Soil Map Unit Description from the Soil Survey of Rhode Island

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Mk - Matunuck mucky peat.

This nearly level, very poorly drained soil is in tidal marshes and is subject to tidal inundation. Most areas are in salt marshes. Slopes are dominantly less than 1 percent.

Typically this soil has a surface layer of very dark gray mucky peat 12 inches thick. The underlying material is gray sand to a depth of 60 inches or more.

Included with this soil in mapping are a few small areas of very poorly drained Ipswich soils and small areas of soils with a surface layer 16 to 51 inches thick or less than 12 inches thick. Included areas make up about 5 percent of this map unit.

The permeability of this soil is rapid in the surface layer, rapid to very rapid between depths of about 12 and 18 inches, and very rapid at a depth of more than 18 inches. Available water capacity is low. Runoff is very slow, and water is ponded on some areas. The soil is strongly acid through neutral.

The daily tidal flooding and a high salt content make this soil unsuitable for most uses except as habitat for saltwater-tolerant wildlife. Capability subclass VIIIw; not assigned to a woodland group.

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