the area's subsoil is a dense clay soil, colored rusty by the iron oxide present in it. it becomes very muddy and sticky when wet, and hard when dry, and stains light-colored carpets and clothing easily. it also tends to have a low ph, further aggravating gardeners. the fineness of it also means it is easily deposited into streams during heavy rains, creating silt problems where it is exposed due to construction. this transported red soil can be seen downstream on the riverbanks of south georgia (where the native clay is white), and down to the florida panhandle (where the native sand is also white). topsoil is present only in natural forest areas, created by the decomposition of leaf litter.