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Southeast Coastal Plain and Caribbean Soil Survey Region #15 Go to Accessibility Information
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Chenneby Series

The Chenneby series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy and silty sediments on flood plains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. These soils are fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Fluvaquentic Dystrudepts.

Typical pedon of Chenneby silt loam in a forested area in Talladega County, Alabama; 2 miles west of McElderry and 75 feet north of Farm Market Road; NW1/4SE1/4 sec. 3, T. 18 S., R. 6 E.

  • A1—0 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
  • A2—3 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; few fine faint light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
  • Bw1—16 to 24 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; friable; common fine roots; common medium distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation and common medium distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
  • Bw2—24 to 36 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine quartz pebbles; common medium distinct gray (5Y 5/1) iron depletions; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)
  • Bw3—36 to 55 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine quartz pebbles; common medium distinct dark gray (5Y 4/1) iron depletions; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)
  • Cg—55 to 72 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay loam; massive; firm; few fine roots; few quartz pebbles; common fine distinct olive (5Y 5/3) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid.

The thickness of the solum ranges from 30 to 70 inches. Depth to rock is more than 6 feet. The quantity of mica flakes ranges from none to common in the solum. Chenneby soils do not have iron depletions in shades of gray directly below the A1 horizon. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid in the A horizon, except where lime has been applied, and ranges from extremely acid to moderately acid in the B and C horizons.

The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. Where the A horizon has value of 3 and chroma of 2, it is 6 inches or less in thickness. The quantity of iron accumulations in shades of brown ranges from none to common. The texture is silt loam, loam, or silty clay loam.

The Bw1 horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. It has common or many masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown and iron depletions in shades of brown and gray.

The Bw2 horizon has hue of 5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6; or it is mottled in shades of these colors. It has iron depletions that have chroma of 2 or less within a depth of 24 inches. It has common or many masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown and iron depletions in shades of brown and gray. It is dominantly silt loam or silty clay loam. In some pedons, however, it is loam or clay loam.

The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2; or it is neutral in hue and has value of 4 to 6. The quantity of iron accumulations in shades of brown and olive ranges from none to many. The texture ranges from silty clay loam to sandy loam.

The 2C horizon, where present, is stratified sand, silt, and gravel and is below a depth of about 60 inches.

Colbert Series

The Colbert series consists of deep, moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in residuum weathered from argillaceous limestone or shaly limestone. These soils are on uplands in limestone valleys. The rate at which water runs off the surface ranges from slow to rapid. Slopes range from 1 to 25 percent. These soils are fine, smectitic, thermic Vertic Hapludalfs.

Typical pedon of Colbert silt loam on a gently sloping upland under mixed hardwoods at an evaluation of about 565 feet in Colbert County, Alabama; 2.7 miles south of the intersection of U.S. Highway 72 and Woodmont Avenue in Tuscumbia, Alabama; along County Road 55; and 75 feet north of the road; SE1/4NW1/4 sec. 28, T. 4 S., R. 11 W.

  • A1—0 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • A2—3 to 8 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the A horizons ranges from 3 to 10 inches.)
  • Bt1—8 to 15 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; strong medium angular and subangular blocky structure; firm; thin continuous clay films on faces of most peds; few medium roots; few old cracks filled with brown silt loam; very strong acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • Bt2—15 to 26 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay; few fine distinct light gray (10YR 7/2) and few medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6) mottles; strong coarse angular and subangular blocky structure; very firm, plastic; thin continuous clay films on faces of most peds; few medium roots; few pressure faces; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt3—26 to 36 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay; common medium distinct light gray (10YR 7/2) and many medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6) mottles; moderate coarse angular and subangular blocky structure; very firm, plastic; thin continuous clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; few pressure faces; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt4—36 to 44 inches; mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), light gray (10YR 7/2), and yellowish red (5YR 5/6) silty clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very firm, sticky and very plastic; thin continuous clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; common pressure faces; few nonintersecting slickensides; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 30 to more than 50 inches.)
  • C—44 to 55 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay; many medium distinct gray (N 5/0) and common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/3) mottles; massive; very firm, sticky and very plastic; about 2 percent, by volume, manganese concretions; about 2 percent, by volume, limestone fragments 2 to 20 millimeters in size; common pressure faces; few nonintersecting and intersecting slickensides; neutral. (0 to 20 inches thick)
  • R—55 inches; limestone bedrock.

The thickness of the solum ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Depth to limestone bedrock ranges from 40 to more than 72 inches. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid in the A and Bt horizons and from slightly acid to mildly alkaline in the BC, CB, and C horizons, where present.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, silty loam, or silty clay loam. Most pedons that have an A horizon of silty clay loam are eroded.

The E horizon, where present, is less than 5 inches thick and has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is silt loam.

The upper part of the Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 4 to 8. It is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay. The lower part of the Bt horizon has the same range in hue, value, and chroma as the upper part of the Bt horizon and has few to many mottles in shades of red, gray, and brown; or it is mottled in shades of yellow, red, gray, and brown. It is silty clay or clay.

The C horizon, and the CB and BC horizons where present, have hue of 7.5YR to 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 8. They are silty clay or clay. They have 0 to 5 percent, by volume, nodules of calcium carbonate, manganese concretions, and limestone fragments ranging from 2 to 30 millimeters in size.

The Cr horizon, where present, is thin and shaly.

The R layer is hard limestone bedrock.

Decatur Series

The Decatur series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in residuum derived from limestone. These soils are on level to strongly sloping uplands in valleys. Slopes are dominantly 1 to 10 percent but range from 1 to 25 percent. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is 62 degrees F and the mean annual precipitation is more than 49 inches. These soils are fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudults.

