HomeMy WebLinkAboutCALIFORNIA REVISED STORIE INDEX RATING (CA)California Revised Storie Index Rating (CA)
Butte Area, California, Parts of Butte and Plumas Counties
The Storie Index is a soil rating based on soil properties that govern a soil map unit component's potential for. .
cultivated agriculture. [Absence of an entry indicates that a Storie Index rating is not applicable or was not
estimated.] For simplification, Storie Index ratings have been combined into six soil grades as follows: Grade 1
(Excellent): Soils that rate between 80 and 100 and which are suitable for a wide range of crops. Grade 2 (Good):
Soils that rate between 60 and 79 and which are suitable for a wide range of crops. Grade 3 (Fair): Soils that
range between 40 and 59. Soils in this grade may give good results with certain specialized crops. Grade 4
(Poor): Soils that rate between 20 and 39 and which have a narrow range in their agricultural potential. Grade 5
California Revised Storie Index (CA)
Pct.
Map symbol of
and soil name map
unit Stone index rating Storie index grade
200:
Parrott, silt loam, 85 83 Grade One - Excellent
occasionally flooded
California Revised Storie Index Rating (CA)
Butte Area, California, Parts of Butte and Plumas Counties
The Storie Index is a soil rating based on soil properties that govern a soil map unit component's potential for
cultivated agriculture. [Absence of an entry indicates that a Storie Index rating is not applicable or was not
estimated.] For simplification, Storie Index ratings have been combined -into six soil grades as follows: Grade 1 .
(Excellent): Soils that rate between 80 and 100 and which are suitable for a wide range of crops. Grade 2 (Good):
Soils that rate between 60 and 79 and which are suitable for a wide range of crops. Grade 3 (Fair): Soils that
range between 40 and 59. Soils in this grade may give good results with certain specialized crops. Grade 4
(Poor): Soils that rate between 20 and 39 and which have a narrow range in their agricultural potential. Grade '5
(Very Poor): Soils that rate between 10 and 19 and are of very limited agricultural use except for pasture because
of adverse soil conditions. Grade 6 (Nonagricultural): Soils that rate less than 10.
California Revised Storie Index (CA)
Pct.
Map symbol of
and soil name
map
unit Storie index rating Storie index grade
177:
Farwell, silt loam, 85 79 Grade Two Good
occasionally flooded ,
This report shows only the major soils in each map unit. Others may exist.
U DA ' Natural Resources Tabular Data Version 1
_ COUSCTVat10Il Service Tabular Data Version Date: 09/26/2005 Page 1
r
' California Revised Storie Index Rating (CA)
Butte Area, California, Parts of Butte and Plumas Counties
The Storie Index is a soil rating based on soil properties that govern a soil map unit component's potential for
cultivated agriculture. [Absence of an entry indicates that a Storie Index rating is not applicable or was not
estimated.] For simplification, Storie Index ratings have been combined into six soil grades as follows: Grade 1
(Excellent): Soils that rate between 80 and 100 and which are suitable for a wide range of crops. Grade 2 (Good):
Soils that rate between 60 and 79 and which are suitable for a wide range of crops. Grade 3 (Fair): Soils that.
range between 40.and 59. Soils in this grade may give good results with certain specialized. crops. Grade 4
(Poor): Soils that rate between 20 and 39 and which have a narrow range in their agricultural potential. Grade 5
California Revised Storie Index (CA)
Pct.
Map symbol of
and soil name map
unit Storie index rating Storie index grade
180:
Dodgeland, silty clay loam, 85 43 Grade Three - Fair
occasionally flooded
The Revised Storie Index is a soil component -based interpretation designed to generate California Storie Index
ratings "on -the -fly" that are always in sync with current soil property data in the NASIS database.
Historical values calculated prior to the year 2005 and found in prior -to -2005 soil survey reports are the numbers
stored in the NASIS data element. The decision and justification to use these revised numbers verses the
historical values falls with the users of the interpretation (such as land use planners and California state
agencies).
