Advanced Identification and Documenting Hydric Soils

Advanced Identification and Documenting Hydric Soils
person testing soil

Prerequisites: A hydric soil class and/or substantial field experience delineating hydric soils and wetlands 

Course Description:   The course will include lectures, field training, and field exercises in the Portsmouth, NH area. Topics will include: A review of hydric soil scientific concepts, hydric soil documentation and identification in the field, application of national and regional hydric soils field indicators, natural problematic hydric soils, human altered problematic hydric soils. Students will learn to properly identify, document, and delineate hydric soils in the field and learn about viable solutions for problematic hydric soil determinations.

Required Text: 

Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States, Version 9.0, 2024

Available online at: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-09/Field-Indicators-of-Hydric-Soils-v9-2_0.pdf

Errata: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-09/Errata-Field-Indicators-of-Hydric-Soils-V9-2025.pdf

Hard copy available (no charge):

https://nrcspad.sc.egov.usda.gov/DistributionCenter/

phone: 1-888-526-3227.

The “Field Companion” for – Field Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England-Version 5, 2025, New England Hydric Soils Technical Committee 

Available for purchase here: Hydric Soils Field Companion | Society of Soil Scientists of Northern New England

Required field equipment:

Soil auger, soil spade, or shovel, Munsell (or similar) soil color book, tape measure, soil knife or trowel, clip board, water bottle, small bucket for bailing water, hand lens (optional).

Students should be prepared for fieldwork in wet cool conditions.

Soil Science Certificate Program
Wetland Certificate Program
Enroll Now
Tue Nov 18, 2025
9:00AM - 3:30PM
Portsmouth - 230 Commerce Way
Donald Parizek
249.00 Workshop Fee
6
USNH Tuition Benefit Discount
10% Alumni Discount
REEO Discount
0.6
PDT-SoilSc-36
225386
Enroll Now
Tue Apr 7, 2026
9:00AM - 3:30PM
Portsmouth - 230 Commerce Way
Donald Parizek
249.00 Workshop Fee
6
USNH Tuition Benefit Discount
10% Alumni Discount
REEO Discount
0.6
PDT-SoilSc-36
226011

expand all

This course serves as a required workshop for the Certificate Program in Soil Science and the Certificate Program in Wetland Delineation.

Information about these certificates are below.

Soil Science Certificate:

This certificate will provide you with practical skills on how to examine soil profiles, identify how soils develop over time, record test pits, and much more.

The program is offered at Pease in Portsmouth, in Manchester, Durham, and at various off-site locations. The program consists of four required workshops. You are required to complete the program within two years.

4 Required Workshops:

Please note that this certificate is exclusively a non-credit continuing education certificate issued by UNH Professional Development & Training. This certificate is not intended to replace or substitute any other license, certificate, or accreditation. CEUs will be issued upon completion of each course.

Wetlands Certificate Program:

The Certificate Program in Wetland Delineation will provide you with practical skills on how to use different methods of wetland evaluation, better understand the rules and processes behind evaluation, how to properly classify wetlands throughout New England, and much more.

The program is offered at Pease in Portsmouth, in Manchester, Durham, and at various off-site locations.

To receive the Wetlands Certificate, students must complete a total of 5 workshops in this format:

  • Complete 1 Required Workshop
  • Complete 4 Elective Workshops

Students are also required to complete the program within two years.

1 Required Workshop:

OR...

  • NEW! Basics of Identifying and Documenting Hydric Soils

Choose any four (4) electives:

For More Information About these Certificates:
Call (603) 862-7380
or send an email to professional.development@unh.edu