Typical pedon of Decatur silt loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes, in a cultivated area in Limestone County, Alabama; 0.5 mile west of the crossroads at Greenbrier and 200 feet north of the paved county road; SW1/4SW1/4 sec. 21, T. 4 S., R. 3 W.

  • Ap—0 to 7 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) silt loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; few red-coated spherical fragments of chert; few fine roots; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
  • Bt1—7 to 12 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) silty clay loam, dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) dry; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure parting to very fine blocky; friable; thin patchy clay films on faces of most medium-sized peds; few soft dark concretions; few fine weathered fragments of chert; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Bt2—12 to 20 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) silty clay loam, dark red (2.5YR 3/6) when crushed, less than 1/2 unit of value higher when dry; moderate very coarse subangular blocky structure parting to strong very fine blocky; firm; thin continuous dusky red (10R 3/3) clay films on faces of most peds; common fine pores lined with clay; few small soft dark concretions; few fine fragments of chert; very strongly acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
  • Bt3—20 to 45 inches; dusky red (10R 3/4) clay, dark red (10R 3/6) when crushed, less than 1/2 unit of value higher when dry; moderate very coarse subangular blocky structure parting to strong very fine blocky; firm, sticky and plastic; thin continuous dusky red (10R 3/3) clay films on faces of most peds; few small dark concretions; few fine fragments of chert; very strongly acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
  • Bt4—45 to 72 inches; dusky red (10R 3/4) clay, dark red (10R 3/6) when crushed, less than 1/2 unit of value higher when dry; moderate very coarse subangular blocky structure parting to strong very fine blocky; firm, sticky and plastic; thin continuous dusky red (10R 3/3) clay films on faces of most peds; common small dark concretions; few fine fragments of chert; very strongly acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
  • Bt5—72 to 120 inches; dusky red (10R 3/4) clay, dark red (10R 3/6) when crushed, less than 1/2 unit of value higher when dry; moderate very fine blocky structure; firm, sticky and plastic; thin patchy dusky red (10R 3/3) clay films on faces of most peds; few small manganese concretions; few fragments of chert; very strongly acid. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons is more than 60 inches.)

The solum is more than 72 inches thick. The upper 50 inches of the soil contains less than 10 percent weatherable minerals in the 20- to 200-micron size. The solum ranges from moderately acid to very strongly acid. Any horizon may contain up to 10 percent fragments of chert and quartzite pebbles 2 millimeters to 3 inches in size and up to 3 percent fragments over 3 inches. Each horizon has few to many dark brown to black concretions. In some pedons, cherty limestone bedrock is at a depth of more than 6 feet.

The Ap horizon has hue of 5YR or 2.5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam. In severely eroded areas, it is silty clay or clay.

The BA or AB horizon, where present, is less than 6 inches thick and has the same range in hue, value, chroma, and texture as the A horizon.

The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 10R, value of 3, and chroma of 4 to 6. The color value of the dry soil is less than 1 unit higher than that of the moist soil. The texture in the upper 20 inches of the horizon is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay that contains 35 to 60 percent clay and less than 20 percent sand. The lower part of the Bt horizon commonly contains 45 to 60 percent clay; however, the range includes clay loam below a depth of 60 inches. Structure is usually moderate but ranges from weak to strong and from subangular blocky to blocky.

Egam Series

The Egam series consists of very deep, well drained or moderately well drained soils that formed in clayey alluvium on flood plains and in depressions. Slopes are dominantly less than 2 percent but range from 0 to 5 percent. These soils are fine, mixed, active, thermic Cumulic Hapludolls.

Typical pedon of Egam silty clay loam in a pasture in Davidson County, Tennessee; at the northwest corner of the Tennessee State University farm; 200 feet south of the Cumberland River and 150 feet west of a rock fence.

  • Ap—0 to 7 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; many fine roots; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
  • A—7 to 22 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam; dominantly strong medium angular blocky structure, some medium prismatic structure parting to angular blocky; firm; many fine roots; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)
  • Bw1—22 to 39 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay; few fine faint grayish brown mottles; weak medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very firm; common fine roots, largely between peds, and few fine roots within peds; pressure faces on some peds; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 30 inches thick)
  • Bw2—39 to 56 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay; strong medium angular blocky structure; firm; common fine roots; pressure faces on some peds; common fine and medium faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) redoximorphic depletions; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bw3—56 to 75 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; common medium and fine faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) redoximorphic depletions; slightly acid. (The combined thickness of the Bw horizons below the mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to 55 inches.)

Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 24 to 55 inches. Reaction is neutral to moderately acid in the A and B horizon. Below a depth of about 50 inches, reaction ranges from moderately alkaline to moderately acid.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. In some pedons, it has a few faint gray and brown mottles in the lower part. The texture is dominantly silty clay loam or silt loam but is loam or silty clay in a few pedons.

The upper part of the Bw horizon is part of the mollic epipedon. In some pedons, it has the same colors as the A horizon. Below this, the Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. The Bw horizon has few or common redoximorphic features in shades of brown or gray and none to common redoximorphic features that have chroma of 1 or 2.

Below a depth of about 50 inches, the Bw horizon, or the C horizon where present, has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, chroma of 1 to 6, and redoximorphic features in shades of brown and gray; or it is mottled and does not have a dominant matrix color. The texture is dominantly silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay. In some pedons, however, it ranges to coarser than clay loam.

Emory Series

The Emory series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils. These soils formed in local alluvium and the underlying buried soil. They are in narrow strips along intermittent drainageways, on toeslopes, and at the bottom of upland depressions. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. These soils are fine-silty, siliceous, active, thermic Fluventic Humic Dystrudepts.

Typical pedon of Emory silt loam in a cultivated area in White County, Tennessee; 1 mile northeast of Hickory Valley School; 300 feet west of the junction of Hickory Valley Creek and a paved road.

