Soil Map Unit Description from the Soil Survey of Rhode Island

AfA - Agawam fine sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This nearly level, well drained soil is on terraces and outwash plains. Areas are irregular in shape and mostly range from 3 to 200 acres.

Typically the surface layer is dark brown fine sandy loam about 7 inches thick. The subsoil is yellowish brown, reddish yellow and light yellowish brown fine sandy loam 25 inches thick. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. It is pale brown sand to a depth of 31 inches and gravelly sand at a depth of more than 31 inches.

Included with this soil in mapping are small areas of excessively drained Hinckley soils, somewhat excessively drained Merrimac soils, well drained Enfield soils, and moderately well drained Ninigret and Sudbury soils. Also included are small areas of soils that have slopes of more than 3 percent. Included areas make up about 10 percent of this map unit.

The permeability of this soil is moderately rapid in the surface layer and upper part of the subsoil, moderately rapid or rapid in the lower part of the subsoil, and rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is moderate, and runoff is slow. This soil is very strongly acid through slightly acid.

This soil is suited to community development. Onsite septic systems need careful design and installation to prevent pollution of ground water. Slopes of excavated areas are commonly unstable.

This soil is suited to cultivated crops, and most of the areas are used for farming. The use of cover crops and return of crop residue to the soil help to maintain organic matter content and tilth.

This soil is suitable for trees, woodland wildlife habitat, and openland wildlife habitat. It is too dry to provide wetland wildlife habitat. Capability class I; woodland group 4o.

Soil Map Unit Description from the Soil Survey of Rhode Island

AfB - Agawam fine sandy loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes. This gently sloping, well drained soil is on terraces and outwash plains. Areas are irregular in shape and mostly range from 5 to 20 acres.

Typically the surface layer is dark brown fine sandy loam about 7 inches thick. The subsoil is yellowish brown, reddish yellow, and light yellowish brown fine sandy loam 25 inches thick. The substratum extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. It is pale brown sand to a depth of 38 inches and pale brown gravelly sand at a depth of more than 38 inches.

Included with this soil in mapping are small areas of excessively drained Hinckley soils, somewhat excessively drained Merrimac soils, well drained Enfield soils, and moderately well drained Ninigret and Sudbury soils. Also included are small areas of soils that have slopes of more than 8 percent. Included areas make up about 10 percent of this map unit.

The permeability of this soil is moderately rapid in the surface layer and upper part of the subsoil, moderately rapid or rapid in the lower part of the subsoil, and rapid in the substratum. Available water capacity is moderate, and runoff is medium. This soil is very strongly acid through slightly acid.

This soil is suitable for community development. Onsite septic systems need careful design and installation to prevent pollution of ground water. Slopes of excavated areas are commonly unstable. The use of straw bale sediment barriers, mulching, providing siltation basins, and quickly establishing plant cover help to control erosion during construction.

This soil is suited to cultivated crops, and most of the areas are used for farming. The hazard of erosion is moderate. Stripcropping, the use of cover crops, and the return of crop residue to the soil help to control erosion and maintain tilth and organic mailer content.

This soil is suitable for trees, woodland wildlife habitat, and openland wildlife habitat. It is too dry to provide wetland wildlife habitat. Capability subclass lie; woodland group 4o.

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