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Custom Soil Resource Report <br />have similar use and management. requirements. The delineation of such segments <br />on the map provides sufficient information for the development of resource plans. If <br />intensive use of small areas is planned, however, onsite investigation is needed to <br />define and locate the soils and miscellaneous areas. <br />An identifying symbol precedes the map unit name in the map unit descriptions. Each <br />description includes general facts about the unit and gives important soil properties <br />and qualities. <br />Soils that have profiles that are almost alike make up a soil series. Except for <br />differences in texture of the surface layer, all the soils of a series have major horizons <br />that are similar in composition, thickness, and arrangement. <br />Soils of one series can differ in texture of the surface layer, slope, stoniness, salinity, <br />degree of erosion, and other characteristics that affect their use. On the basis of such <br />differences, a soil series is divided into soil phases. Most of the areas shown on the <br />detailed soil maps are phases of soil series. The name of a soil phase commonly <br />indicates a feature that affects use or management. For example, Alpha silt loam, 0 <br />to 2 percent slopes, is a phase of the Alpha series. <br />Some map units are made up of two or more major soils or miscellaneous areas. <br />These map units are complexes, associations, or undifferentiated groups. <br />A complex consists of two or more soils or miscellaneous areas in such an intricate <br />pattern or in such small areas that they cannot be shown separately on the maps. The <br />pattern and proportion of the soils or miscellaneous areas are somewhat similar in all <br />areas. Alpha-Beta complex, 0 to 6 percent slopes, is an example. <br />An association is made up of two or more geographically associated soils or <br />miscellaneous areas that are shown as one unit on the maps. Because of present or <br />anticipated uses of the map units in the survey area, it was not considered practical <br />or necessary to map the soils or miscellaneous areas separately. The pattern and <br />relative proportion of the soils or miscellaneous areas are somewhat similar. Alpha- <br />Beta association, 0 to 2 percent slopes, is an example. <br />An undifferentiated group is made up of two or more soils or miscellaneous areas that <br />could be mapped individually but are mapped as one unit because similar <br />interpretations can be made for use and management. The pattern and proportion of <br />the soils or miscellaneous areas in a mapped area are not uniform. An area can be <br />made up of only one of the major soils or miscellaneous areas, or it can be made up <br />of all of them. Alpha and Beta soils, 0 to 2 percent slopes, is an example. <br />Some surveys include miscellaneous areas. Such areas have little or no soil material <br />and support little or no vegetation. Rock outcrop is an example. <br />11