  • Ap—0 to 8 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) silt loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
  • Bw—8 to 32 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) silt loam; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; 5 percent angular fragments of chert up to 1/2 inch in diameter; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 35 inches thick)
  • Ab—32 to 42 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; friable; few fine roots; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
  • Btb—42 to 60 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) silty clay loam; few dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) streaks and coatings; weak medium subangular blocky structure; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; few fragments of chert up to 1 inch in diameter; strongly acid. (10 to 25 inches thick)

The thickness of the local alluvium over the buried solum ranges from about 20 to 45 inches. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid in all horizons, except where lime has been applied. The content of pebbles and cobbles ranges from 0 to 10 percent in the Ap, Bw, and Ab horizons and from 0 to 20 percent in the Btb horizon.

The Ap horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam or, rarely, silty clay loam.

The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is silt loam or silty clay loam.

The Ab horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam or silty clay loam.

The Btb horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. In some pedons, it has mottles in shades of brown, yellow, and red. It is silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, or clay.

The Emory soils in the survey area are a taxadjunct to the series because the thickness of the local alluvium is slightly thinner than is defined as the range of the series. This difference does not significantly affect use and management.

Etowah Series

The Etowah series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on high stream terraces, alluvial fans, and footslopes. These soils formed in alluvium or colluvium that is commonly underlain by limestone residuum below a depth of 40 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 35 percent. These soils are fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Paleudults.

Typical pedon of Etowah silt loam in a cultivated area in Meigs County, Tennessee; 300 yards west of Flag Pond Bridge across Sugar Creek on River Road.

  • Ap—0 to 7 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
  • Bt1—7 to 13 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots and pores; few thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt2—13 to 24 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots and pores; many thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; few fine fragments of chert; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • Bt3—24 to 38 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; few fragments of chert; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt4—38 to 54 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; common fine and medium distinct red (2.5YR 4/6) mottles; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots and pores; many thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; few fragments of chert; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Bt5—54 to 70 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; common fine distinct red and few fine distinct light yellowish brown mottles; strong fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots and pores; thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; few fine and medium fragments of chert; strongly acid. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 50 to more than 60 inches.)

The solum is more than 60 inches thick. Depth to bedrock, commonly limestone, ranges from 6 feet to more than 15 feet. The content of coarse fragments is commonly less than 5 percent but ranges from 0 to 15 percent in each horizon, except in the A or Ap horizon, where it ranges from 0 to 20 percent. Some pedons contain fine flakes of mica. Reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid, except the surface layer where lime has been recently applied.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. The fine-earth texture is dominantly silt loam. In places, however, it is loam or silty clay loam.

Some pedons have a transitional horizon between the A or Ap horizon and the Bt horizon. The transitional horizon has textures and colors similar to those of the master horizons.

The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 6 to 8. In the lower part, it has few or common mottles in shades of red, yellow, and brown. The texture is silty clay loam or clay loam.

The 2Bt horizon, where present, has the same range in colors as the Bt horizon. The 2Bt horizon is silty clay or clay.

Fullerton Series

The Fullerton series consists of very deep, well drained, cherty soils that dominantly formed in residuum weathered from cherty limestone or dolomite. These soils are on gently sloping to very steep uplands. On moderately steep to very steep backslopes, the upper portion of the soil may have formed in a layer of colluvium or have been affected by soil creep. Near the type location, the average annual precipitation is 45 to 55 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 60 degrees F. Slopes range from 2 to 70 percent. These soils are fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Paleudults.

Typical pedon of Fullerton gravelly silt loam in a forested area in Meigs County, Tennessee; 4 miles north of Decatur on River Road, 1.3 miles north of Eaves Ferry Road, on a west-facing, wooded slope, 150 feet east of a two-pronged chestnut oak that is 40 feet west of River Road.

  • A—0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; 15 percent chert gravel; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
  • E—2 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly silt loam; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; 15 percent chert gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
  • BE—11 to 15 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly silt loam; few fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6) variegations; moderate medium granular and moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; 20 percent chert gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
  • Bt1—15 to 19 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly silty clay loam; few seams and pockets of strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly silt loam extending down from the BE horizon; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent chert gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • Bt2—19 to 30 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) gravelly clay; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine roots; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent chert gravel; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt3—30 to 50 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) gravelly clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 25 percent chert gravel; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt4—50 to 60 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) gravelly clay; few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 30 percent chert gravel; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt5—60 to 90 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) gravelly clay; common medium and coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 50 to more than 75 inches.)

The thickness of the solum and depth to bedrock are more than 60 inches. Rock fragments are mostly pebbles and cobbles of chert. Typically, the content of rock fragments ranges from 10 to 45 percent in individual horizons and the particle-size control section averages between 15 and 35 percent. In some pedons, however the content of rock fragments is more than 45 percent below a depth of 40 inches. Reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid, except where lime has been applied.

The A or Ap horizon dominantly has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. In some severely eroded areas, however, the Ap horizon has hue of 5YR. The texture of the fine-earth fraction is dominantly silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam. In some moderately eroded and severely eroded areas, however, it is silty clay loam or clay loam.

The E horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. The texture of the fine-earth fraction is silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam.

The BE horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. The texture of the fine-earth fraction is silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam.

The Bt horizon dominantly has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. In some pedons, however, the upper part has hue of 7.5YR. Mottles in the Bt horizon are in shades of brown, yellow, or red. The texture of the fine-earth fraction is silty clay or clay, except in the upper part where it ranges to silty clay loam or clay loam.

Gladdice Series

The Gladdice series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils on uplands. These soils formed in residuum weathered from limestone. Slopes range from 2 to 70 percent. These soils are fine, mixed, active, thermic Vertic Hapludalfs.

