This is a presentation I created for my Soil Science class at American Public University. I discuss the type and uses for the soil found in Port Byron, NY.

1. Port Byron, NY Soil Survey
EVSP 311 Soil Science
Final Project
Natalie Angers
American Public University
August 2015

2. Contents
• Overview
• Local area
• Local demographics
• Geological history
• Local history
• Soil overview
• Camillus series
• Ontario series
• Soil proliferation
• Challenges
• Nutrient depletion
• Erosion
• Water loss
• Soil conservation
techniques
• Future considerations
• References

3. Overview
Images courtesy of Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2015 and ePodunk.com, 2007, respectively

4. Local Area
• Port Byron, NY is located within
Cayuga County
• Port Byron is also part of the NY
Finger Lakes Region, an area
renowned for its wine and
agriculture
• This specific area has long been
used for farming and is located
near the NYS Thruway in a
small rural town west of
Syracuse, NY
Cayuga County historical
marker (USGenWeb, n.d.)
Map of the Finger Lakes (J., n.d.)
Port Byron, NY (NRCS, 2015)

5. Local Demographics
• Population of Cayuga County: 80,026
• Area: 734 square miles
• Cayuga County encompasses three Finger
Lakes, multiple rivers and waterways, and
two major watersheds
• Elevations in Cayuga County range from 250’
above sea level to nearly 2000’
• The climate in Cayuga County is classified as
Humid Continental; characterized by a warm
growing season from April to September and
steady precipitation in the form of snow,
sleet, or ice during the cool season from
October to March
Cayuga County Planning Department, 2013
Map of Cayuga Coutny (Cayuga County
Planning Department, 2013)

6. Geological History
Topographical map of New York (Sterner, 1995)
• Throughout the earth’s history,
what is now New York has been
through several periods of
mountain building and erosion
• Up until about 8000 years ago,
New York was covered with
glaciers of about one-two miles
thickness
• After the glaciers melted, they
left behind rock and sediment
deposits which has led to fertile
valleys throughout upstate NY
McDonnell, n.d.

7. Local History
• In 1910, over 91% of Cayuga
County included farms; 75% of
the land was used for crops or
cleared for pastures
• As of 2006:
• 27% pasture/hay
• 27% cultivated crops
• 15% deciduous forest
• The majority of Cayuga Country
remains farmland/rural with
53% of the population residing
in rural farm or non-farm areas
Land Use
Cultivated
Crops
Pasture/Hay
Deciduous
Forest
Forested
Wetland
Scrub/Shrub
Open Water
Misc
Cayuga County Planning Department, 2013
Data derived from Cayuga County Planning Department, 2013

8. Soil Profile
Map Unit
Symbol
Map Unit Name Acres in
AOI
Percent of
AOI
Ac Alden mucky silt loam 1.1 1.0%
CaB Camillus silt loam, 2-6% slopes 5.1 4.7%
CaC3 Camillus silt loam, 6-12% slopes, eroded 24.6 22.9%
ClB Collamer silt loam, 2-6% slopes 4.7 4.4%
LtB Lima silt loam, 3-8% slopes 2.8 2.6%
Ma Madalin silt loam, 0-3% slopes 0.2 0.2%
Nc Niagara and Canandaigua silt loams 6.6 6.2%
OnB Ontario loam, 2-8% slopes 17.3 16.1%
OnC Ontario loam, 8-14% slopes, 0.4 0.4%
OnC3 Ontario loam, 8-14% slopes, eroded 16.2 15.1%
OnCK Ontario loam, rolling 0.5 0.5%
OnD3 Ontario loam, 14-20% slopes, eroded 5.7 5.3%
OtE Ontario, Honeoye, and Lansing soils, 20-35%
slopes
12.0 11.2%
OvB Ovid silt loam, 2-6% slopes 0.5 0.4%
PgA Palmyra gravelly loam, 0-3% slopes 1.7 1.6%
PgC Palmyra gravelly loam, 8-15% slopes 8.2 7.6%
Soil map and key for Port Byron, NY
(NRCS, 2015)

9. Camillus Series
• Camillus silt loam, 6-12% slopes, eroded (CaC3) makes up 22%
of the soil makeup of the selected area
• Camillus and similar soils make up 80% of the chosen area’s
soil
• The Camillus soil series are moderately deep and well drained
soils
• Camillus soils were formed through till and an underlying
calcareous shale bedrock
• The average annual temperature is 45 F and the annual
precipitation is 35 inches
NRCS, 2015 and National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012 Camillus pedon (CA Soil Resource, n.d.)
0”
10”
16”
22”
36”
39”

