Changes

yet decayed (i.e., surface litter).  

yet decayed (i.e., surface litter).  

It can be divided into three general pools:  

It can be divided into three general pools:  

*living biomass of micro-organisms,  

#living biomass of micro-organisms,  

*fresh and partially decomposed residues (the active fraction), and  

#fresh and partially decomposed residues (the active fraction), and  

*the well decomposed and highly stable humus (USDA, 2015).

#the well decomposed and highly stable humus (USDA, 2015).

The structure, drainage and fertility characteristics of soil are all highly affected by organic matter content. In LID BMPs, if the soil does not contain enough organic matter it will lack porosity, water holding capacity and be difficult to maintain healthy vegetation cover without addition of chemical fertilizers. When organic matter content is too high, the soil may leach [[nutrients]] into the water that infiltrates through it, potentially contributing pollutant loading to receiving waters rather than improving [[water quality]]. So an important part of construction, assumption and verification inspections involves sampling and testing the media component of BMPs to ensure it meets the design specification for organic matter, or determine if it is still within an acceptable range.

The structure, drainage and fertility characteristics of soil are all highly affected by organic matter content. In LID BMPs, if the soil does not contain enough organic matter it will lack porosity, water holding capacity and be difficult to maintain healthy vegetation cover without addition of chemical fertilizers. When organic matter content is too high, the soil may leach [[nutrients]] into the water that infiltrates through it, potentially contributing pollutant loading to receiving waters rather than improving [[water quality]]. So an important part of construction, assumption and verification inspections involves sampling and testing the media component of BMPs to ensure it meets the design specification for organic matter, or determine if it is still within an acceptable range.

==Testing==

==Testing==