Typical pedon of Gladdice silty clay loam in Jackson County, Tennessee; 0.8 mile east of the intersection of State Highways 85 and 262 at Highland, 400 feet south of State Highway 85, in a pasture.

  • A—0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; less than 5 percent limestone channers up to 2 inches in diameter; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (1 to 7 inches thick)
  • Bt1—6 to 13 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; many fine roots; less than 5 percent limestone channers up to 2 inches in diameter; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt2—13 to 18 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay; strong medium subangular and angular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear abrupt boundary.
  • Bt3—18 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay; many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8 and 5/4) mottles; strong coarse and very coarse subangular and angular blocky structure; few prominent nonintersecting slickensides and pressure faces; very firm; few fine roots; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; many fine dark brown and black concretions and nodules; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 14 to 29 inches.)
  • C—27 to 30 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay; many fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) mottles; massive; very firm; many fine dark brown and black concretions and nodules; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
  • R—30 inches; hard limestone.

The thickness of the solum and depth to bedrock range from 20 to about 30 inches. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline. Cracks as large as 1/2 inch in width extend to a depth of about 15 inches during long dry periods. The content of rock fragments, channers, and flagstones of limestone and chert ranges from 0 to 35 percent in all horizons, except the surface layer, which may have up to 60 percent.

The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. Where the A horizon has value of less than 4, it is less than 6 inches thick. The A horizon is silty clay loam or silt loam, except in eroded or severely eroded areas, where it is silty clay or clay.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. In the lower part of some pedons, it has mottles in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray. The texture is dominantly silty clay or clay. The upper few inches, however, are silty clay loam in most pedons.

The BC and C horizons, where present, have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. They have mottles in shades of gray, yellow, brown, or olive. The texture is clay or silty clay.

The Gladdice soils in the survey area are a taxadjunct to the series because the content of clay in the subsoil is slightly higher than is defined as the range of the series. This difference does not affect use and management.

Hartsells Series

The Hartsells series consists of moderately deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy materials derived from acid sandstone containing thin strata of shale or siltstone. These soils are on nearly level to moderately steep ridges and upper slopes of hills and mountains. These soils are fine-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Typic Hapludults.

Typical pedon of Hartsells fine sandy loam in a pasture in Marshall County, Alabama; Land Mountain NW corner of NW1/4SE1/4 sec. 24, T. 8 S., R. 3 E.; very near the center of the section.

  • Ap—0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; 10 percent, by volume, angular fragments of sandstone 1/4 to 1 inch in size; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
  • E—5 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; 10 percent, by volume, angular fragments of sandstone 1/4 to 3 inches in size; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
  • BE—9 to 13 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few fine fragments of sandstone; most sand grains coated with clay; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
  • Bt1—13 to 20 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam; weak and moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few fine fragments of sandstone; thin continuous clay films on faces of most peds; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
  • Bt2—20 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; thin patchy clay films on faces of most peds; 10 percent, by volume, angular fragments of sandstone 1/2 to 2 inches in size; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
  • BC—30 to 36 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy loam; texture coarsens with increasing depth; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; 30 percent, by volume, angular fragments of sandstone 1/2 to 2 inches in size; sand grains coated with clay; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
  • R—36 inches; acid sandstone.

The depth to bedrock and the thickness of the solum range from 20 to 40 inches. The content of coarse fragments, chiefly sandstone, ranges from 0 to 15 percent in any horizon, except in the BC and C horizons, where it ranges from 0 to 35 percent. The soil is extremely acid to strongly acid throughout, except where lime has been applied.

The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 8. The A1 horizon, where present, is 1 to 4 inches in thickness. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4, and chroma of 2 or 3.

The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8. It is fine sandy loam or loam.

The BE horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 7.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. It is sandy loam or loam.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. The lower part commonly is mottled in shades of red, brown, or yellow. The Bt horizon is sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. The average content of clay in the upper 20 inches of the Bt horizon or to bedrock commonly is 18 to 24 percent but ranges from 18 to 35 percent.

Most pedons have a BC horizon. It has colors and fine-earth textures that are similar to those of the Bt horizon.

Hector Series

The Hector series consists of shallow, well drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils that formed in residuum derived from sandstone bedrock. These soils are on nearly level to moderately steep ridgetops and steep and very steep mountainsides. Slopes range from 2 to 60 percent. These soils are loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Lithic Dystrudepts.

Typical pedon of Hector gravelly fine sandy loam in a forested area in Washington County, Arkansas; SE1/4SE1/4NE1/4 sec. 1, T. 15 N., R. 33 W.

  • A1—0 to 2 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; about 25 percent, by volume, fragments of sandstone less than 3 inches in diameter; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
  • A2—2 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; about 30 percent, by volume, fragments of sandstone less than 3 inches in diameter; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
  • Bw—6 to 15 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) dry; very weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; about 14 percent, by volume, fragments of sandstone dominantly less than 3 inches in diameter but including few up to 10 inches; strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
  • R—15 inches; hard, massive sandstone bedrock.

The thickness of the solum and depth to bedrock range from 14 to 20 inches. The content of rock fragments ranges from 0 to 50 percent in the A horizon and from 0 to 35 percent in the B horizon. Some pedons have stony, cobbly, very cobbly, gravelly, or very gravelly phases.

The A1 horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. The A2 horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. The fine-earth fraction of the master A horizon is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to strongly acid.

The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. The fine-earth fraction is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam. Reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid.

Hollywood Series

The Hollywood series consists of deep, moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in clayey colluvial sediments over limestone. These soils are on narrow, lower footslopes and in depressional upland areas. Water runs slowly off the surface. Slopes are dominantly less than 3 percent but range up to 8 percent. These soils are fine, smectitic, thermic Oxyaquic Hapluderts.