10. Camillus Series Cont.
National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012
• Typical Pedon:
• Ap: 0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown silt loam;
many medium and large pores; 1 percent rock
fragments; neutral
• Bw: 10 to 16 inches; yellowish brown silt loam;
many medium and large pores; 1 percent rock
fragments; slightly acid
• BC: 16 to 22 inches; brown in the upper part grading
to grayish brown in the lower part silt loam; many
medium and large pores; few partially weathered
fine shale fragments; neutral
• C: 22 to 36 inches; grayish brown silt loam; many
large pores; 25 percent soft shale fragments; 1
percent hard rock fragments; slightly alkaline
• 2Cr: 36 to 39 inches; grayish brown soft partially
disintegrated calcareous silty shale bedrock
• 2R: 39 to 42+ inches; grayish brown soft calcareous
silty shale bedrock
0”
10”
16”
22”
36”
39”
Camillus pedon (CA Soil Resource, n.d.)

11. Ontario Series
• Ontario loam, 8-14% slopes, eroded, makes up about 15% of
the soil make up of the selected area
• In total, Ontario soil series make up about 30% of the chosen
area’s soil types
• Ontario soils are deep to very deep, and are well drained
• The series is strongly influenced by limestone and sandstone
• The average annual temperature is 48 F and the annual
precipitation is 38 inches; both of which are slightly above
Camillus series soils
NRCS, 2015 and National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012 Ontario Pedon (Soil Data Explorer, n.d.)

12. Ontario Series Cont.
• Typical Pedon:
• Ap: 0 to 8 inches, dark brown loam; 10 percent
rock fragments; moderately acid
• E: 8 to 14 inches, brown loam; common fine
pores; 10 percent rock fragments; moderately
acid;
• Bt/E: 14 to 21 inches, brown loam; thin clay
linings on surfaces along pores and on all faces of
peds; 10 percent rock fragments; slightly acid;
• Bt: 21 to 39 inches, reddish brown gravelly loam;
firm; dark reddish brown clay films on all faces of
peds and on surfaces along pores; 20 percent
rock fragments; neutral;
• C1: 39 to 48 inches, brown gravelly loam; few
pores; 20 percent rock fragments; slightly
alkaline, slightly effervescent;
• C2: 48 to 72 inches, brown gravelly loam; few
pores; 20 percent rock fragments; slightly
alkaline, slightly effervescent
National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2007 Ontario Pedon (Soil Data Explorer, n.d.)

13. Soil Proliferation
Ontario Series
Soil Data Explorer, n.d.
Camillus Series
• While both soil series are limited in their proliferation along the I-90 corridor, the Camillus
series has an even smaller area of concentration

14. Challenges
• While both Ontario and Camillus soil
series are regarded as fertile soils, these
soils are as vulnerable as any other to
nutrient depletion, erosion, and water
loss
• Constant agricultural use may exacerbate
these issues
• By utilizing methods known to improve
soil health, Cayuga County can continue to
be a premiere area for agriculture
Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, n.d.
NRCS, 2015 and National Cooperative Soil Survey, 2012

15. Nutrient Depletion
• Nutrient depletion is going to happen as plants consume
nutrients from the soil; however, unless those nutrients are
replaced, the soil will become unhealthy
• Nutrient management is the practice of managing the
amount, source, placement, and timing of plant nutrients
and soil additives
• Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient, and can be applied to
soil or injected into soil in a no-till operation
• Phosphorus is another commonly used additive, but has
been shown to leach into surface water if not properly
placed
• Manure is an ideal fertilizer that provides organic matter,
nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are crucial to
soil health
USDA, 2015
Manure fertilizer (NRCS, n.d.)
Nutrient Cycle (Agriculture
Resource, n.d.)

16. Erosion
• Erosion reduces the overall quantity of soil
available for use, as well as often leading to loss of
nutrients and water
• Erosion can also lead to polluted waterways when
soil leaches into nearby waters
• Several conservation practices have been shown
to decrease erosion:
• Residue and tillage management
• No-till
• Crop rotation
• Use of a cover crop
• Mulching
• With much of Cayuga County and Port Byron
containing slopes of at least 3-8%, these areas are
especially vulnerable to wind and water erosion
USDA, 2015 & NRCS, 2015
Example of erosion (Trix, 2014)

17. Water Loss
• Conserving soil moisture is vital to ensuring
a soil’s health
• Both Ontario and Camillus soils are porous
and well drained
• Conservation practices that help conserve
soil moisture include:
• Mulching
• Using a cover crop
• Soil moisture is organized by whether the
soil is:
• Saturated
• At field capacity
• Typical
• At its wilting point
USDA, 2015 & NRCS, 2015
Soil moisture (COMET, n.d.)

