This soil survey contains information that affects land use planning in Palau. It contains predictions of soil behavior, highlights soil limitations, improvements needed to overcome the limitations, and the impact of selected land uses on the Palau area. Designed for farmers, foresters, and agronomists to evaluate the potential of the soil and the management needed for sustainable food and fiber production. Planners, community officials, engineers, developers, builders, and home buyers can use the survey to plan land use, select sites for construction, and identify special practices needed to ensure proper performance.
Conservationists, teachers, students, and specialists in recreation, wildlife management, waste disposal, and pollution control can use the survey to help them understand, protect, and enhance the environment. This soil survey is helpful to others because great differences in soil properties can occur within short distances. Some soils are seasonally wet or subject to flooding while some are shallow to bedrock. It is important to know where some areas are unstable to be used as a foundation for buildings or roads, poorly suited to use as septic tank absorption, or poorly suited to basements or underground installations.
“This document is an accumulation of years of study and research and we are pleased to make this information available to the public,” said Lawrence T. Yamamoto, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service director for the Pacific Islands Area.
A general soil map shows the survey area divided into groups of associated soils called soil map units. These maps are useful in planning the use and management of large areas. To find information about your area of interest on the detailed soil maps, locate that area on the index to map sheets, click on the map sheet of interest, identify the number of the map unit in the area of interest, then refer to the detailed map unit description for a general description of the soils in your area.