Typical pedon of Hollywood clay loam in an idle field in Lawrence County, Alabama; 0.2 mile east of Young Brothers Store, 150 feet south of Alabama Highway 24; NW1/4SE1/4 sec. 5, T. 7 S., R. 10 W.

  • Ap—0 to 4 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; common fine black and brown concretions; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
  • A2—4 to 19 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silty clay; moderate coarse blocky structure parting to strong medium granular; friable; pressure faces on surfaces of some coarse peds; common fine brown and black concretions; neutral; diffuse wavy boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)
  • A3—19 to 27 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay; few fine faint dark gray and dark brown mottles; moderate coarse blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; firm; common intersecting slickensides that form parallelepipeds; pressure faces on surfaces of some coarse peds; common black and brown concretions; mildly alkaline; gradual irregular boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)
  • Bss—27 to 48 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay; common medium distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) and dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; moderate coarse blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very firm; common slickensides that form parallelepipeds; pressure faces on surfaces of most peds; common black and brown concretions; common soft bodies of calcium carbonate; few fragments of limestone; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 24 inches thick)
  • Bkss—48 to 72 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay; many medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; common intersecting slickensides form parallelepipeds that part to weak medium blocky structure; very firm; pressure faces on surfaces of most peds; common black and brown concretions; few fragments of limestone; common calcium carbonate concretions; common soft bodies of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline. (0 to 30 inches thick)
  • R—72 inches; limestone bedrock.

Depth to slickensides ranges from 12 to 30 inches. Depth to the Bss horizon ranges from 18 to 40 inches. Depth to a secondary calcium carbonate accumulation ranges from 25 to 50 inches. Depth to limestone bedrock ranges from 4 to 8 feet. In untilled areas, the soil has gilgai microrelief. The cycles of microknolls and microbasins are repeated at linear intervals of 4 to 12 feet. The microknolls are 3 to 10 inches higher than the microbasins. The amplitude between the A and Bss horizons ranges from about 3 to 24 inches. The Ap horizon is slightly acid to moderately alkaline, and the remaining horizons are neutral, mildly alkaline, or moderately alkaline.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1. The A2 or Ap is clay loam, silty clay loam, or silty clay. The lower A horizons are silty clay or clay.

The Bss horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 or hue of 5Y, value of 4, and chroma of 2. It is silty clay or clay. It has gray, brown, and yellow mottles. Soft, powdery bodies of calcium carbonate make up 2 to 20 percent, by volume, of the Bss horizon. The Bss horizon has few or common fragments of limestone.

Ketona Series

The Ketona series consists of deep, poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in alluvium and residuum derived from limestone. These soils are on flood plains and in depressional areas in limestone valleys. They are saturated with water in late winter and early spring and are subject to flooding or ponding. Slopes are dominantly 0 to 2 percent but range from 0 to 4 percent. These soils are fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Vertic Epiaqualfs.

Typical pedon of Ketona silty clay loam; on a concave, 1-percent slope in a pasture at an elevation of 500 feet in Jefferson County, Alabama; about 1 mile northeast of McCalla, 1,600 feet south of the NE corner of sec. 36, T. 19 S., R. 5 W.

  • Ap—0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam; strong medium granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
  • Btg—6 to 30 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay; common coarse distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; moderate coarse angular blocky and weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, plastic; common fine and medium roots; few fine root pores; thin continuous clay films or pressure faces on faces of peds; few small rounded limestone fragments; dark gray silty clay loam surface material filling old cracks; mildly alkaline; diffuse wavy boundary.
  • Btgss—30 to 50 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) silty clay; many coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; moderate coarse angular blocky and weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, plastic; few fine and medium roots; thin continuous clay films or pressure faces on faces of peds; few intersecting slickensides; few small rounded limestone fragments; moderately alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary. (The combined thickness of the Btg and Btgss horizons is 37 to 65 inches.)
  • R—50 inches; hard limestone bedrock.

The thickness of the solum and depth to limestone bedrock range from 40 to more than 60 inches. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline throughout. Some pedons have recent alluvial sediments deposited over the Ap horizon. All of the horizons, except the recent alluvial layers, crack when dry. Many pedons contain small, round, brown or black concretions and limestone fragments.

The A1 or Ap horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is silty clay, silty clay loam, or silt loam.

The BA horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 or less; or it is neutral in hue. It is silt loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam.

The Btg and Btgss horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 2 or less; or they are neutral in hue; or they are mottled in shades of brown, gray, and yellow. The texture is clay or silty clay. In some pedons, the number of mottles increases with depth.

Locust Series

The Locust series consists of deep, moderately well drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in colluvium and alluvium derived from sandstone, shale, quartzite, and chert. These soils are on uplands in the Appalachian Plateau and Limestone Valleys. Slopes are 0 to 10 percent. These soils are fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, thermic Glossic Fragiudults.

Typical pedon of Locust silt loam in an idle area in Talladega County, Alabama; 7 miles west of Talladega and 1 mile south of Jonesview School, 100 feet north of a gravel road; SW1/4SE1/4 sec. 28, T. 12 S., R. 4 E.

