known. Important considerations in use, management, and understanding of the soils are water 

 content, load-bearing capacity, subsidence potential, thickness and composition of organic layers, 

 bulk density, and chemical properties. Data presented in soil survey reports establish relationships 

 between soil characteristics which in turn are predictable through use of the soil classification 

 system. Soil surveys provide a means for establishing a resource base. They are the vehicle by 

 which knowledge of soils is transferred from one location to another. 



The criteria for classes (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1974) are useful and practical as a basis 

 for developing soil series concepts. However, the need for new taxa to adequately classify soils of 

 the coastal marsh has been recognized. 



Special equipment, such as air boats or helicopters, is needed to traverse marshes to prepare 

 soil surveys in sufficient detail for intensive land use planning. 



A great need exists for the creation of a geographic information system for Louisiana's coastal 

 zone. This system would serve as a primary data base for a comprehensive coastal plan and would 

 include resource data such as edaphic features, land cover, hydrology, topography, and hydrography. 

 There is also a pressing need to accelerate the soil survey of Terrebonne and St. Mary Parishes. 

 They are now the only missing links in our chain of soil resource data of the coastal area. 



LITERATURE CITED 



Brupbacher, R.H., J.E. Sedberry, Jr., and W.H. Willis. 1973. The coastal marshlands of Louisiana. 

 La. State Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. No. 672. 



Chabreck, R.H. 1972. Vegetation, water, and soil characteristics of the Louisiana coastal region. 

 La. State Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. No. 664. 



Coleman, J.M. 1966. Recent coastal sedimentation: central Louisiana coast. Coastal Studies 

 Series No. 17, Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge. 



Lytle, S.A 1971. The soils of Terrebonne Parish. La. State Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. No. 651. 



Lytle, S.A, and Driskell, B.N. 1970. The soils of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. La. State Univ. 

 Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. No. 645. 



Kniffen, F.B. 1968. Louisiana, its land and people. Louisiana State University Press, Baton 

 Rouge. 196 pp. 



Russell, R.J., and H.V. Howe. 1935. Cheniers of southwestern Louisiana. Geogr. Rev. 25: 

 449-461. 



Stephens, J.C., and W.H. Speir. 1969. Subsidence of organic soils in the USA Assoc. Int. 

 D'Hydrol. Sci. Extract Publ. No. 89, Colloque de Toyko. 



U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1973. Soil survey of St. James and St. John the Baptist Parishes, 

 Louisiana. USDA Soil Conservation Service and Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. 



U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1974. Soil taxonomy: a basic system of soil classification for 

 use in making and interpreting soil surveys. Agriculture Handbook No. 436, USDA Soil 

 Conservation Service, Washington, DC. 



U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1977. Soil survey of Iberia Parish, Louisiana. USDA Soil 

 Conservation Service and Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. 



U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1983. Soil survey of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. USDA Soil 

 Conservation Service and Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. 



65 



