Home
What is the problem?
Rain Gardens
Lawns & Gardens
Volunteer Monitoring
Soils/Septic Systems
Honey Creek Project
Events
Earth Day Celebration
What can YOU do?
About Us

[Soils Home] [Soils Workshops] [Certification/Recertification Courses]

Soils & Septic Systems

Over the past 2-3 decades, on-site residential waste water treatment has improved nationwide by the application of whole soil profile evaluation.  This method can greatly improve the waste water treatment provided by septic systems by evaluating not just whether the soil drains quickly enough (with a perc test), but whether other aspects of soil allow the septic systems to function as designed. 

To perform this evaluation, a soil profile is revealed by digging a soil pit (as in the photo, upper right) and the upper 4 feet of soil is investigated.  The soil profiler will look for indicative soil particle and void sizes (too little or too much percolation), and colors (possibly indicating standing water for part of the year) that can show how large a lateral field should be or whether a standard septic system would work effectively in that soil.  Visit the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Onsite Sewage Treatment website for more information on soil evaluation and about various systems available for handling this type of waste onsite.

What are we doing?

Although the whole soil profile evaluation is one official method for approving septic systems in Oklahoma, there are relatively few folks who are certified to perform the evaluation.  In addition, the soils in the area around Grand Lake are a little more challenging to apply the whole soil evaluation process than many other parts of the state.  Therefore, we are assessing the soils around Grand Lake, getting the word out about soils and their ability to handle septic waste and about the whole soil evaluation method for septic system placement (see Workshop webpage), and training people in the area to effectively implement the evaluation technique (See Certification/Recertification webpage) in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

Click here for information about upcoming events...or follow links below to soil workshops or courses.

[Soils Home] [Soils Workshops] [Certification/Recertification Courses]