  • Ap—0 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; few wormcasts; few pebbles of quartzite; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
  • Bt—8 to 24 inches; olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6), crushed and uncrushed, clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; very thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; few soft strong brown bodies; common pebbles of quartzite; old root channels filled with material from the Ap horizon; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (12 to 26 inches thick)
  • Btx/E—24 to 28 inches; olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) clay loam; many medium faint light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) and common medium distinct gray (5Y 6/1) mottles; weak thick platy structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm, slightly compact and brittle in place; common thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; few vesicular pores lined with clay; very strongly acid; gradual irregular boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
  • Btx1—28 to 39 inches; distinctly mottled light olive gray (5Y 6/2), light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4), olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6), and gray (6Y 6/1) clay loam; weak coarse polyhedrons parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, compact and brittle; many thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; common vesicles lined with clay; few black concretions; grayer areas are polygonal cracks surrounding the more yellow and brown prisms; roots concentrated in gray cracks; few small pebbles; strongly acid; gradual irregular boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
  • Btx2—39 to 51 inches; distinctly mottled light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4), olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6), and gray (5Y 6/1) loam; weak coarse polyhedrons parting to moderate medium blocky structure; hard, firm, very compact and brittle; many thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; common vesicles lined with clay; few black concretions; few small pebbles; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
  • Btx3—51 to 64 inches; coarsely mottled light olive gray (5Y 6/2), light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4), and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) gravelly sandy loam; moderate medium blocky structure; firm, compact in place, brittle; few thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; many fine black concretions; few fragments of sandstone and shale; common pebbles of quartzite and chert; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
  • C—64 to 70 inches; coarsely mottled light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) cherty sandy loam; massive; many fragments and pebbles of sandstone, shale, chert, and quartzite; extremely difficult to dig with hand tools; few black concretions; very strongly acid.

The solum is more than 4 feet thick. Depth to bedrock is more than 5 feet. Depth to a fragipan ranges from 16 to 30 inches. Pebbles or fragments of sandstone, shale, quartzite, and chert are present in some pedons. The content of pebbles and fragments is less than 15 percent in individual horizons, except for in the C horizon, where it can be up to 60 percent. The content of small, soft, brown and black bodies ranges from few to many throughout the pedon. Reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid, except for the Ap horizon where lime has been applied.

The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is loam, fine sandy loam, or silt loam or the gravelly analogs of those textures.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. It loam, sandy clay loam, silt loam, or clay loam. It has more than 20 percent silt and from 18 to 35 percent clay. Clay films are not consistently visible on either vertical or horizontal ped faces.

The Btx horizon is distinctly or prominently mottled with shades of gray, yellow, brown, or red. In some pedons, the hue of the matrix is 10YR or yellower. The texture is clay loam, loam, or sandy loam. The content of clay ranges from 18 to 35 percent. The upper 6 inches of the fragipan contains a discontinuous E horizon comprised mostly of clean, light gray or gray sand grains.

The C horizon is mottled in shades of gray, brown, yellow, and red. In the fine-earth fraction, it is clay loam, sandy loam, or loam.

Minvale Series

The Minvale series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and the underlying residuum derived from cherty limestone. These soils are in coves and on footslopes, benches, fans, and the colluvial portions of side slopes. Permeability is moderate. Slopes range from 2 to 45 percent. These soils are fine-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Typic Paleudults.

Typical pedon of Minvale cherty silt loam in a pasture in Meigs County, Tennessee; from the courthouse in Decatur, 4.3 miles north on State Highway 58 to a gravel road that is 0.2 mile beyond Fairview School, 1.8 miles on the gravel road to an abandoned house, then 100 yards north of the house.

  • Ap—0 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly silt loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; many roots; 15 percent, by volume, fragments of chert up to 2 inches in size; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
  • BE—8 to 13 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly silt loam; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; 15 percent, by volume, fragments of chert up to 2 inches in size; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
  • Bt1—13 to 30 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; discontinuous clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; 15 percent, by volume, fragments of chert up to 3 inches in size; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt2—30 to 60 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly silty clay loam; few fine pale brown mottles in the lower 15 inches; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; thin continuous clay films on faces of peds; 18 percent, by volume, fragments of chert up to 3 inches in size; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Bt3—60 to 72 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly silty clay loam; many fine to coarse distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6), light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4), and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; moderate medium and coarse subangular and angular blocky structure; friable discontinuous clay films on faces of peds; 35 percent, by volume, fragments of chert up to 3 inches across; strongly acid. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 45 to more than 60 inches.)

The thickness of the solum and depth to bedrock are more than 60 inches. Reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid in each horizon, except the surface layer where lime has been applied. The content of chert fragments in each horizon to a depth of 40 inches typically ranges from 15 to 35 percent. In the A horizon, however, it is as low as 10 percent in some pedons. Below a depth of 40 inches, the content of chert fragments ranges up to 50 percent.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4 or hue of 10YR, value of 6, and chroma of 4. The texture of the fine-earth fraction is silt loam, loam, or, rarely, silty clay loam.

The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. The texture of the fine-earth fraction is loam or silt loam.

Some pedons have a transitional horizon between the A or E horizon and the Bt horizon. The transitional horizon has textures and colors similar to those of the master horizons.

The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. The fine-earth textures to a depth of 40 inches are silty clay loam, silt loam, or, rarely, clay loam or loam. Below 40 inches, the range also includes silty clay or clay. In many pedons, the lower part of horizon has mottles in shades of brown, yellow, gray, or red. The content of fine and coarser sand in the Bt horizon is less than 20 percent, but this fraction plus coarse fragments exceeds 15 percent.

Staser Series

The Staser series consists of very deep, well drained soils. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid. These soils formed in mixed alluvium on flood plains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. These soils are fine-loamy, mixed, active, thermic Cumulic Hapludolls.

Typical pedon of Staser loam in a cultivated area in Monroe County, Tennessee; in the Tellico River bottoms at the junction of the Tellico River and Notchey Creek, north of a paved road, and 60 feet south of the riverbank.

  • Ap—0 to 8 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; few fine flakes of mica; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • A1—8 to 24 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; weak medium subangular blocky and weak medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; few fine flakes of mica; few rounded fragments about 0.5 inch in diameter in the lower part; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • A2—24 to 35 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine flakes of mica; very few rounded fragments about 0.5 inch in diameter; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the A horizons ranges from 24 to 45 inches.)
  • Bw—35 to 52 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine flakes of mica; moderately acid. (10 to 35 inches thick)

Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from about 24 to 45 inches. Depth to bedrock is more than 5 feet. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral throughout. The content of rock fragments ranges from 0 to 10 percent in the upper 40 inches and from 0 to 40 percent below a depth of 40 inches.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam.

