Land subsidence in drained Histosols and highly organic mineral soils of California

• Published in: Soil Science Society of America journal Vol. 59; no. 4; pp. 1162 - 1167
• Main Authors: Rojstaczer, S. (Duke University, Durham, NC.), Deverel, S.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI Soil Science Society of America 01-07-1995; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; ALTITUD; ALTITUDE; Biological and medical sciences; CALIFORNIA; CALIFORNIE; DEPRESION; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HISTOSOL; HISTOSOLES; Land subsidence; MATERIA ORGANICA; MATIERE ORGANIQUE; REGIME HYDRIQUE DU SOL; REGIMEN HIDRICO DEL SUELO; Soil conservation; Soil erosion; Soil genesis; Soil science; Soil surfaces; Soil surveys, classification and mapping, soil genesis; SOL; SOL MINERAL; SUBSIDENCE; SUELO; SUELO MINERAL; TERRE AGRICOLE; TIERRAS AGRICOLAS; California; United States; North America; America; Sacramento California; United States > US; Soils; Organic matter; Organic soil; Land subsidence; Histosols; Case history; Sedimentation; Field study
• ISSN: 0361-5995; 1435-0661
• DOI: 10.2136/sssaj1995.03615995005900040031x

This study was conducted to determine historical trends in subsidence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and their environmental controls. Historical subsidence was determined by measuring soil surface elevation loss near electrical tower foundations and by evaluating survey data between 1922 and 1981. The data indicated that subsidence slowed with time. In the western Delta, average subsidence rates were 2.3 cm yr-1 from 1910 to 1988 and 1.5 cm yr-1 from 1952 to 1988. Spatially variability in subsidence was correlated with organic matter content of the soil (r2 = 0.62), which in turn was related to the depositional and drainage history of the Delta. Subsidence rates appeared to be independent of crops grown