Reports in NASIS and the Soil Data Mart display either revised, historical or both numbers and are tagged
appropriately. The results of the Revised Stone Index are based only on the representative value of a range of soil
properties and does not express the full range of numerical ratings possible for any one map unit delineation.
Area of Applicability: Agricultural soils in the State of California.
IMPORTANT: This interpretation was not designed nor intended to be used in a regulatory manner.
Background:
The Storie Index is a widely known and accepted method of rating soils for land use and productivity in California.
Ratings are generated from a broad range of soil profile and landscape characteristics. Historically, Storie Index
ratings have been "hand generated" by soil survey staff and collaborators. These ratings can be highly subjective
because no single person has generated Storie ratings for the entire State and due to the inherent biases
associated with the classification system. To reduce this subjectivity the Revised Storie Index is used in the
National Soils Information System (NASIS) to compute Storie Index ratings. The model uses combinations of
discrete and fuzzy logic functions (Cox, 1999) to obtain scores for the factors associated with the Storie Index.
Using modeled criteria in NASIS, subjectivity can be minimized and thousands of ratings can be generated in a
timely and consistent manner.
The Storie Index assesses the productivity of a soil from the following four characteristics: Factor A) the degree
of soil profile development, Factor B) surface texture, Factor C) slope, and Factor X) manageable features
including drainage, microrelief, fertility, acidity, erosion and salt content. A score ranging from 0 to 100 percent is
determined for each factor and the scores are then multiplied together to derive an index rating (Storie, 1932,
1978).
Factor A. Profile
In factor A, the degree of soil development is used to assess potential productivity. For alluvial soils, the score is
progressively decreased with increasingdegree of soil development and/or presence of root restrictive layers.
Deep well drained alluvial soils would be rated 100, whereas a similar soil with a restrictive horizon such as a
claypan or hardpan would be rated much lower. For soils derived from bedrock, scoring is based on depth to a
lithic or paralithic contact.
Two main data sets in NASIS are used to model factor A, soil taxonomy and landform. Interpretive criteria implied
in the Storie Profile Group (Factor A) relied on the current taxonomic placement (USDA, 1999) of the soil in
NASIS. In all situations; the upper limit of the scoring range in Storie (1978) was used for each soil profile group.
For example, an Entisol formed on the valley floor would be rated 100, whereas a Durixeralf on an old terrace with
depth to pan of less than one foot would receive 80. The fuzzy logic rule "more is better', in reference to soil
depth, was used to revise the upper limit of the score based on the depth to the restrictive horizon.
Factor B. Surface texture
Factor B is based on surface texture. Loamy soils receive the highest ratings and clay -rich and sandy soils
receive lower ratings. Rock fragment content is used to modify the scores, which range from 100 to 10 percent.
Crisp values were assigned for surface horizon textural classes according to Storie (1978). The following textures
were not listed in the original Storie Index publication and were added and assigned ratings by the authors: sic, c,
cos, vfsl, sc, Icos, Ifs, Ivfs and si. At the present time, the NASIS Storie model does not rate in -lieu -of -textures as
they were not addressed in the original Storie Index. All textural class ratings were modified based on rock
fragment content using the fuzzy logic rule "less is better". This fuzzy score for rock fragment content was then
used to weight the surface soil textural class score for factor B. For example, a silt loam with 0% rock fragments
received a score of 100, while a very gravelly silt loam with 45% rock fragments received a score weighted
proportionally to the amount of coarse fragments present.
Factor C. Slope
Factor C is based on steepness of slope. Nearly level to gently sloping conditions (0-8% slope) receive high
scores, which range from 100-85. Moderate to strongly sloping conditions (9-30% slopes) have scores ranging
from 95-70 percent. While steep slopes greater than 30 percent receive much lower scores ranging from 50 to 5
percent.
