Soils

Source: Monroe County Soil Survey, US Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, May 1981

General area: Moderately deep and shallow, steep and very steep, well drained soils formed in the residuum from sandstone, siltstone and shale

In the vicinity of the site three main soil series:

1. BdB: Bedford Silt Loam: 2-6% slopes. Gently sloping, moderately well drained soil, moderately deep to fragipan. Located on narrow to broad ridgetops of the loess-covered uplands. Areas are generally narrow and long.

Typical profile: Surface layer: brown silt loam about 7 inches thick. Subsoil: yellowish brown, friable silt loam and silty clay loam in the upper part. Has a fragipan of silty clay loam in places within a depth of 20 inches. In other places loess cap 50 inches thick. Generally extends to a depth of about 80 inches. Available water capacity is moderate, and permeability is moderate above the fragipan, slow beneath. Organic matter content is low. Seasonal high water table at a depth of 2-4 feet during March and April. Root penetration is restricted by the fragipan and the water table is perched.

2. BkF: Berks-Weikert complex, 25-75% slopes. Steep and very steep, moderately shallow, well drained soils on side slopes of uplands. Areas are generally long and narrow. Berks soils are generally on upper half of the landform or in areas of 25-45 percent slopes, Weikert soils on the more sloping lower areas.

Berks typical profile: Surface layer: brown silt loam 4 inches thick. Subsoil: 18 inches thick, yellowish brown, friable silt-loam in the lower part. Substratum extends to 38 inches. Small areas have more clay in subsoil. Water capacity is low, permeability is rapid/moderately rapid

Weikert typical profile: Surface layer: brown silt loam 6 inches thick Subsoil: 9 inches thick, brown and yellowish brown, friable, silty loam. Soft, dark yellowish brown siltstone (shale) bedrock is at a depth of 15 inches. Water capacity is very low, permeability moderately rapid

3. WmC - Wellston-Gilpin silt loams, 6-20% slopes. Moderately steep, moderately deep and deep, well drained soils on ridgetops and side slopes of the uplands. Areas are generally narrow and elongated.

Wellston soil typical profile: Surface layer: dark brown silt, 4 inches thick. Subsoil: 42 inches thick. Brown, friable silt loam in the upper part, yellowish brown, friable silty clay loam in the middle part, and strong brown, friable channery silty clay loam in the lower part. Sandstone bedrock is at a depth of 46 inches. In places, the soil has bedrock within 40 inches of the surface, less clay in the subsoil, a thicker subsoil or bedrock below 72 inches. Available water capacity low, permeability moderate, organic material low.

Gilpin soil typical profile: Surface layer: brown and yellowish brown silt loam, 5 inches thick. Subsoil: Upper part is yellowish brown, friable silty clay loam, lower part is pale brown, strong brown and yellowish red, friable channery silt loam. Sandstone bedrock at a depth of about 27 inches - n places thicker, with less clay in subsoil. Available water capacity low, permeability moderate, organic material low.

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