LOCATION SANDYHOOK RI+NJ NY

Established Series
Rev. LAH-RBT-MKP-MT-DCP
05/2024

SANDYHOOK SERIES

The Sandyhook series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils formed in thick sandy marine deposits along the Atlantic coast. The soils are subject to daily tide flooding. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to very high in the organic layers and very high in the underlying mineral sediments. Mean annual temperature is about 13 degrees C and mean annual precipitation is about 1117 mm.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Haplic Sulfaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Sandyhook sand, on back barrier. (Colors are moist soils unless otherwise stated.)

Oe -- 0 to 11 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) mucky peat; nonfluid; many very fine to medium roots throughout; moderately acid (pH 5.6), strongly acid (pH 5.5) oxidized; clear smooth boundary (0 to 20 cm thick.)

Cse -- 11 to 20 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sand; single grain; nonfluid; many very fine to medium roots throughout; moderately acid (pH 5.8), extremely acid(pH 4.0) oxidized; clear boundary.

Ab -- 20 to 28 cm; black (7.5YR 2.5/1) mucky sand; single grain; nonfluid; many very fine to medium roots throughout; slightly acid (pH 6.4), extremely acid (pH 4.1) oxidized; clear boundary.

C'se1 -- 28 to 67 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) coarse sand; single grain; nonfluid; common very fine and fine roots throughout; 8 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8), extremely acid (pH 3.9) oxidized; clear boundary.

C'se2 -- 67 to 100 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) coarse sand; single grain; nonfluid; few very fine and fine roots throughout; 8 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0), extremely acid (pH 3.6) oxidized; clear boundary.

Cg -- 100 to 130 cm; gray (2.5Y 5/1) coarse sand; single grain; nonfluid; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.9), extremely acid (pH 4.4) oxidized; clear boundary.

A'b -- 130 to 150 cm; black (N 2.5/) sand; single grain; nonfluid; slightly acid (pH 6.2), extremely acid (pH 4.2) oxidized.

TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Rhode Island; 340 feet north-northeast of Weekapaug beach parking area in a marsh; USGS Quonochontaug topographic quadrangle; Latitude 41 degrees, 19 minutes, 48.68 seconds N. and Longitude 71 degrees, 44 minutes, 42.42 seconds W. NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Reaction ranges from moderately acid to moderately alkaline and an oxidized pH of ultra acid to neutral. Some pedons may contain sea shells. Total salt content is generally more than 15.6 deciSiemens per meter.

The Oe or Oa horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, chroma of 2 or 3, and value of 2.

The A or Ab horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is fine sand or coarser or their mucky modifiers.

Some pedons have an AC or CA horizon. It is 5 to 15 cm thick. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is fine sandy loam through sand and their mucky modifiers. Consistence is very friable.

The Cse or Cg horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, 5GY, or N value of 1 to 5, and chroma of 0 to 2. Texture is loamy fine sand or coarser. Rock fragments range from 0 to 8 percent. Shell fragments are common.

Some pedons have buried O horizons which are 5 to 15 cm thick.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Saltpond series. Saltpond soils are formed in sandy alluvial and eolian derived marine sediments in MLRA 153D.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sandyhook soils are on nearly level to gently sloping back-barrier flats and back-barrier beaches near tidal marshes along the Atlantic coast. They are subject to daily tidal flooding. Sandyhook soils form in thick sand deposits with thin organic surfaces. Slopes are commonly 0 to 8 percent. The mean annual temperature ranges from 9 to 13 degrees C and mean annual precipitation ranges from 100 to 125 cm.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Barren, Hooksan, Ipswich, Matunuck, Pawcatuck, and Succotash soils on nearby landscapes. Barren soils have free water below 38 cm of the soil surface. Hooksan and Succotash soils formed on barriers and dune crests and are not tidally flooded. Ipswich, Matunuck and Pawcatuck soils formed in tidal marshes and have more than 20 cm of organic material on the surface.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to very high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to very high in the organic surface horizon and very high in the underlying sands.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of these soils are used for wildlife habitat and recreation. Small scattered areas are used for saltgrass hay. Urban development is unlikely due to tide flooding. Native vegetation consists of saltmeadow grass, salt water grass, and spike grass. Other possible vegetation includes phragmites, blackgrass, sea lavender, saltwort, seaside goldenrod, aster, and purple gerardi.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils occur in and near shorelines along the Atlantic coast, MLRAs 149A, 149B, and 144A. The soils of this series are of small extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: SPECIAL PROJECTS OFFICE

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washington County, Rhode Island, 2010.

REMARKS: Total salt content originally reported as generally more than 10,000 ppm; method unknown.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
1. Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 11 cm (Oe horizon)
2. Hemic soil materials - the zone from 0 to 11 cm (Oe horizon)
3.Sulfidic materials - the zones from 11 to 20 cm, and 28 to 100cm (Cse, C'se1, and C'se2 horizons)
4. Reduced matrix - the zone from 11 to 150 cm (Cse, Ab, C'se1, C'se2, C'g, and A'b horizons)
5. Particle-size control section - the zone from 25 to 100 cm (Ab, C'se1, and C'se2 horizons)
6. Aquic conditions - the zone from 0 to 150 cm (Oe, Cse, Ab, C'se1, C'se2, Cg, and A'b horizons)

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.