Anthropogenic Processes and Features :

Agents, dynamics, and the results of human-facilitated processes

[ vs. “natural” ( geologic ) processes ].

There be dragons ...

Objectives

The participant will be able to:

� Identify anthropogenic “processes”, Anthroscapes, Anthropogenic Landforms, Anthropogenic Microfeatures, and associated “Parent Materials”.

� Diagram cross-sections, ( topography, stratigraphy, soil hydrology and pedology ) typical for anthropogenic sequences.

� Successfully complete quizzes / exercises.

� Actively apply gained knowledge on field trips.

Anthropogenic Processes and Features :

Agents, dynamics, and the results of human-facilitated processes

[ vs. “natural” ( geologic ) processes ].

- Relatively new ( NRCS & in general )

- Widespread, permanent changes, ICOMANTH

- Anthropocene proposal

Anthropogenic Processes and Features :

Agents, dynamics, and the results of human-facilitated processes.

Erosion? Transport? Deposition? Excavation Mechanical

Emplacement( removal ) ( movement,temporarystorage )

( long-term storage )

Anthropogenic Features

Removal

headwall

openpit mine

gravel pit

( voids, modified features )

Transport

tailings pond

ditch

( dynamic deposits and landforms )

Deposition

burial mound

sanitary landfill

mine spoil

( stable landforms and sediment bodies )

( NASA id ISSO13 – E-63766)

Anthropogenic Features: tailings pond, openpit mine, headwalls Berkley Pit, etc. Butte MT

Anthropogenic Features & Processes

[ discrete, artificial (human-made), earth-surface features ]

• Sediments: coarse to fine grained, spoil material, construction debris; texture & morphology depends upon human activity ( bulk material extraction, energy generation, sediment retention, etc.). Materials don’t follow natural deposition processes, patterns (predictability).

• Landscapes, Landforms, Microfeatures: proposed

• Features: artificial levee, openpit mine, tillage features, spoil pile

Landscapes *(e.g. dune field )

Landforms * ( e.g. dune )

Microfeatures *( e.g. slip face )

AnthropogenicFeatures *

- presently not scale defined -

( e.g. road bed )

relat Ive

scale-

+Anthroscapes ( Eswaran, et al., 2005 ) ( e.g. urban land?? )

Anthropogenic Landforms( e.g. quarry )

Anthropogenic Microfeatures( e.g. road bed )

Proposed new structure for “Anthropogenic Features” in NASIS

Schoeneberger & Scheyer (2005)

anthroscapea) A human-modified “landscape” of substantial and permanent alterations (removal, additions, or reorganization) of the physical shape and /or internal stratigraphy of the land, associated with management for habitation, commerce, food or fiber production, recreation, or other human activities that have substantively altered water flow and sediment transport across or within the regolith. b) A category in NASIS and the Geomorphic Description System for large, human-modified areas.

Anthroscape Types (proposed)

• Urban anthroscapes

• Suburban anthroscapes

• Reclaimed land anthroscapes

• Agricultural anthroscapes

• Others ?

urban anthroscape

An anthroscape dominated by management for commerce or habitation with extensive complexes of impervious surfaces, buildings, or roads, and comparatively minor areas of nominally or non-modified soilscapes in greenspace (yards, parks, riparian buffers).

suburban anthroscape

An anthroscape due to management for habitation or commerce that includes extensive areas dominated by nominally or non-modified soilscapes in greenspace (yards, parks, riparian buffers), with substantial but secondary areas of impervious surfaces, buildings and roads.

reclaimed mineland anthroscape

An anthroscape due to restoration efforts of a large surface mine (e.g., coal mine). This includes extensive areas dominated by profoundly displaced and radically re-shaped soilscapes resulting from restoration activities; may include minor areas of impervious surfaces, buildings and roads.

coal seams

( NASA #17057 )Black Thunder Mine Complex

North Antelope Rochelle Mine Complex

Reclaimed mineland Anthroscape :

openpit (strip) mine (coal), reclaimed land

North Antelope Rochelle mine, Powder River Basin, WY

N

1 mile

agricultural anthroscapes

An anthroscape due to agricultural management for food, fiber or forage production, that have substantively altered water flow and sediment transport across and within the regolith (e.g., leveled land). Commonly excludes areas of minor alterations (e.g. shallow plowing) that are easily obscured or obliterated by natural bio-, pedo-, or cryoturbation.

• Likely that regional practices will lead to identifying practical subtypes of anthroscapes.

• Ex: conservation terraces.

• hillslope terrace anthroscape – An anthroscape dominated by complexes of massive, nearly vertical berms or walls and artificial terraces on hillsides), due to erosion control management for food or fiber production.