18. Soil Conservation Techniques
• Mulching, or applying suitable material such
as plant residue to the land surface
• Generally has a positive impact on
physical properties of soil such as bulk
density and porousness
• Shown to increase earthworm and total
carbon content in soil
• Shown to increase soil quality index
• A cover crop is vegetation grown for
seasonal cover, either into or after a cash
crop
• May provide and conserve nitrogen
• Increases soil organic matter content
• Decreases runoff
• Improves soil structure and water
infiltration
USDA, 2015
Mulching (Norton, 2012)
Cover crop (Johnson, 2010)

19. Soil Conservation Techniques Cont.
• Crop rotation is defined as growing different
crops in a set sequence in one location
• Benefits may depend on which crops
are used in the rotation
• Benefits are maximized when used in
conjunction with other soil
conservation techniques
• No-till soil conservation is done by limiting
the amount of soil disturbance in order to
allow plant residue to remain in the field
• Reduces erosion
• Increases soil quality and organic
content
• Increases water efficiency and storage
USDA, 2015
Crop rotation (Roger, 2014)
No-till soybeans on corn (Barron County, n.d.)

20. Future Considerations
• Port Byron and Cayuga County will likely
continue to be utilized primarily for
agriculture
• Ensuring the soil remains healthy in the long
term is essential for the area to be successful
• Utilizing soil conservation techniques such as
mulching, crop rotation and strip cropping,
as well as proper nutrient management will
help ensure the soil stays healthy
• With climate change and accelerated global
warming, maximizing soil moisture should
be a primary concern
BASF, n.d.
Wallpapers.free-review.net, n.d.

21. References
Agriculture Resource. (n.d.). Soil Nutrient Cycle. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Agriculture Resource.org:
http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/images/resources/images-learning/module-2-figure-5-soil-nutrient-cycle/image_view_fullscreen
Barron County, Wisconsin. (n.d.). Agriculture Programs & Services. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Barron County, Wisconsin:
http://www.barroncountywi.gov/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={89D075CD-5873-4056-8599-65155CFB943F}&DE={4F5A25A9-D9B9-
4736-A73E-5898131DCD96}
BASF. (n.d.). BASF. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from BASF New Business.com: http://www.basf-new-business.com/
CA Soil Resource. (n.d.). Soil Taxonomy. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from CA Soil Resource:
http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/soil_web/ssurgo.php?action=explain_component&mukey=293538&cokey=10957221
Cauyga County Planning Department . (2013). DMA 2000 Hazard Mitigation Plan. Cayuga County, NY: DMA 2000.
COMET. (n.d.). Understanding the Hydrologic Cycle. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from COMET:
http://stream2.cma.gov.cn/pub/comet/HydrologyFlooding/UnderstandingtheHydrologicCycleInternationalEdition/comet/hydro/basic_int
/hydrologic_cycle/navmenu.php_tab_1_page_4.3.0.htm
ePodunk. (2007). Cayuga County Profile. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from ePodunk.com: http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-
bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=22461
J, M. (n.d.). Finger Lakes. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_Lakes
McDonnell, T. (n.d.). Physical Geography of New York. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from NYgeo.org: http://www.nygeo.org/ny_geo.html
National Cooperative Soil Survey. (2007, January). Ontario Series. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from National Cooperative Soil Survey:
https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/O/ONTARIO.html
National Cooperative Soil Survey. (2012, April). Camillus Series. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from National Cooperative Soil Survey:
https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CAMILLUS.html

22. References Cont.
Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2015, August 19). Web Soil Survey. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service: http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx
Natural Resources Conservation Service. (n.d.). Manure and Nutrient Management. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from USDA NRCS:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/ecoscience/mnm/
Norton, J. (2012, March 19). The Joys of Mulching. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from UT Market Garden Project:
https://utmarketgarden.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/the-joys-of-mulching/
Roger. (2014, January 16). Crop Rotation Tips. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Growers Learning: http://growerslearning.com/blog/crop-
rotation-tips-what-crops-to-follow-up-with/
Soil Data Explorer. (n.d.). Ontario. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Soil Data Explorer: http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/sde/?series=ontario
Sterner, R. (1995). Color Landform Map of NY. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory:
http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/states/maps1/ny.gif
The USGenWeb Project. (n.d.). History of Cayuga County, New York. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from rootsweb:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycayuga/history.htm
Trix, H. (2014, April 28). 10 State erosion conference held in Quad Cities. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Peoria Public Radio:
http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/10-state-erosion-conference-held-quad-cities#stream/0
Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District. (n.d.). Soil Health and Erosion. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from Tualatin Soil and Water
Conservation District: http://www.swcd.net/resource-areas/soil-health-and-erosion/
United States Department of Agriculture. (2015, January 09). Soil Health Literature Summer - Effects of Conservation Practices on Soil Properties
in Areas of Cropland. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from USDA:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/soils/health/mgnt/?cid=stelprdb1257753