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<br />6 <br /> <br />Soils <br />The soil in an area impacts the type of development and extent of development that can occur in <br />the area. Factors such as drainage, frost characteristics, and shrink/swell potential may limit the <br />development of buildings, structures, and septic systems. <br />The United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service in cooperation with the <br />Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station published a soil survey of Washington and Ramsey <br />Counties. It identified general soils for general planning and a more in-depth soil analysis for <br />detailed planning in each county. It should be noted that any large scale mapping of soils results <br />in an extremely generalized graphic statement, the information does serve to illustrate the <br />relationship between soil types and the areas most suitable for development. Little Canada is <br />composed of three general soil types: Zimmerman-Urban land-Rifle, Barronett-Grays, and <br />Hayden-Urban land. <br />Zimmerman-Urban land-Rifle makes up the majority of Little Canada and composes roughly 27 <br />percent of the total area of Ramsey County. This unit is well suited for urban uses which are tied <br />in with city sewage systems. The main concerns for this general soil if the high-water table in the <br />low areas. When it is used for recreational development the major concern is soil blowing. <br />Barronett-Grays soils are level to gently sloping, poorly drained and moderately well drained, <br />medium textured soils. This unit only composes 1 percent of Ramsey County. Urbanization of this <br />soil is limited by the seasonal high-water table and susceptibility to frost action. <br />Hayden-Urban land consists of soils and urban land on glacial moraines. Slopes range from one to <br />24 percent. This soil unit is composed primarily of urban development, playgrounds, parks, vacant <br />lands, isolated tracts of grass and woodlands, and yards. The main concern for using these soils <br />for building or sanitary facilities is the difficulty building on steeper slopes. The water table is <br />seasonally high in the depressions and lower lying areas. The moderate volume changes with <br />changes in soil moisture can cause concern when constructing buildings, roads, or streets.\ <br />Soil limitations were determined from analysis conducted by the USDA Soil Conservation Service. <br />A rating system, defined as follows, and shown on the Soil Limitations map, indicated the <br />development potential of certain sites for dwellings with basements. The limitations are slight if <br />soil properties or site features are generally favorable for the indicated use and limitations are <br />minor and easily overcome. Moderate limitations result if the soil properties of a site are not <br />favorable for the proposed use and special planning, design or maintenance is needed to overcome <br />the limitations. Severe limitations defined by unfavorable soil properties or site features are so <br />difficult to overcome that special planning, design and maintenance are required which results in <br />increased construction costs and on-going maintenance. Oftentimes special feasibility studies are <br />necessary to determine if development is possible of soils classified as “severe”.