1) grass-backed conservation terrace

D) Anthropogenic Features [ discrete, artificial (human-made), earth-surface features ]

artificial collapsed depression --artificial levee --beveled cut --borrow pit --burial mound --cut ( road, railroad ) --cutbank --ditch --dump --fill --floodway --gravel pit --impact crater -- __

etc.

openpit mine --pond ( human-made ) --quarry --railroad bed --reclaimed land --rice paddy --road bed --road cut --sand pit --sanitary landfill --scalped area --sewage lagoon --skid trail --spoil bank --

etc.

( reclaimed ) mine spoils

graded (bulldozed) capping material

randomly mixed, (bulldozed), graded, “return” material

dried, shrunken, high-clay tailings slime (red), capped with (yellow) sandy fill

Lee Daniels, VA

^1C1

^A

^1C2

^2C2 / ^2C3

3C water-lain sedimentsspoil spoil / slough

urban modification of landscapes

scalped area,

residual soil

SW MO

surface mines(2007)

W VA

NASA

openpit mine – A relatively large depression resulting from the excavation of material and redistribution of overburden associated with surficial mining operations. Compare – quarry, surface mine. SW & GG

Anthropogenic Features: openpit mine, spoil piles, road bed Peabody Coal Mine, Black Mesa, AZ

Schoeneberger

Anthropogenic Feature : openpit mine ( 130 m deep ) ; spoil pile ( tailings / containment ponds) New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, AZ

Ajo, AZ

( NASA #9317 )

1 mile

N

dry tailings ponds

spoil piles

coal seams

( NASA #17057 )

Black Thunder Mine Complex

North Antelope Rochelle Mine Complex

Anthropogenic Feature :

openpit (strip) mine ( coal ), reclaimed land

North Antelope Rochelle mine, Powder River Basin, WY

N

1 mile

Anthropogenic Features: road bed, spoil pile, reclaimed land, openpit mine Peabody Coal Mine; Black Mesa, AZ

Schoeneberger

active strip

spoil piles

reclaimed land

Anthropogenic Feature: dredge spoil bank (gold-mining dredge spoil piles) Lat AK 65.1°N, Lon 147.5°W (NAD83 WGS84)

Anthropogenic Feature: limestone quarry (Silurian Limestone / Niagara “escarpment”) Schoolcraft CO., MI

Wysocki

Can you find the surface mine? What visual clues do you see?

Unreclaimed strip mining (coal) in Pennsylvanian-aged sedimentary rock.

Overlain by Pre-Illinoisan till and Peoria loess

Boone Co., central MO

US 63

W

Closer view, with 20’ contours added.

Locate probable headwall, spoil piles

Boone Co., MO

W

Stop 12: road cut pyritic sedimentary bedrock (acid drainage) Univ. Park, PA

Schoeneberger

“yellow-boy” jarosite (yellow/brown flocculate sludge) in acid drainage roadside treatment pond

Schoeneberger

dam Dworshak Reservoir, WA

Anthropogenic Feature: oilfield / natural gas drill pads western CO

Schoeneberger

Consider: petroleum contaminants, aerial extent

Pender Co.,

Soil Survey Outer Banks, NC 1977

“urbanland”, canals ,

spoil banks

Map

. Unit # Name .

6 Carteret soils, low

10 dredge spoil

18 Carteret soils, high

w water

Anthropogenic Feature: drained marsh FL

Schoeneberger

detention ponds (storm water management) Univ. Park, PA

LF: stormwater detention pond Law School construction site PSU (arboretum)

Schoeneberger

Large bioswale (constructed recharge / infiltration area) IL

Landform: flooded rice paddies (constructed recharge / infiltration area) Afghanistan

J. Nemechek

URBAN SOILS

Putting some Order onto Disorder

Tim Craul NRCS, PA

Dr. Richard Perizek Tim Craul John Chibirka

rough crowd : SGI - PA, 2008

Soil Design Protocols for Landscape Architects & Contractors.

By Timothy A. Craul & Phillip J. Craul

Definition of an Urban Soil

“A soil material having a non-agricultural, man-made surface layer more than 50 cm thick,

that has been produced by mixing, filling, or by contamination of land surfaces in urban

and suburban areas.”

Bockheim, 1974

Urban Soil Formation

• We determine the parent material

• We modify the topology

• We affect the micro-climate

• We decide the vegetation

• We reset the soil formation clock

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Urban Soil Parent Material• Based on site history.

• The order in which fill or excavation occurs

• The variability from truckload to truckload of fill.

