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2001 PROGRESS REPORT--NRCS
This fall marks the end of
the 4th year of the Keweenaw County Soil Survey. Approximately 179,000
acres or 78 percent of the field work has been completed. Soil mapping
has progressed in Allouez Township, north Houghton Township, south Sherman
Township, and northeast Grant Township. Areas included are Cedar Bay to
the village of Mohawk and the area east and south of Copper Harbor to
the Estivant Pines Sanctuary. Thayer's Lake to Betsy Bay area was also
mapped.
Three new soil series were
proposed this year. They are Betsy Bay, Copper Harbor, and Bete Grise.
Betsy Bay is the same as the Net series and has more than 35 percent rock
fragments. Copper Harbor is extremely gravelly and cobble and has a water
table from 1.5 to 3.5 feet. Bete Grise soil is the wetter approximation
to Copper Harbor having a water table from 0.5 to 1.5 feet. Bete Grise
and Copper Harbor are commonly associated with elevations below 740 feet
and the north side of Keweenaw
County.
From July 30th to August 3rd our annual progress review took place. Staff from the Marquette, Baraga, and St. Paul offices reviewed the work and scheduled workload in detail. The review concluded that field work for Keweenaw will be completed within the contracted time.
In September the survey crew spent 4 days on Isle Royale. Time was spent mapping Passage and Gull Islands and reviewing the soil survey work completed in 1989-1990. Isle Royale will be included in the Keweenaw soil survey publication.
This last year of field work will include the remaining 50,000 acres. This mapping will comprise the interior area of north Sherman Township, south Houghton, and southeast Grant Townships. Manitou Island also remains to be mapped. All field work is scheduled to be completed by November, 2002.
Advanced copies of soil maps for most areas are available. Field work for each year becomes available in the spring of the following year. Our office is on the second floor of the Keweenaw County Courthouse in Eagle River or call #337-2279.
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