The following is a map unit description from the "Soil Survey of Norfolk and Suffolk Counties, Massachusetts (Peragallo, 1989)"
Ps-Pits, sand and gravel. This map unit consists of excavations mainly in areas of gravelly and sandy material. The pits were created when sand and gravel were removed for construction purposes. The pits are 3 to 50 feet deep. The sides are typically steep. The floor is level to rolling and varies with the underlying material and the bedrock. Piles of stones and boulders are commonly scattered over the pit floor. Included in mapping are small pools of water or small areas of rock outcrops. The excavations are commonly irregular in shape, and vary with the deposits and the ownership boundaries. The pits range from 2 to 100 acres.
These pits generally are not vegetated, although some older ones have scattered shrubs, grasses, and weeds. Most pits are droughty because of very low available water capacity. Some pits have been excavated to depths below the seasonal high water table.
Areas of Pits, sand and gravel, are poorly suited to farming and woodland use because of very low available water capacity. They are also poorly suited to use as habitat for wildlife, although some birds prefer to nest in these areas.
Some areas of Pits, sand and gravel, are suitable for residential and recreation development. Onsite investigation is needed for any proposed use. If these areas are used as sites for septic tank absorption fields, ground water pollution is a hazard.
This map unit has not been assigned to a capability subclass.
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