Soil Survey of
Dukes County Massachusetts
The following map unit description is from the published "Soil
Survey of Dukes County, Massachusetts"
CaC-Canton-Montauk-Plymouth complex, rolling. This unit consists of undulating and rolling, very deep soils on side slopes and crests of hills. Slopes range from 3 to 15 percent. The areas are irregular in shape and range generally from 10 to 25 acres. They are on the Elizabeth Islands and make up less than 1 percent of the survey area. The areas are about 40 percent Canton soils, 25 percent Montauk soils, 20 percent Plymouth soils, and 15 percent other soils. These soils are so intermingled or so small that it was not practical to map them separately.
Typically, the Canton soils have a surface layer of very dark gray sandy loam about 7 inches thick. The subsoil is 23 inches thick. The upper 16 inches of the subsoil is dark brown and yellowish brown sandy loam, and the lower 7 inches is light olive brown loamy sand. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. The upper part is olive loamy sand, and the lower part is pale olive brown gravelly sand.
Typically, the Montauk soils have a surface layer of very dark gray sandy loam about 7 inches thick. The subsoil is dark brown and yellowish brown sandy loam 17 inches thick. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. It is light olive brown sandy loam in the upper part and olive, firm gravelly sandy loam in the lower part.
Typically, the Plymouth soils have a surface layer of dark brown sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The subsoil is 19 inches thick. The upper portion is dark brown and yellowish brown loamy coarse sand, and the lower part
is yellowish brown coarse sand. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. The upper part is brownish yellow gravelly coarse sand. The lower part is light yellowish brown loose sand.
Included with these soils in mapping are small areas of Eastchop soils. Also included are areas with slopes of 0 to 3 percent and 15 to 30 percent. Some map units have a few boulders on the surface.
The permeability of these Canton soils is moderately rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is moderate, and the depth to the seasonal high water table is more than 6 feet.
The permeability of these Montauk soils is moderate to moderately rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and slow to moderately slow in the substratum. Available water capacity is moderate, and the depth to the seasonal high water table is more than 6 feet.
The permeability of these Plymouth soils is rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and very rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is very low, and the depth to the seasonal high water table is more than 6 feet.
Most areas of this unit are in pasture. A few areas are used for homesites.
This unit is suitable for cultivated crops, but erosion is a hazard. Strip cropping, terracing, conservation tillage, and the use of cover crops and grasses and legumes in the cropping system help to reduce runoff and control erosion in cultivated areas. Mixing crop residue and manure into the surface layer improves tilth and increases the organic matter content of the soil.
These soils are suited to hay and pasture. Use of proper stocking rates and restricted and rotational grazing help to maintain pasture-plant densities and reduce surface compaction.
This unit is fairly well suited to woodland productivity. Droughtiness in the Plymouth soils causes a high rate of seedling mortality. Minimizing soil disturbance to retain the mulch of leaves will help to retain the limited soil moisture, and removal or control of competing vegetation will help to increase the survival rate of seedlings. The common trees on this unit are black oak and white oak; pitch pine and scrub oak are common in areas of the Plymouth soils. Strong winds and salt spray severely hinder tree growth in areas near the shoreline.
Slope is a limitation of the unit as a building site in areas where the slope is more than 8 percent, and land grading generally is needed in such areas. Establishing plant cover as soon as possible helps to control erosion on slopes at construction sites. This unit is limited as a site for septic tank absorption fields because in some areas the Canton and Plymouth soils do not adequately filter the effluent, causing a hazard of ground-water pollution, and the Montauk soils do not readily accept effluent, making seepage a hazard.
This unit is in capability subclass IIIe.
CcC-Canton-Montauk-Plymouth complex, rolling, extremely bouldery. This unit consists of undulating and rolling, very deep soils on side slopes and crests of hills. Slopes range from 3 to 15 percent, and stones and boulders cover 3 to 15 percent of the surface of the unit. The areas are irregular in shape and generally range
from 20 to 200 acres. They are on the Elizabeth Islands and make up less than 1 percent of the survey area. The areas are about 40 percent Canton soils, 25 percent Montauk soils, 20 percent Plymouth soils, and 15 percent other soils. These soils are so intermingled or so small that it was not practical to map them separately.
Typically, the Canton soils have a surface layer of very dark gray sandy loam about 7 inches thick. The subsoil is 23 inches thick. The upper 16 inches of the subsoil is dark brown and yellowish brown sandy loam, and the lower 7 inches is light olive brown loamy sand. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. The upper part is olive loamy sand, and the lower part is pale olive gravelly sand.
Typically, the Montauk soils have a surface layer of very dark gray sandy loam about 7 inches thick. The subsoil is dark brown and yellowish brown sandy loam 17 inches thick. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. It is light olive brown sandy loam in the upper part and olive, firm gravelly sandy loam in the lower part.
Typically, the Plymouth soils have a surface layer of dark brown sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The subsoil is 19 inches thick. The upper portion is dark brown and yellowish brown loamy coarse sand, and the lower part is yellowish brown coarse sand. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. The upper part is brownish yellow gravelly coarse sand. The lower part is light yellowish brown loose sand.
Included with these soils in mapping are small areas of Eastchop soils. Also included are areas with slopes of 0 to 3 percent and 15 to 30 percent. Some areas do not have boulders on the surface.
The permeability of these Canton soils is moderately rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is moderate, and the depth to the seasonal high water table is more than 6 feet.
The permeability of these Montauk soils is moderate to moderately rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and slow to moderately slow in the substratum. Available water capacity is moderate, and the depth to the seasonal high water table is more than 6 feet.
The permeability of these Plymouth soils is rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and very rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is very low, and the depth to the seasonal high water table is more than 6 feet.
Most areas of this unit are in woodland. Some areas are in native pasture with patches of shrubby vegetation.
The stones and boulders on the surface limit the use of equipment and make these soils poorly suited to row crops. The soils are suited to pasture, but the limitations for the use of equipment make the soils poorly suited to hay. Use of proper stocking rates and restricted and rotational grazing help to maintain pasture-plant densities and reduce surface compaction.
This unit is fairly well suited to woodland productivity. Droughtiness in the Plymouth soils causes a high rate of seedling mortality. Minimizing soil disturbance to retain the mulch of leaves will help to retain the limited soil moisture, and removal or control of competing vegetation will help to increase the survival rate of seedlings. The stones and boulders in places restrict the use of equipment to prepared trails and make hand planting necessary. The common trees on this unit are black oak and white oak; pitch pine and scrub oak are common in areas of the Plymouth soils. Strong winds and salt spray severely hinder tree growth in areas near the shoreline.
Slopes of more than 8 percent limit the use of the soils as building sites. Land grading is generally needed in such areas. Establishing plant cover as soon as possible helps to control erosion on slopes. The stones and boulders on the surface further hamper construction. This unit is limited as a site for septic tank absorption fields because the Canton and Plymouth soils in some areas do not adequately filter the effluent, causing a hazard of ground-water pollution, and the Montauk soils do not readily accept effluent, making seepage a hazard.
This unit is in capability subclass VIs.