Hydrologic Soil Group (HSG)

[Mike Brown]

Hydrologic Soil Group (HSG) regularly comes up as the most widely accessed pieces of soils information on NRCS’ Web Soil Survey reports. I am curious how widely HSG is being used at the state and local level, and about the context in which it is being used. Is HSG in any way being referenced in statute, regulation, or rules in your state?

[Mark Gilbert]

It is not in Mississippi

[David Rocque]

Maine Department of Environmental Protection uses HSG to determine storm water flows from a development site and to calculate the size of culverts, detention basins etc.

[Kent Zimmerman]

Nebraska DNR
Both our dam safety program and floodplain program use hydrologic soil group data extensively and routinely while creating hydrologic models to evaluate dams and map floodplains. In addition, we use soil properties in all of our CROPSIM/GW modeling.

[Frank Minch]

The NJ Soil Erosion and Sediment Control program routinely uses HSG in the assessment of stormwater impacts from residential and commercial construction. Although not specifically referenced in regulation, Districts use TR55 most frequently for pre- and post-development evaluations. With 5,300 project applications and 10,600+ acres of associated land disturbance in FY19, it is used quite heavily by Districts in NJ. In addition, HSG is also used by NJDEP dam safety and flood hazard divisions when assessing impacts on dams and state open waters.

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