19 is considered a problematic soil by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (NTCHS) and was recommended for testing going on twenty years ago. F19 has not been tested yet for the Southern Piedmont, making it difficult for delineators to distinguish these problematic soils. Through our testing of 19 we hope to bridge the knowledge gap so wetlands will not be underrepresented and lost due to conversion.