The following map unit description is from the published "Soil Survey of Nantucket County, Massachusetts"
Soil Survey of
Nantucket County Massachusetts
The following map unit description is from the
published "Soil Survey of Nantucket County, Massachusetts"
PcB-Plymouth-Evesboro complex, 3 to 8 percent slopes. This unit consists of undulating, excessively drained soils on side slopes, on ridges, and in depressions. The areas are irregular in shape, and slopes are typically 100 to 500 feet in length. Areas of this unit range from 5 to 200 acres and are about 50 percent Plymouth soils, 35 percent Evesboro soils, and 15 percent other soils. The Plymouth and Evesboro soils are so intricately mixed that it was not practical to map them separately.
Typically, the Plymouth soils have a surface layer of very dark grayish brown loamy sand about 1 inch thick. The subsoil is 23 inches thick. The upper 5 inches of the subsoil is brown, loose loamy coarse sand; the middle 5 inches is strong brown, loose coarse sand; and the lower 13 inches is yellowish brown, loose sand. The substratum is pale brown gravelly sand to a depth of 60 inches or more.
Typically, the Evesboro soils have a surface layer of dark gray sand about 6 inches thick. The subsoil is about 20 inches thick. The upper 14 inches of the subsoil is brown and yellowish brown, loose loamy sand; the lower 6 inches is yellowish brown, loose sand. The substratum is light yellowish brown sand to a depth of 60 inches or more.
Included with these soils in mapping are areas where almost half of the soil material consists of gravel and cobblestones, Also included are areas with slopes of less than 3 percent or more than 8 percent. The permeability of these soils is rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and very rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is low.
Many areas of the soils in this complex are covered with woody vegetation. Some areas are farmed. The soils are poorly suited to openland wildlife habitat and well suited to most other nonfarm uses.
Drought and soil blowing make the soils in this complex poorly suited to crops, hay, and pasture. Irrigation helps overcome the drought limitation and use of a plant cover and returning crop residue to t@e soil help prevent soil blowing.
These soils have essentially no limitations as a site for buildings or for local roads and streets; however, the sides of excavations in the soils are unstable and steep excavations commonly collapse. The soils have few limitations for septic tank absorption fields, but seepage of the effluent through the substratum causes a hazard of ground-water contamination.
Capability subclass VIs.
PcC-Plymouth-Evesboro complex, 8 to 15 percent slopes. This unit consists of rolling, excessively drained soils on ridges. Slopes are convex and range from 50 to 500 feet in length. Areas of this unit are long and narrow or irregular in shape and range from 5 to 200 acres. The areas are about 50 percent Plymouth soils, 35 percent Evesboro soils, and 15 percent other soils. The Plymouth and Evesboro soils are so intricately mixed that it was not practical to map them separately.
Typically, the Plymouth soils have a surface layer of very dark grayish brown loamy sand about 1 inch thick. The subsoil is 23 inches thick. The upper 5 inches of the subsoil is brown, loose loamy coarse sand; the middle 5 inches is strong brown, loose coarse sand; and the lower 13 inches is yellowish brown, loose sand. The substra- tum is pale brown gravelly sand to a depth of 60 inches or more.
Typically, the Evesboro soils have a surface layer of dark gray sand about 6 inches thick. The subsoil is about 20 inches thick. The upper 14 inches of the subsoil is brown and yellowish brown, loose loamy sand; the lower 6 inches is yellowish brown, loose sand. The substratum is light yellowish brown sand to a depth of 60 inches or more.
Included with these soils in mapping are areas where almost half of the soil material consists of gravel and cobblestones. Also included are areas with slopes of less than 8 percent or more than 15 percent.
The permeability of these soils is rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and very rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is low.
Most areas of these soils are covered with woody vegetation. A few areas are farmed. The soils are poorly suited to openland wildlife habitat and are suitable for most other nonfarm uses.
Drought and soil blowing make the soils in this complex poorly suited to crops, hay, and pasture. Use of a plant cover helps prevent soil blowing.
Slope is the main limitation of these soils for use as sites for buildings, roads and streets, and septic tank absorption fields. Areas used for building sites need reshaping, and special design is needed for the buildings. The sides of excavations in these soils are unstable, and the steeper sides commonly collapse. Roads and streets require special design to avoid deep cuts, on which it is difficult to establish plant cover. Placing septic tank absorption fields on the contour helps reduce seepage at the base of the slope, but seepage of the effluent through the substratum causes a hazard of ground-water contamination.
Capability subclass VIs.
PcD-Plymouth-Evesboro complex, 15 to 25 percent slopes. This unit consists of hilly, excessively drained soils in long and narrow or roughly circular areas. Slopes are convex and range from 50 to 300 feet in length. Areas of this unit range from 5 to 300 acres and are about 65 percent Plymouth soils, 25 percent Evesboro soils, and 10 percent other soils. The Plymouth and Evesboro soils are so intricately mixed that it was not practical to map them separately.
Typically, the Plymouth soils have a surface layer of very dark grayish brown loamy sand about 1 inch thick. The subsoil is 23 inches thick. The upper 5 inches of the subsoil is brown, loose loamy coarse sand; the middle 5 inches is strong brown, loose coarse sand; and the lower 13 inches is yellowish brown, loose sand. The substratum is pale brown gravelly sand to a depth of 60 inches or more.
Typically, the Evesboro soils have a surface layer of dark gray sand about 6 inches thick. The subsoil is about 20 inches thick. The upper 14 inches of the subsoil is brown and yellowish brown, loose loamy sand; the lower 6 inches is yellowish brown, loose sand. The substratum is light yellowish brown sand to a depth of 60 inches or more.
Included with these soils in mapping are areas where almost half of the soil material consists of gravel and cobblestones. Also included are areas of soils with slopes of less than 15 percent or more than 25 percent.
The permeability of these soils is rapid in the surface layer and subsoil and very rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is low.
Most areas of the soils in this complex are covered with woody vegetation. The soils are poorly suited to openland wildlife habitat but are suitable for most other nonfarm uses.
Drought and soil blowing make the soils in this complex poorly suited to crops, hay, and pasture. Maintaining a plant cover helps to prevent soil blowing.
Slope is the main limitation of these soils for use as sites for buildings, roads and streets, and septic tank absorption fields. Special design is needed for building sites, but the sides of excavations in these soils are unstable and the steeper sides commonly collapse. Special design is needed for roads and streets to avoid deep cuts, on which plant cover is difficult to maintain. Placing septic tank absorption fields on the contour helps reduce seepage at the base of the slope, but seepage of effluent through the substratum causes a hazard of groundwater contamination.
Capability subclass VIs.
More Information on Plymouth Soils
