Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
015 <br /> TABLE 1 <br /> LITTLE RIVER TOWNSHIP FARMLAND TRENDS, 1955-1977 <br /> Acreage <br /> 1955 1977 Change % Change <br /> TOTAL CROPLAND 6997 ac. 5016 ac. -1981 -28.3 <br /> TOTAL PASTURE 3695 ac. 2258 ac. -1437 -38.9 <br /> ALL FARMLAND 10692 ac. 7274 ac. -3418 -32.0 <br /> source: North Carolina Crop and Livestock Reporting Service <br /> Natural Environmental constraints <br /> Little River Township contains the following natural <br /> environmental constraints to development activity: <br /> floodplains, steep slopes, poor soils, and water supply <br /> watersheds. <br /> Floodplains : Most of the Township ' s 100-year floodplain <br /> acreage lies along the Township ' s two major waterways, the <br /> North Fork and South Fork of the Little River. Smaller <br /> amounts lie adjacent to Forrest Creek and Lick Creek. These <br /> streams flow through relatively narrow valleys so the extent <br /> of flooding during 100-year floods is not great. The <br /> floodplain rarely extends greater than 500 feet from the <br /> center of the stream and covers less than five percent of the <br /> Township ' s total acreage. This amounts to approximately 1230 <br /> acres. <br /> Steep Slopes Steep slopes present a constraint to <br /> development because they increase the potential for runoff <br /> and erosion. Steep slopes and the soils associated with thug <br /> pose additional problems for the use of septic tanks. There <br /> are only a few areas in the Township with steep slopes, those <br /> greater than fifteen percent. These areas generally border <br /> the North Fork and South Fork of the Little River, and <br /> Forrest Creek. <br /> Solis : The soils that predominate in the Township fall <br /> under the Georgeville-Herndon Association. These soils tend <br /> to be deep and well -drained, suitable for most land uses. The <br /> northwest portion of the Township, however, is characterized <br /> by the more heavily clayey soils of the Appling-Helena <br /> Association. While adequate for many land uses, these soils <br /> are nonetheless rated •oor for septic tank absorption fields <br /> and most building types because of poor absorption and <br /> shrink-swell problems. <br /> The stream valleys of the southern portion of the Township, <br /> along with additional areas in the extreme southeast, contain <br /> large areas of soils characterized by the Tatum-Goldston <br /> Association. These soils are associated with thin surfkcA. <br /> layers and steep slopes and are unsuited for most non <br /> agricultural development land uses. <br />