Slope classes stored in NASIS were also scored using the fuzzy logic rule set "less is better". This function
reduced the subjectivity associated with choosing a score from the range of scores within each factor. For
example, the original Storie Factor C (Slope) has slope categories with scores that range from 100 "nearly level
to 5 "very steep" (Storie, 1978).
USDANatural Resources This report shows only the major soils in each map unit. Others may, epst
Tabular Data Version: 1
Conservation Service Tabular Data Version Date: 09/26/2005. Page 2
cj Factor X. Fertility, drainage, erosion, acidity, salts and microrelief
Factor X focuses on soil and landscape conditions exclusive of the soil profile that require special management
considerations. Characteristics considered are salt affected soils, acid soils, wind and water erosion; fertility
status, drainage and microrelief.
Data elements stored in NASIS such as drainage class, erosion class, microrelief, flooding and ponding were
used to model the hydrologic and physical properties associated with the X factor. Toxic thresholds were
established for electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, and pH to define adverse chemical properties used
for the X factor. Soil optimum pH was used to characterize fertility. Fuzzy rule sets were implemented in NASIS to
model chemical and fertility attributes associated with the X factor. A less is better curve was used to score
.erosion and salt affected soils. Crisp values were assigned to hydrologic properties.
References:
Cox, Earl. The Fuzzy Systems Handbook, 2nd Edition. 1999. Academic Press.
Storie, R., 1932. An index for rating the agricultural values of soils. Bul. 556. Calif. Agr. Exp. Sta., Berkeley.
Storie, R., 1978. Storie index soil rating. Division of Agricultural Sciences University of California, Special
Publication 3203.
USDA Soil Survey Staff, 1999. Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 8th edition, Pocah
U^ D� This report shows only the major soils in each map unit. Others may exist
J Natural Resources
Tabular Data Version: 1
Conservation Service . Tabular Data Version Date: 09/26/2005 Page 3
hannam. Kathleen
From: Moghannam, Kathleen W. COUNTY
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 2:42 PM
To: 'mapnral@chiconet.com' APR 2.3 2M1
Subject: RE: Baldwin Contracting DEVELOPNMN?
SERVICES
Dr. and Mrs. Mayerle:
I have received your email, and it will be forwarded to each Board member as well as the
Public Works Department.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Thank you,
Kathleen Moghannam
Associate Clerk of.the Board
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 95965
530-538-7643
-----Original Message -----
From: mapnral@chiconet.com [mailto:mapnral@chiconet.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 11:13 AM
To: Moghannam, Kathleen
Subject: Baldwin Contracting
Dear Clerk of the Butte Co. Board of Supervisors:
Please relay this letter to the Board:
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
APR 10 2007
Please don't allow Baldwin Contracting/MDU Resources to build a gravel mine North of the
Llano Seco Wildlife Refuge. It would make a substantial negative impact not only on
wildlife and the Sacramento River, but also on the citizens of Butte Co. with it's
accompanying air (dust,* diesel fumes, flying rocks) from their trucks, noise from them
rumbling through.town, and especially the early breakdown of our streets and roads. We
feel they are already broken down for these`times.
We have firsthand knowledge of the results described above from having lived near a
quarry.We lived on the Western edge of Cupertino in the Bay area for 25 years. There was a
gravel pit in the hills from which Kaiser Permanente's double trailer trucks used to haul
rocks down Foothill Blvd.
racing to enter the 280 onramp. There was always the problem with flying rocks impacting
windshields, dust settling, diesel fumes, and noise from the trucks. The roadways suffered
from their weight.
Our roads are not built to withstand the hard usage these gravel trucks will put them
through. At the very least, often and expensive repairs will be required. Are the
taxpayers of Butte Co. then going to'be responsible for their maintenance?
On.anbther note, a few months'ago I wrote the Public Works Dept. for Butte Co. asking for
a street sign at the corner of New Foster Place and Speedway. I never heard back. Any
other place to inquire?
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence C. Mayerle
1
APR 2 0 2007
DOS ; r Lt-b((C- 5