The decision as to whether or not a soil will be used for a speci - 

 fied purpose, regardless of its limitations, is beyond the scope of this soils 

 report . At a price, almost any limitation can be overcome. It is easy to 

 understand why in the middle of a large city, economic, locational and social 

 factors will almost certainly override the soil use hazards and limitations. 

 On the other hand, in more open areas anticipated for future development, it 

 is equally easy to understand why the capabilities and limitations of the soil 

 should be given prominent consideration. 



3.0 WHAT SOIL PATTERNS ARE FOUND IN THE REGION? 



3.1 Geology and soil parent materials 



The Long Island Sound Study Region (IIS) and its nine subregions 

 are depicted inside the front cover. The region embraces four physiographic 

 provinces (I). ^ All of the study area has experienced and reflects the 

 effects of glaciation. Of the four provinces, three are in Connecticut: 

 the New England Upland, the Connecticut Valley Lowland and the Seaboard Low- 

 land. The remaining physiographic province is the Coastal Plain; its 

 sediments underlie Long Island. 



The Connecticut and Westchester County parts of the study area 

 exhibit soils developed in glacial deposits ranging from mixed boulder till 

 to a wide variety of stratified drift. The major areas of stratified drift 

 are in river valleys in Connecticut where sediments vary from lake bottom 

 deposits to kames, kame deltas, terraces, eskers, and other outwash-type 

 materials. Boulder till, however, is the dominant surficial cover between 

 major drainage areas. The underlying bedrock is commonly granite, gneiss 

 and schist except in the Connecticut Valley Lowland where it is basalt, 

 reddish-brown sandstone shale or conglomerate. Bedrock is usually more than 

 10 feet deep throughout the area: however, rock exposures commonly occur in 

 the uplands. 



Long Island, on the other hand, has areas of soils formed in 

 terminal moraine deposits which mark the end of the glacial advance. The 

 moraines overlie sands and gravel of outwash origin. These sands and gravel 

 deposits in turn overlie coastal plain sediments, 1000 to 1500 feet in 

 thickness. 



1 - Underlined numerals in parentheses are references in Appendix A. 



