LOCATION SANDYHOOK          NY NJ

Tentative Series
LAH-RBT
06/2004

SANDYHOOK SERIES

The Sandyhook series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils with rapid permeability. The soil formed in thick sandy sediments subject to tide flooding adjoining beaches along the Atlantic coast. The soils are nearly level to gently sloping. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 56 degrees, and mean annual precipitation is about 44 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Typic Sulfaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Sandyhook mucky fine sandy loam, on gently sloping topography with smooth cordgrass. (Colors are moist soils unless otherwise stated.)

A-- 0 to 3 inches; dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) mucky fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick.)

AC-- 3 to 12 inches; gray (2.5Y 6/1) fine sandy loam; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) oxidized rhizospheres; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine and medium roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick.)

C1-- 12 to 16 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) sand; few fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) oxidized rhizospheres; single grain; loose; few medium roots; neutral; gradual smooth boundary.

C2-- 16 to 26 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) sand; single grain; loose; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

C3-- 26 to 72 inches; gray (N 5/0) sand; single grain; loose; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Queens County, New York; Northern most portion of Little Egg Marsh in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Gateway National Recreation Area; USGS Far Rockaway, NY topographic quadrangle; Latitude 40 degrees, 35 minutes, 47 seconds N. and Longitude 73 degrees, 50 minutes, 20 seconds W. NAD 1983.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Reaction ranges from moderately acid through moderately alkaline. Coarse fragments are generally absent. Some pedons may contain sea shells. Total salt content is generally more than 10,000 ppm, but ranges from 1,000 to 40,000 ppm.

Some pedons may have an O horizon. It is 0 to 8 inches thick.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 through 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture ranges from fine sandy loam and coarser or their mucky modifiers. It has weak, fine or medium, granular structure. Consistence is very friable.

The AC horizon, where present, has hue of 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture ranges from fine sandy loam to sand and their mucky modifiers. Consistence is very friable.

The C horizon has hue of 5Y, 5GY, or N value of 1 through 5, and chroma of 0 or 1. Texture is loamy fine sand or coarser. It is single grain or massive. Consistence is very friable.

COMPETING SERIES: These are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sandyhook soils are on nearly level to gently sloping landforms near tidal marshes along the Atlantic coast. They are subject to daily tide flooding. Sandyhook soils form in thick sand deposits with thin organic surfaces. Sandyhook soils are relatively clean of coarse fragments. Sea shell pieces may be present. Slopes are commonly 0 to 8 percent. The mean annual temperature ranges from 48 to 56 degrees, mean annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 50 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Barren (T), Hooksan, Ipswich, Matunuck and Pawcatuck. Barren (T) soils have free water below 15 inches of the soil surface. Hooksan soils formed in wind transported materials on barrier islands. Ipswich, Matunuck and Pawcatuck soils have more than 8 inches of organics on the surface.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to very high. Permeability is rapid.

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 blackgrass, sea lavender, saltwort, seaside goldenrod, aster, and purple gerardi.

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

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts.

SERIES PROPOSED: Queens County, New York, 1999.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1) Ochric epipedon - 0 to 12 inches thick.
2) Particle size class - sandy, less than 10 percent coarse fragments.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.