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8 3 . 0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ' This section describes the environmental resources located within the Refuge and the proposed restoration area . The resources include the relevant physical , biological , socioeconomic, and cultural conditions that would be affected by implementing the proposed action . 3 . 1 Physical Environment 3 , 1 . 1 Geology and Soils The surface formations of the Pelican Island NWR area are of Pleistocene Glacial and Holocene ( Recent) origin . The Anastasia Formation underlies the barrier islands , the ' Indian River Lagoon , and the Atlantic coastal ridge . It consists of fine to medium sand , coquina , and sandy shell . rThe Soil Conservation Service Soil Survey of Indian River County, Florida indicated that the predominate shallow subsoil at the proposed restoration area of Pelican Island NWR is Captiva fine sand , hydrologic soil group B/D ( USDA , 1987) . Captiva fine sand ' is described as being located in narrow elongated sloughs between dune ridges and mangrove swamps . The soil is nearly level and poorly drained with low fertility (Wettstein et . al , 1987 ) . Soils near the Indian River Lagoon , at the south side of the proposed restoration area , were mapped as McKee mucky clay loam ( USDA , 1987) . McKee mucky clay loam is found at or near sea level in and adjacent to the Indian River Lagoon in mangrove islands and swamps . This soil is level and very poorly drained . Under natural conditions , this soil remains saturated (Wettstein et. al , 1987) . The site of the proposed tidal wetland restoration has McKee mucky clay loam soil , indicating that the area was once a tidal wetland in the past . r The average ground elevation for the uplands of the proposed restoration area and site of the proposed freshwater wetlands is estimated at 2 . 5 feet above mean sea level . ' Based on soil investigations in the proposed restoration area uplands , the average wet season water table is estimated to be at 1 . 8 feet above mean sea level ( Brad Smith Associates , Inc. , 2001 ) , 3 . 1 . 1 . 1 Contaminants Survey Because the proposed restoration land had been used for citrus farming , a survey for soil contaminants was conducted June 15- 17 , 1999 on the Kennedy tract , the Surman tract , and the Pryor tract. Soil samples from 9 sites were tested for organochlorine compounds and metal residues . Organochlorine compounds are long - lived in the environment , have a high potential to bioaccumulate up the food chain , and can cause reproductive failure in birds at very low environmental concentrations . No