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SOIL <br />forms the major part of the overburden where it occurs. The "ring" of Cascajo <br />. soil surrounding the Stoneham soil indicates the gravel layer extends beneath <br />the Stoneham soil in a seam. 4here the elevation of the surface is a few feet <br />lower and the gravel is evidenced by the Cascajo soil the Stoneham soil was <br />apparently lost ar never formed. <br />This soil farmed on high terraces in alluvial material. It exhibits a <br />well developed structure with a 4" Al harizon, a 10" B horizon, and a C <br />horizon that extends as far as the gravel bed. The texture of the top 12" to <br />18" is a loam to clay loam, below that depth it tends to be a loam. <br />The available water capacity is good Cbbout 0.18 inches per inch of <br />soil>, salinity is low to very low and the pH is near neutral near the tap <br />with increasing alkalinity at depth. However, the soil never becomes what <br />would be considered limiting in any factar. <br />The S. C. S. considers this soil as a good source for topsoil. In fact, <br />it is the only soil found on the site that ranks in the good categary. All <br />other soils are fair at best and most of those occur outside the area that <br />contain the gravel deposit. Therefare, within the primary area to be mined <br />far gravel, this soil is a major plant growth medium source for the <br />reclamation. It is therefore recormerided this soil be saved to a depth of 8" <br />to 10". This soil should be carefully protected from erosion ar replaced <br />immediately an regraded land. By saving that amount and replacing to a depth <br />of about 6", same of the lack of quality soil an areas where only the Cascajo <br />is present can be augmented to achieve an improved growth potential on those <br />mined lands. However, there does appear to be sufficient quantity of good <br />quality soils to make up far all the lands occupied by poar quality soil. <br />T~SOIL SALVAGE fiECl7`7"EPIDATIQVS• <br />The Casca,io soils should be saved to a depth of about 3 to 6 inches ar <br />until much lighter colored material is encountered. However, because this <br />soil on this site is located below the excellent Stoneham soils there may be <br />same small pockets of hybridized Casca.io and Stoneham that might be worth <br />saving. If those are encountered then they should be saved to a depth where <br />the darker surface soils change to the very light colored subsoils. This <br />depth could be anywhere from b" to 10", depending upon the location. <br />The Stoneham soil should be saved to a depth of 8" to 10" wherever it is <br />encountered. This soil is one of the best soils in the upland situations and <br />Page 28 <br />