• Vertical variability is based on how the material was spread (compacted, cascaded?).

• The extent of truncation of the natural soil. truncated soil ( upper horizons ) scalped area ( most / all )

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

THE MATERIAL VARIES FROM TRUCKLOAD TO TRUCKLOADTim Craul, NRCS, PA

THE USUAL SOIL MAPPING FOR URBAN AREAS

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

aerial (plan view)

cross-section

vs. WHAT DETAILED SOIL SAMPLING REVEALED

Water found preferred pathways and flowed there. This can cause instability of the fill.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Urban Soil Topography• Based on pre-existing landform and

the post construction landform.

• Generally, older landscapes (pre-1970’s) are not as disturbed due to smaller earth moving equipment.

• Most new major developments are an exercise in land reshaping.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

J Paul Getty Fine Arts Center

Cutting and Filling typically is derived from the same parent material with mixing of the “B” and “C” horizons.

If one “fills” a drainageway, it does not go away. The flow pattern goes underground. Hence, seeps at the bases of fill are commonly observed. Tim Craul,

NRCS, PA

> These PVC Pipes drain the rootball of the trees at the East Gate of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

> Most of Washington, DC was built on a swamp and tidal marshes of the Potomac River.

> Drains were filled, but the water still flows there which can cause significant problems with trees, foundations, and other underground structures.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

seep

rubbly limestone fill

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Post WWII Building Site

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Post 1980’s Building Site

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Comparative Sections

1950’s

1980’s

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Urban Climates• Can be up to 20

degrees F warmer within the steel canyons of a city.

• Aspect of reflective surfaces put stresses on inhabitants of the area.

• Buildings also funnel and accelerate winds.

• Sun – Shade causes micro climates within the same city block.

• Dark colors of buildings and pavement hold heat longer. ( = heat islands)

• Reflective surfaces redirect heat to other surfaces.

• Large cities can cause their own weather.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Notice the lack of vegetation around this building

( reflected light vs. shading )

Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Urban Vegetation• The majority of vegetation in developed

sites has been planted.

• Often, the vegetation is not native to the area.

• Over time, the planted vegetation develops its own ecological balance with the area.

• Humans typically interrupt the C:N cycle.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

URBAN MAPPING Procedures

More Tools for the Toolbox

The Toolbox• Various ages of aerial imagery.

• Various ages of topographic quadrangles.

• 10m Digital Elevation Models

• Historic Society Documentation.

• Old soil surveys

• LIDAR

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

LIDAR Data Interpretation• LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is

an optical remote sensing technology that measures properties of scattered light to find range and/or other information of a distant target. (in this case it is Synthetic Aperture Radar)

• Becoming widely available (e.g. PA Geol. Survey has 1m LIDAR for the entire state).

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Interpretations with LIDAR• LIDAR can be used as a tool to locate cut

and fill areas of urbanized areas.

• This data is geo-referenced, so you can estimate the amount of material cut and filled.

• We can then better categorize the soils for mapping purposes.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

House Warts

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

House Warts!!!Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Problems with LIDAR• Tends to have data clutter (shadows of

house foundations, tree boles). = TMI

• Enhanced LIDAR may minimize such problems, but are expensive for a statewide effort.

• LIDAR is only a tool and needs field verification and cautious use.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Urban Soil Mapping Conventions

Urban land, 0 to 8 percent slopes

• Over 75% of land surface is impermeable.

• Small elevation changes with some short steep slopes around 7%.

• Show up as gray or black returns on color aerial imagery.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Urban Soil Mapping Conventions

Urban land-Udorthents, limestone complex, 8 to 25 percent slopes

Between 45 – 65% of area is impervious surface.The remainder is highly mixed fill derived from limestone.The time element of soil formation has been reset to zero.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Urban Spatial Variability• Based on the history of the site.

• The order in which fill or excavation occurs

• The variability from truckload to truckload of fill.

• Vertical variability is based on how the material was spread.

• There is also the social-economic and local zoning that plays a part in the urbanization patterns. Tim Craul,

NRCS, PA

Urban Soil Mapping Conventions

Urban land-Cokesbury complex, 0 to 8 percent slopes

Between 45 – 65% of area is impervious surface.

The remainder is an identifiable soil type (series).

Typical of Post WWII developments and new homes on minimum acreage zoning.

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA

Closing Thoughts: Urban Soil Mapping

• Soil survey needs to provide more useful information to the urban user.

• Look at the soil properties that are needed for urban planning and for disaster mitigation.

• Might be wiser to map soil properties or interpretations instead of soil types (series).

Tim Craul, NRCS, PA