SOIL SURVEY OF ANOKA COUNTY, MINNESOTA. 



By WILIIAM G. SMITH, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, In Charge, and 

 GEORGE H. NESOM and E. G. ROTH, of the University of Minnesota. — Area 

 Inspected by THOMAS D. RICE. 



DESCRIPTIOX OF THE AREA, 



Anoka County is situated in the southeastern part of Minnesota, 

 a few miles north of Minneapolis and St. Paul. It is bounded on 

 the north bv Isanti County, on the east by Chisago and Washington 

 Counties, on the south by Ramsey and Hennepin Counties, and on 

 the west by Sherburne County. The 

 Mississippi Eiver flows between Anoka 

 and Hennepin Counties. The area in- 

 cluded is 431 square miles, or 275,840 

 acres. 



The topography of Anoka County in 

 general is that of a modified plain. In 

 the northwestern part there is a rela- 

 tively small area of rather rough mo- 

 rainic-hill country, and a smaller total 

 area of hilly country occurs in the ex- 

 treme southern part. The remainder of 

 the county has the appearance of a 

 fairly flat to gently rolling upland 

 plain. In all sections of the county there occur numerous level areas 

 of peat land, lying 2 to 10 feet or more below the general level of 

 the upland. These are much more extensive in the eastern half of 

 the county. "With a few exceptions the upland slopes bordering the 

 peat areas are long and gentle. Along the Mississippi and Rum 

 Rivers there is a small development of terrace land lying from 2 

 to 15 feet above overflow level. There is practically no bottom land 

 subject to overflow in the count}^ 



In the southeast part of Fridley Township and in the northwest 

 corner of the county some small areas reach an elevation of 1,0G0 

 feet above sea level, but the greater part of the county comes well 

 within a range of about 850 to .950 feet above sea level, coinciding 

 m a general way with the distribution of deep sandy soil and in- 

 cluding in addition considerable areas around Centerville and Now- 

 then. The greater part of this lower lying land has a slight south- 

 westward slope. Practically all of the county is drained into the 

 Mississippi Eiver by streams having a southerly and southwesterly 



5 



Fig. 1. — Sketch map showing 

 location of the Anoka County 

 area, Minn. 



