ST MICHAEL'S
Soil Changes
(
for
Floodplain changes click here )
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 This
issue of shifting soils we now consider to be somewhat resolved.
We did a great deal of research tracking down how the two
different plot plans could be different. It appears that
there is a good possibility in 1990 when the engineer
transferred the information to his map, he did it rather
freehand and loosely and did not copy it correctly. We
took a look at the map he copied it from, and although we
couldn't tell exactly where the borders were we did know that
the shape of the borders looked more like the current soil map.
So we are considering this issue of shifting soils to be
resolved.
Click here for
Soil Report received 11-9-11 This is a very complete
20 some page study and defines the different soils and some of
the viability for use -- be patient it takes a
minute or two to load
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Below you can see the two plats or plot plans
that caused the original questions about soils that seemed to
have "shifted" .
KIPLING RD AT TOP
Above :
The grey area on this plan ( above ) on the right is the existing basketball
court. If you look just to the right of the court you'll see
a dotted line in the shape of a "finger & thumb or the end of a
"dog bone" -- that is the soil line .
That soil is Ha- Hatboro loam - a hydrik ( or Heidrick ) soil, often indicative of
wetlands.
Below : In the plan of the same property below you will see the
same soil configuration that is actually labeled as a"flood
plain conservation district" . We were looking for the data
that shows how those soils seemed to keep basically the same
configuration but shift so far to the right . As you can
see on the new plan above, all the building structures are
now outside of those soils . The above new map
does agree with the most recent Department of Agriculture's soil
samplings - new studies were done over the years and the maps
were digitized . We didn't find any data
that would cause a redrawing of the soils map - but having
looked at the 1967 soils map below - it is possible that
the engineer in 1990 did not bring the information over
correctly. Thanks to the folks at DEP & US Dept
Agriculture for their help .
The
soils information is obtained from the United States Department
of Agriculture Website.
http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usthe freezerda.gov/app/HomePage.htm>>
From the Twp: "I
looked at 1015 Fox Chase Road and have determined that the soils
information that ( their engineer) has provided to be accurate.
I made a copy (TIF) of the area for your use and included with
this email. It was explained to me that the soils information
from 1967 (the date of the previous soils data book) and present
day have been updated and revised many times to reflect more
accurate soil surveys throughout the county and across the
country by the Dept. of Agriculture.
After the introduction of the FEMA maps, the Township adopted the
use of the maps as a way to determine the flood zones by
Ordinance No. 1753 on May 9, 1996. "
A
letter that we have indicates St Michaels had to contact
DER or the Army Corps of Engineers back in 1990 and
they apparently were the ones that indicated the Ha soil was to
be designated as flood plain
area - St. Michael's then apparently noted the
Floodplain Conservation District
(which is the terminology
for the zoning overlay
of a flood plain area) on their plan . FEMA may never have
picked up that information when they created their maps.
Here is the 1967 soils map that the engineer would have
used to transfer the soils info. It would have been
a difficult job.
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Please feel free to
contact us
with your own
information on these topics and please be sure
to
contact us
about any information you believe to be
incorrect -
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