2017 Spencer Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Spencer, Iowa  2017  Comprehensive Plan

The material in this section is primarily accessed from the Soil Survey of Clay County, Iowa. This survey was made cooperatively by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils, in cooperation with Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University; Division of Soil Conservation, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; and Clay County Conference Board. The Soil Survey of Clay County, Iowa was created and last updated in 2003. Although this document is over a decade old, the soils information remains accurate since the soil types do not change significantly over time. Spencer has four different associations which all have distinctive patterns of soils, reliefs, and drainage. Each association on the general soil map is a unique natural landscape. The four associations in the City of Spencer are the following:

• Wilmonton-Ransom-Afton Association (2) Nearly level to gently sloping, somewhat poorly drained and poorly drained, loamy and silty soils that formed in loamy pedisediments overlying calcareous till and in loess overlying Wisconsin (Tazewell) till; on uplands • Wadena-Cylinder-Biscay Association (4) Nearly level to gently sloping, well drained to poorly drained, loamy soils that formed in loamy alluvium underlain by sand and gravel; on stream terraces and outwash plains • Everly-Letri-Fostoria Association (6) Nearly level to strongly sloping, moderately well drained to poorly drained, loamy soils that formed in eolian material and pedisediments overlying till; on uplands • Belmann-Fostoria, lacustrine substratum- Waldorf Association (8) Nearly level to gently sloping, poorly drained and somewhat poorly drained, silty and loamy soils that formed in lacustrine sediments and in local alluvium overlying lacustrine sediments; on glacial lake plains

Figure 6 - Map showing the soil associations in and around Spencer.

How Soil Surveys assist Planners, Planning Commissioners, or Zoning Administrators Soil surveys assist planners to make and substantiate decisions that local government officials translate into zoning ordinances, building permits, sewer projects, and other regulations. Information about soil limitations for given uses helps prevent major mistakes in land use and unnecessary costs to individuals and the county. Soil surveys help in determining flood prone areas, and identify hazards that affect such areas. In many states soil surveys are used to guide decision-makers in restricting the use of flood plains for housing, septic tank fields, and other intensive development. Zoning areas for

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NW Iowa Planning & Development