The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, or, rarely, 5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. The quantity of mottles in shades of brown, gray, and yellow ranges from none to common in the lower part of the horizon. The texture is silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam. In the particle-size control section, the content of clay averages between 18 and 27 percent, the content of sand averages between 20 and 60 percent, and the content of silt is 20 percent or more.

Some pedons have a C horizon directly below either the A horizon or the B horizon. The C horizon has properties similar to those of the B horizon, except that the C horizon is massive.

Swafford Series

The Swafford series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils on low stream terraces, toeslopes, and footslopes. These soils formed in loamy alluvial and colluvial sediments. They have a fragic layer in the subsoil. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 60 degrees F and the mean annual precipitation is 53 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent. These soils are fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Fragiaquic Paleudults.

Typical pedon of Swafford fine sandy loam, overwash, on a 2-percent slope in a pasture in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama; about 500 feet west of the airport; lat. 34 degrees 40 minutes 23.7 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 41 minutes 15.1 seconds W.

  • Ap—0 to 3 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) fine sandy loam; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; 2 percent fine round black concretions; many very fine and fine roots throughout; many very fine and fine dendritic tubular pores throughout; pH 5.6 using bromcresol green; abrupt smooth boundary.
  • Bw1—3 to 9 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; 2 percent fine round black concretions; many very fine roots throughout; many very fine dendritic tubular pores throughout; pH 5.4 using bromcresol green; clear smooth boundary.
  • Bw2—9 to 15 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; 2 percent fine round black concretions; many very fine roots throughout; many very fine dendritic tubular pores throughout; pH 5.4 using bromcresol green; abrupt smooth boundary.
  • Ab—15 to 23 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) and brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; 2 percent fine round black concretions; many very fine roots throughout; many very fine dendritic tubular pores throughout; pH 5.2 using bromcresol green; clear smooth boundary
  • Btb1—23 to 32 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam that has a noticeable amount of clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; 2 percent fine round black concretions; few distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine dendritic tubular pores throughout; pH 5.4 using bromcresol green; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Btb2—32 to 45 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; common medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; 5 percent fine round black concretions; few distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine dendritic tubular pores throughout; pH 5.2 using bromcresol green; gradual smooth boundary.
  • Btb3—45 to 54 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; common medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; many medium distinct gray (N 5/0) iron depletions throughout; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; 5 percent fine round black concretions; few distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films in pores; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine dendritic tubular pores throughout; pH 5.0 using bromcresol green; clear smooth boundary.
  • Btgxb—54 to 71 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay loam; many medium and coarse yellowish red (5YR 4/6) soft iron masses throughout; few light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions throughout; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; firm, brittle in 30 percent of peds; 5 percent fine round black concretions; few distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films in pores; common very fine and fine dendritic tubular pores throughout, few being discontinuous; pH 5.0 using bromcresol green; clear irregular boundary.
  • Btxb—71 to 82 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loam that has a noticeable amount of clay; many medium grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions throughout; dominantly strong coarse angular blocky structure with some platy structure along the upper boundary; firm, brittle in 80 percent of peds; 5 percent fine round black concretions; few distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films in pores; common very fine and fine dendritic tubular discontinuous pores throughout; pH 5.0 using bromcresol green.

The solum is more than 60 inches thick. Depth to a fragic layer ranges from 18 to 36 inches, except where the soil is covered with overwash. The overwash is fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. It has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma or 4. Where the soil is covered with overwash, the fragic layer may be as deep as 56 inches. Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Reaction is moderately acid to very strongly acid, except the surface layer where lime has been applied. The content of pebbles is typically 0 to 10 percent throughout but ranges as high as 30 percent in individual subhorizons. The content of silt is more than 20 percent in the particle-size control section.

The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam or silt loam.

The BA horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. It is loam or silt loam.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. It has mottles that have of chroma 2 or less within a depth of 30 inches of the surface. The texture is dominantly loam or clay loam but is silt loam in some pedons.

The Btx horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. It has few to many iron depletions that have chroma of 2 or less, iron concentrations, or soft masses. The texture is dominantly loam or clay loam but is silt loam in some pedons. Some pedons have evidence of a discontinuity at the contact between the Bt and the Btx horizons.

Tupelo Series

The Tupelo series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils on low stream terraces and on broad upland flats. The soils formed in clayey alluvium or in a thin layer of silty alluvium and the underlying clayey residuum. Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent. These soils are fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Aquic Hapludalfs.

Typical pedon of Tupelo silt loam in a nearly level depression in a cultivated area in Rutherford County, Tennessee; 1 mile north of Christiana, 400 feet west of Christiana Cemetery, 100 feet north of the road, and 50 feet east of a cross fence on a farm.

  • Ap—0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; few fine and medium prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) mottles; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; common small and medium black manganese concretions; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
  • Bt1—8 to 15 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few faint light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay films on faces of peds; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron concentrations; common fine and medium black and dark brown manganese concretions; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
  • Bt2—15 to 23 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay; moderate medium subangular and angular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; many medium and coarse prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron concentrations; common fine and medium dark brown manganese concretions; common fine distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Bt3—23 to 32 inches; pale olive (5Y 6/3) silty clay; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay films on faces of peds; many fine and medium prominent dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) and common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) iron concentrations; common small and medium dark brown manganese concretions; common fine distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 15 to 35 inches.)
  • Btg—32 to 54 inches; gray (N 6/0) clay; weak medium angular blocky structure; firm; many distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay films on faces of peds; many medium and coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) iron concentrations; common medium and large black manganese concretions and stains on faces of peds; few rounded pebbles of chert 1/4 to 1 inch in size; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
  • Cg—54 to 65 inches; gray (N 6/0) clay; massive; very firm; many medium and coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) iron concentrations; many medium and coarse black manganese concretions; few pebbles of chert 1/4 to 1 inch in size; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
  • R—65 inches; hard limestone bedrock.

