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This page is one of a series discussing soils of Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne Counties, Pennsylvania. Go up to index.

About values

Unless otherwise noted, references to soil properties, organic matter and soil pH represent values for the top 12 inches of the described soil - the area of likely interest for most landscapers using herbaceous perennials. Depth to root restrictive layers, either in the form of fragipans or bedrock, may be of interest to those planting trees and shrubs.

Source: National Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

About Pennystone

The Pennystone project provides information relating to sustainable landscape practices using native species, with emphasis on the northeastern counties of Pennsylvania.

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Leck kill loams

Leck Kill moderately deep soil is found on ridges in Carbon and Monroe Counties and in valleys in Carbon County. Parent material consists of reddish residuum weathered from shale and siltstone. Depth to a root restrictive layer, bedrock, lithic, is 20 to 40 inches (Carbon County) and 40 to 80 inches (Monroe County). The natural drainage class is well drained, and water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is low. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded or ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a depth of 72 inches.

Carbon County

The channery silt loam soils are comprised of 18.3 percent clay, 28.2 percent sand and 53.4 percent silt in the top 12 inches. The very stony loams are comprised of 18.3 percent clay, 37.5 percent sand and 44.2 percent silt. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent in channery silt loam and 4 percent in very stony loam. In the top 12 inches, the channery silt loams average 1.42 percent organic matter by weight, while the very stony loams average 2.75 percent by weight. Soil pH for all categories is 5.3.

LeA - Leck kill channery silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes
Because it is shallow, droughty, or stony, this soil has severe limitations that reduce choice of plants or requires special conservation practices, or both.
LeB2 - Leck kill channery silt loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes, moderately eroded
Because it is shallow, droughty, or stony, this soil has severe limitations that reduce choice of plants or requires special conservation practices, or both.
LeC2 - Leck kill channery silt loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, moderately eroded
Because it is shallow, droughty, or stony, this soil has very severe limitations that reduce choice of plants or that require very careful management, or both.
LeC3 - Leck kill channery silt loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, severely eroded
Because risk of erosion unless close-growing plant cover is maintained, this soil has very severe limitations that reduce choice of plants or that require very careful management, or both.
LeD2 - Leck kill channery silt loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes, moderately eroded
Because risk of erosion unless close-growing plant cover is maintained, this soil has severe limitations that make them generally unsuitable for cultivation and that restrict its use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland or wildlife habitat.
LeD3 - Leck kill channery silt loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes, severely eroded
Because risk of erosion unless close-growing plant cover is maintained, this soil has severe limitations that make them generally unsuitable for cultivation and that restrict its use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland or wildlife habitat.
LkB - Leck kill very stony loam, 0 to 8 percent slopes
Because it is shallow, droughty, or stony, this soil has severe limitations that make them generally unsuitable for cultivation and that restrict its use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland or wildlife habitat.
LkD - Leck kill very stony loam, 8 to 25 percent slopes
Because it is shallow, droughty, or stony, this soil has severe limitations that make them generally unsuitable for cultivation and that restrict its use mainly to pasture, rangeland, forestland or wildlife habitat.
LkF - Leck kill very stony loam, 25 to 100 percent slopes
Because it is shallow, droughty, or stony, this soil has very severe limitations that make it unsuitable for cultivation and restricts use mainly to grazing, forestland or wildlife habitat.

Monroe County

Composition of the top 12 inches is 18.8 percent clay, 26.4 percent sand and 54.8 percent silt. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent; in the top 12 inches, organic material averages 1.26 percent, and soil pH is 5.9

LkB - Leck kill channery silt loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes
Because risk of erosion unless close-growing plant cover is maintained, this soil has moderate limitations that reduce choice of plants or requires moderate conservation practices.
LkC - Leck kill channery silt loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes
Because risk of erosion unless close-growing plant cover is maintained, this soil has severe limitations that reduce choice of plants or requires special conservation practices, or both.
LkD - Leck kill channery silt loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes
Because risk of erosion unless close-growing plant cover is maintained, this soil has very severe limitations that reduce choice of plants or that require very careful management, or both.