Invasive Species

Web Soil Survey

Working for the Cecil Soil Conservation District in Maryland, I have actually met Jim Brewer on a few different occasions between trainings, help in envirothon with soil judging/education, and his soil expertise in determining if a certain soil is suitable for a particular conservation practice. I have heard him advocate for the web soil survey and I even got the app on my phone after he suggested it, which is a great resource in understanding soils when out in the field. I have worked with the web soil survey once before to see what all it had to offer, which I find it very informative about differing soil types. At work we use ArcGIS and can make better maps as well as find a lot of the same information, so I don't often use the web soil survey in the office. I do suggest it to landowners to look into if they have interests with the soils on their property. The area I chose for this assignment is in Cecil County where I hunt, just east of the Conowingo Dam where it borders Route 1 and the Octoraro Creek. Below is the link to my soils report which has the map and soil descriptions:

https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/WssProduct/ehdvoqin0t52sa4y0u51hawz/GN_00000/20170713_19490207940_194_Soil_Report.pdf

Climate

Maryland is ranked 42nd in size compared to all 50 states and what it may lack in size it makes up for with its diverse climate. With the Appalachian mountains in the west and the Chesapeake Bay/Atlantic Ocean to the east there can be extreme differences within the state. An example of the diversity in climate is Maryland's western most county Garrett which is right amongst the peaks of the mountain state West Virginia, and can receive over 100 inches of snow fall annually. On the sandy eastern shore far to the east, it will usually accumulate a mere 8 to 10 inches a year. Though the eastern shore may not get the snow fall that the western part of the state does, it certainly makes up for it in the excessive humidity that frequents the area, most noticeable in the summer months and often results in thunderstorms later in the evening. The proximity to major waters explains why the southeast part of the state gets an average of 49 inches of precipitation while the west gets 36 inches of annual precipitation. In the focus area for this assignment, Cecil County Maryland, which resides at the head of the Chesapeake Bay and includes both the hilly piedmont as well as the sands of the eastern shore's coastal plains, there is a bit more of a blend of the two extremes. Cecil is considered a part of the eastern shore which would explain the meager annual snowfall of 15 inches, but it is above the national annual precipitation average of 39 inches with 45 inches accumulating in the county through out the year and it has a usual of 79 days of measurable precipitation a year. The average number of clear sunny days is 202, and the average summer high is 88 degrees Fahrenheit with the average winter low being 24 degrees Fahrenheit.

 Sperling's Best Places. 2017. Cecil County, Maryland: Climate. Retrieved from http://www.bestplaces.net/climate/county/maryland/cecil

Advameg Inc. 2017. Maryland: Climate. Retrieved from http://www.city-data.com/states/Maryland-Climate.html