[The Cooperative Soil Survey] Soils Tutorial: Glossary

Glossary

Definitions from the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Glacial drift(geology) Pulverized and other rock material transported by glacial ice and then deposited. Also the sorted and unsorted material deposited by streams flowing from glaciers.

Glacial outwash Gravel, sand and silt, commonly stratified, deposited by glacial meltwater.

Glacial till (geology) Unsorted, nonstratified glacial drift consisting of clay, silt, sand, and boulders transported and deposited by glacial ice.

Glaciofluvial deposits Material moved by glaciers and subsequently sorted and deposited by streams flowing from the melting ice. The deposits are stratified and occur as kames, eskers, deltas, and outwash plains.

Gleyed soil Soil that formed under poor drainage, resulting in the reduction of iron and otner elements in the profile and in gray colors and mottles.

Graded stripcropping Growing crops in strips that grade toward a protected waterway.

Grassed waterway A natural or constructed waterway, typically broad and shallow, seeded to grass as protection against erosion. Conducts surface water away from cropland.

Gravel Rounded or angular fragments of rock up to 3 inches (2 millimeters to 76 centimeters) in diameter An individual piece is a pebble.

Gravelly soil material Material that is 15 to 50 percent, by volume, rounded or angular rock fragments, not prominently flattened, up to 3 inches (76 centimeters) in diameter.

Green manure crop A soil-improving crop grown to be plowed under in an early stage of maturity or soon after maturity.

Ground water Water filling all the unblocked pores of underlying material below the water table.

Gully A miniature valley with steep sides cut by running water and through which water ordinarily runs only after rainfall. The distinction between a gully and a rill is one of depth. A gully generally is an obstacle to farm machinery and is too deep to be obliterated by ordinary tillage, a rill is of lesser depth and can be smoothed over by ordinary tillage.

Glacial drift(geology)	Pulverized and other rock material transported by glacial ice and then deposited. Also the sorted and unsorted material deposited by streams flowing from glaciers.
Glacial outwash	Gravel, sand and silt, commonly stratified, deposited by glacial meltwater.
Glacial till (geology)	Unsorted, nonstratified glacial drift consisting of clay, silt, sand, and boulders transported and deposited by glacial ice.
Glaciofluvial deposits	Material moved by glaciers and subsequently sorted and deposited by streams flowing from the melting ice. The deposits are stratified and occur as kames, eskers, deltas, and outwash plains.
Gleyed soil	Soil that formed under poor drainage, resulting in the reduction of iron and otner elements in the profile and in gray colors and mottles.
Graded stripcropping	Growing crops in strips that grade toward a protected waterway.
Grassed waterway	A natural or constructed waterway, typically broad and shallow, seeded to grass as protection against erosion. Conducts surface water away from cropland.
Gravel	Rounded or angular fragments of rock up to 3 inches (2 millimeters to 76 centimeters) in diameter An individual piece is a pebble.
Gravelly soil material	Material that is 15 to 50 percent, by volume, rounded or angular rock fragments, not prominently flattened, up to 3 inches (76 centimeters) in diameter.
Green manure crop	A soil-improving crop grown to be plowed under in an early stage of maturity or soon after maturity.
Ground water	Water filling all the unblocked pores of underlying material below the water table.
Gully	A miniature valley with steep sides cut by running water and through which water ordinarily runs only after rainfall. The distinction between a gully and a rill is one of depth. A gully generally is an obstacle to farm machinery and is too deep to be obliterated by ordinary tillage, a rill is of lesser depth and can be smoothed over by ordinary tillage.