General Soil Map Units (SS of Dade, Florida)

The general soil map at the back of this publication shows the soil associations in this survey area. Each association has a distinctive pattern of soils, relief, and drainage. Each is a unique natural landscape. Typically, an association consists of one or more major soils and some minor soils. It is named for the major soils. The soils making up one association can occur in another but in a different pattern.

The general soil map can be used to compare the suitability of large areas for general land uses. Areas of suitable soils can be identified on the map. Likewise, areas where the soils are not suitable can be identified.

Because of its small scale, the map is not suitable for planning the management of a farm or field or for selecting a site for a road or building or other structure. The soils in any one association differ from place to place in slope, depth, drainage, and other characteristics that affect management.

Soils of the Coastal Ridge and Barrier Islands

Areas of this group consist of Urban land and nearly to gently sloping, moderately well drained or well drained soils. The soils consist of mixed stony loam fill spread over natural soils that are underlain by marl or limestone.

1. Urban Land-Udorthents Association

Built-up areas and nearly level to very steep, moderately well drained or well drained soils consisting of fill material that is 8 to more than 80 inches deep over limestone bedrock.

This association is primarily in the northeastern part of the survey area, along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge south to Black Creek Canal and on the Barrier Islands.

This association makes up about 34.9 percent of the survey area. It is about 70 percent Urban land, 23 percent Udorthents, and 7 percent soils of minor extent.

Urban land is covered by streets, sidewalks, parking lots, buildings, and other structures that so obscure the soils that identification of the soil series is not feasible.

Udorthents are nearly level areas of extremely stony fill material. Typically, the fill material is light gray and white extremely stony loam about 55 inches thick. Below this is hard, porous limestone bedrock. These soils are intricately mixed with areas of Urban land.

Of minor extent in this association are Basinger, Biscayne, Cardsound, Dade, Demory, Hallandale, Krome, Margate, Opalocka, Pennsuco, Perrine, Plantation, St. Augustine, and Terra Ceia soils and Rock outcrop.

Almost all of this association is used for urban or recreational development. Farming is of no importance because of the extensive urban development. Wetness is a limitation affecting most nonfarm uses. Established drainage systems and additions of fill material have helped to overcome this limitation. Udorthents that overlie organic material are severely limited as sites for roads and buildings. The organic material is compressible and cannot support heavy loads. This limitation can be overcome by replacing the organic material with stable fill material or by constructing foundations on pilings.

Soils of the Freshwater and Sawgrass Marsh

These soils are nearly level and are somewhat poorly drained to very poorly drained. They are organic soils that are shallow to deep over limestone bedrock and soils that consist of marl and are very shallow to deep over oolitic limestone bedrock.

2. Lauderhill-Dania-Pahokee Association

Nearly level, very poorly drained soils consisting of organic material that is 8 to more than 51 inches deep over limestone bedrock.

This association consists of shallow to deep, organic soils in sawgrass and freshwater marshes and ponds. These soils extend west from the Atlantic Coastal Ridge into the Everglades.

The native vegetation is sawgrass, willows, and cattails. Melaleuca trees have invaded many areas.

This association makes up about 17 percent of the survey area. It is about 41 percent Lauderhill soils, 34 percent Dania soils, 22 percent Pahokee soils, and 3 percent soils of minor extent.

Typically, Lauderhill soils are black and very dark brown muck to a depth of about 30 inches. They are underlain by hard, porous limestone bedrock.

Typically, Dania soils are black muck to a depth of about 15 inches. They are underlain by soft, porous limestone bedrock.

Typically, Pahokee soils are black and very dark brown muck to a depth of about 46 inches. They are underlain by hard, porous limestone bedrock.

Of minor extent in this association are Tamiami, Biscayne, and Perrine soils.

Most areas of this association support native vegetation and are used for wildlife habitat. Some areas are used for urban development.

3. Rock Outcrop-Biscayne-Chekika Association

Areas of limestone outcrop and nearly level, poorly drained, very poorly drained, and somewhat poorly drained soils that have been mechanically scarified in places and are 1 to 10 inches deep over limestone bedrock.

This association consists mainly of outcrops of Miami oolitic limestone and Biscayne and Chekika soils. Chekika soils formed through scarification of the oolitic limestone outcrops and the loamy residuum that partially covers the limestone and fills the many cavities or solution holes. They are in transitional areas between the Miami Ridge and soils that consist of marl. Biscayne soils formed through the precipitation of calcium carbonates by algae. In some areas the outcrops of oolitic limestone have very jagged pinnacles extending as much as 12 inches above the surface.

The native vegetation on the Chekika soils, which consisted of sawgrass, gulf muhly, sedges, scattered south Florida slash pine, and saw palmetto, was removed prior to rock-plowing. The native vegetation on the Biscayne soils is sawgrass, cattails, sedges, scattered saw palmetto, and willows.

This association makes up about 15 percent of the survey area. It is about 39 percent Rock outcrop, 25 percent Biscayne soils, 18 percent Chekika soils, and 18 percent soils of minor extent.

Biscayne soils are poorly drained or very poorly drained. Typically, the surface layer is about 5 inches of gray marl that has a texture of silt loam. Below this is gray and light gray marl. Hard, porous limestone is at a depth of about 15 inches.

Chekika soils are somewhat poorly drained. Typically, the surface layer is dark grayish brown very gravelly loam about 5 inches thick. Below this is hard, porous limestone bedrock.

