Soil Survey of Bristol County, Massachusetts
NORTHERN PART
The following Map Unit Description is from the 1981 Soil Survey of Bristol County, NORTHERN Part. Please note: map unit symbols are DIFFERENT for Bristol North and Bristol South reports, do NOT use these descriptions for Bristol South.
AgA-Agawam fine sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This soil is deep, nearly level, and well drained. It is on terraces and outwash plains. Slopes are smooth and flat and are generally 200 to 500 feet long. The mapped areas are irregular in shape and range from 5 to 25 acres in size.
Typically, the surface layer is very friable, dark yel- lowish brown fine sandy loam about 10 inches thick. The subsoil is very friable, yellowish brown fine sandy loam 22 inches thick. The loose substratum to a depth of 60 inches is light olive brown sand.
Included with this soil in mapping are areas of Ninigret and Unadilla soils that are generally smaller than 4 acres in size. Included soils make up about 20 percent of the map unit.
Permeability is moderately rapid in the surface layer and upper part of the subsoil, moderately rapid to rapid in the lower part of the subsoil, and rapid in the sub- stratum. A vailable water capacity is high. In unlimed areas, reaction is strongly acid or medium acid. The root zone extends into the loose substratum.
This soil has good potential for farming, and much acre- age has been farmed. It has good potential for most urban use and some acreage is in housing developments. This soil has poor potential for most sanitary waste disposal facilities. It has good potential for trees, and some previously cleared acreage has reverted to or has been planted in trees. It has good potential for openland and woodland wildlife habitat.
The soil is well suited to cultivated crops, hay, and pasture. Good tilth is easily maintained in cultivated areas. The hazard of erosion is slight. Conservation management includes improving soil tilth and increasing organic-matter content by mixing crop residue and animal manure into the plow layer. Proper stocking rates, deferred grazing, and pasture rotation are management practices that help to maintain desirable pasture plants.
The soil is well suited to trees, but only a small acreage is in woodland. Limitations are slight for woodland, and productivity is high. Important tree species are eastern white pine, northern red oak, and red pine.
The soil has few limitations for most urban use and for septic tank filter fields. Rapid permeability in the sub- stratum is a limitation for other sanitary waste disposal facilities. Capability class I.
AgB-Agawam fine sandy loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes. This soil is deep, gently sloping, and well drained. It is on terraces and outwash plains. Slopes are smooth or undulating and are generally 200 to 800 feet long. The mapped areas are irregular in shape and range from 10 to 50 acres in size.
Typically, the surface layer is very friable, dark yellowish brown fine sandy loam about 10 inches thick. The subsoil is very friable, yellowish brown fine sandy loam about 20 inches thick. The substratum to a depth of 60 inches is loose, light olive brown sand.
Included with this soil in mapping are areas of Ninigret and Unadilla soils that are generally smaller than 3 acres in size. Included soils make up about 15 percent of the map unit.
Permeability is moderately rapid in the surface layer and upper part of the subsoil, moderately rapid to rapid in the lower part of the subsoil, and rapid in the sub- stratum. Available water capacity is high. In unlimed areas, reaction is strongly acid or medium acid. The root zone extends into the loose substratum.
This soil has good potential for farming, and much acre- age has been farmed. It has good potential for many urban uses, and some acreage is in housing developments or lots. The soil has poor potential for most sanitary waste disposal facilities. It has good potential for trees and for openland and woodland wildlife habitat. Some previously cleared acreage has reverted to or has been planted in trees.
The soil is well suited to cultivated crops, hay, and pasture. Good tilth is easily maintained. The hazard of erosion is moderate. Conservation management includes controlling erosion, improving tilth, and increasing or- ganic-matter content of the soil. If this soil is farmed, minimum tillage, use of cover crops, and incorporating grasses and legumes in the cropping system help to reduce runoff and control erosion. Mixing crop residue and animal manure into the plow layer helps to improve tilth and increase organic-matter content. Proper stocking rates, deferred grazing, and pasture rotation are pasture management practices that help to maintain desirable plant species.
The soil is well suited to trees, but only a small acreage is wooded. Limitations are few for woodland, and produc- tivity is high. Important tree species are eastern white pine, northern red oak, and red pine.
The soil has few limitations for most urban use. Slope is a limitation for small commercial buildings. Limitations are few for septic tank filter fields, but rapid permeability of the substratum is a limitation for other sanitary waste disposal facilities. Capability subclass IIe.
Agawam Official Series Description