Of minor extent in this association are Dania, Krome, Lauderhill, Matecumbe, Opalocka, and Vizcaya soils.

Most areas of this association are used as wildlife habitat. Some areas are used for crops, such as malanga, corn, and beans, or for citrus or mango groves.

4. Perrine-Biscayne-Pennsuco Association

Nearly level, poorly drained and very poorly drained soils consisting of marl that is 8 to more than 80 inches deep over hard limestone bedrock.

This association consists of very shallow to deep soils that consist of marl. These soils are on low coastal plains to the south and southeast of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, adjacent to Biscayne Bay, and in transverse glades.

The natural vegetation consists of sawgrass, whitetop sedge, yellowtop, goldenrod, gulfdune paspalum, broom sedge, glades lobelia, dogfennel, gulf muhly, bluejoint panicum, bushy beard bluestem, and south Florida bluestem.

This association makes up about 17 percent of the survey area. It is about 45 percent Perrine soils, 38 percent Biscayne soils, 10 percent Pennsuco soils, and 7 percent soils of minor extent.

Perrine soils are poorly drained or very poorly drained. Typically, the surface layer is about 11 inches of grayish brown marl that has a texture of silt loam. The next 15 inches is light brownish gray and light gray marl that has a texture of silt loam. Soft limestone bedrock is at a depth of about 26 inches.

Biscayne soils are poorly drained or very poorly drained. Typically, the surface layer is about 5 inches of gray marl that has a texture of silt loam. The next 10 inches is gray and light gray marl that has a texture of silt loam. Hard limestone bedrock is at a depth of about 15 inches.

Pennsuco soils are poorly drained or very poorly drained. Typically, the surface layer is about 8 inches of dark grayish brown marl that has a texture of silt loam. The underlying material extends to a depth of about 44 inches. It marl that has a texture of silt loam. It is grayish brown in the upper 19 inches and dark gray in the lower 17 inches. Soft limestone bedrock is at a depth of about 44 inches.

Of minor extent in this association are Dania, Lauderhill, and Pahokee soils.

Most areas of this association support natural vegetation. Some areas are used for urban development. Some are used for potatoes, sweet corn, malanga, or ornamental nursery plants.

Soils of the Miami Ridge

These soils are nearly level and gently sloping and are moderately well drained. They formed through mechanical scarification or rock-plowing. They are very shallow over oolitic limestone bedrock.

5. Krome Association

Nearly level and gently sloping, moderately well drained soils that have been mechanically scarified or rock-plowed and are 3 to 9 inches deep over limestone bedrock.

This association consists of very shallow, gravelly, mineral soils on the Miami Ridge. They formed through scarification of oolitic limestone outcrops and the loamy residuum or sandy overwash that partially covers the limestone and fills the many cavities or solution holes.

The native vegetation, which consisted of south Florida slash pine, saw palmetto, and various shrubs and grasses, was removed prior to rock-plowing.

This association makes up about 12 percent of the survey area. It is about 81 percent Krome soils and 19 percent soils of minor extent.

Typically, the surface layer of the Krome soils is dark brown very gravelly loam about 7 inches thick. Below this hard, porous limestone bedrock.

Of minor extent in this association are Matecumbe and Opalocka soils, Rock outcrop, Urban land, and Udorthents.

Most areas of this association are planted to row crops, such as tomatoes, beans, and squash. Some areas are used for urban development. Some are used for avocado, mango, or citrus groves.

Soils of the Tidal Swamps

These soils are nearly level and are poorly drained or very poorly drained. They consist of marl that is deep or very deep over limestone or of deep or very deep muck.

6. Perrine-Terra Ceia-Pennsuco Association

Nearly level, poorly drained and very poorly drained soils consisting of marl that is 40 to 80 inches deep over limestone or of organic material that is more than 51 inches thick.

This association consists of nearly level soils in mangrove swamps that are inundated daily by high tides. It generally is in the southeastern part of the survey area, in a narrow band adjoining Biscayne Bay.

The natural vegetation in areas of this association consists of red, black, and white mangrove.

This association makes up about 4.1 percent of the survey area. It is about 34 percent Perrine soils, 30 percent Terra Ceia soils, 14 percent Pennsuco soils, and 22 percent soils of minor extent.

Perrine soils are poorly drained or very poorly drained. Salt water inundates most areas of these soils at high tide. The soils are farther from the coast than the Terra Ceia soils and in areas between the small streams that drain into Biscayne Bay. They dominantly support stunted red mangrove. Typically, the surface layer is about 12 inches of dark brown marl that has a texture of silt loam. The next 14 inches is dark gray marl that has a texture of silt loam. Soft limestone bedrock is at a depth of about 26 inches.

Terra Ceia soils are very poorly drained. Salt water inundates most areas of these soils at high tide. The soils are closer to the coast than the other major soils and in areas along small streams that drain into Biscayne Bay. They dominantly support large red mangrove. Typically, they are very dark brown and black muck to a depth of about 80 inches.

Pennsuco soils are poorly drained or very poorly drained. Salt water inundates most areas of these soils at high tide. The soils are farther from the coast than the Terra Ceia soils and in areas between the small streams that drain into Biscayne Bay. They dominantly support stunted red mangrove. Typically, they consist of about 51 inches of light gray marl that has a texture of silt loam. Below this is soft limestone bedrock.

Of minor extent in this association are soils consisting of muck that is less than 51 inches deep over limestone bedrock.

Most areas of this association support natural vegetation.

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