The thickness of the solum ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches. Depth to limestone bedrock is more than 60 inches. The quantity of iron and manganese concretions ranges from none to many in each horizon. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the A and Bt horizons and from strongly acid to moderately alkaline in the Btg and Cg horizons. Rock fragments make up less than 5 percent of each horizon.

The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam, silty clay loam, loam, or clay loam.

The A horizon, where present, is less than 7 inches thick. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is silt loam, silty clay loam, loam, or clay loam.

The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam or silty clay loam.

Some pedons have a thin BA horizon that is transitional in color and texture between the Bt and A horizons.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It has few to many iron concentrations in shades of brown and olive. It has iron depletions that have chroma of 2 or less within 30 inches of the surface. It is silty clay loam, clay, or silty clay.

The Btg and Cg horizons have hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2; or they are neutral in hue and have value of 5 to 7. They have iron concentrations and iron depletions in shades of brown, olive, and gray. The Btg and Cg horizons are silty clay or clay.

Waynesboro Series

The Waynesboro series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in old alluvium or unconsolidated material of sandstone, shale, and limestone origin. Slopes range from 2 to 30 percent. These soils are fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Paleudults.

Typical pedon of Waynesboro loam in a forested area in Loudon County, Tennessee; 2 miles northwest of Loudon; on the north side of the Tennessee River, 200 feet east of a gravel road that ends at the north bank of the river.

  • A—0 to 2 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; many roots; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
  • E—2 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
  • BA—6 to 10 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; common roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
  • Bt1—10 to 16 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
  • Bt2—16 to 22 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
  • Bt3—22 to 47 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay; moderate medium and fine angular blocky structure; friable; few roots; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 3 percent pebbles; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (20 to 50 inches thick)
  • Bt4—47 to 60 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; weak medium angular blocky structure; friable; 3 percent pebbles; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid.

The thickness of the solum and the depth to bedrock are more than 60 inches. The soil is strongly acid or very strongly acid, except the surface layer where lime has been applied. Each horizon contains 0 to 15 percent chert or quartzite pebbles and sandstone cobbles, except the surface layer, which contains up to 25 percent.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.

The Ap horizon, where present, dominantly has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 8 or hue of 2.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. In some pedons where hue is 7.5YR, however, value is 4 or 5 and chroma is 4 to 6. The Ap horizon is dominantly fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam. In some severely eroded areas, however, it is clay loam.

The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.

Many pedons have a transitional horizon between the A or E horizon and the Bt horizon. The transitional horizon has textures and colors similar to those of the master horizons.

The Bt horizon dominantly has hue of 5YR or 2.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 6 to 8. In some pedons, however, it has hue of 7.5YR in the upper few inches and has hue of 2.5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 6 in the middle and lower parts. Mottles are in shades of brown, yellow and red. The Bt horizon is dominantly clay loam or clay but ranges to sandy clay loam in the upper few inches and to sandy clay throughout. The content of clay in the Bt horizon ranges from 35 to 50 percent, except in the upper few inches, where it ranges to about 28 percent in some pedons. The content of sand ranges from 20 to 50 percent.

Wolftever Series

The Wolftever series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that have moderately slow permeability. These soils formed in alluvium on low stream terraces. Near the type location, the average annual temperature is 59.5 F and average annual precipitation is 50 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent. These soils are fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Aquic Hapludults.

Typical pedon of Wolftever silty clay loam in a cultivated area in Hardin County, Tennessee; on a low terrace of the Tennessee River, 4 miles southwest of Savannah on Diamond Island Road and 1/2 mile west of Mud Creek, on a farm.

  • Ap—0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; few fine dark concretions; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
  • BA—7 to 15 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay; exteriors of some peds are dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4); moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few fine dark concretions; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
  • Bt1—15 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; firm; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; few fine dark concretions and black stains; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • Bt2—22 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay; few medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and few fine faint brown mottles; moderate medium angular and subangular blocky structure; firm; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; few fine dark concretions; common black stains; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
  • Bt3—31 to 42 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; common fine and medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common fine dark concretions and black stains; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 25 to 50 inches.)
  • BC—42 to 53 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; many fine and medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm; few fine dark concretions; common black stains; few fine flakes of mica; few pebbles; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
  • C1—53 to 65 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; many medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and common medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) mottles; massive; firm; common fine dark concretions; few fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • C2—65 to 89 inches; mottled dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4), light brownish gray (10YR 6/2), and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; massive; friable; common fine and medium dark concretions; common fine flakes of mica; strongly acid. (The combined thickness of the C horizons ranges from 5 to 40 inches.)

The thickness of solum ranges from about 40 to 60 inches. Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. The content of pebbles is less than 5 percent in the solum and ranges from 0 to 15 percent in the underlying material. Reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid, except the surface layer where lime has been applied. The content of dark colored concretions ranges from none to common in each horizon.

The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam, silty clay loam, or, rarely, clay loam.

Some pedons have a transitional horizon between the A or E horizon and the Bt horizon. The transitional horizon has textures and colors similar to those of the master horizons.

The Bt horizon dominantly has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. In some pedons, however, the lower part of the horizon has chroma of 2. Mottles that have value of 4 or more and chroma of 2 or less are within the upper 24 inches of the argillic horizon but not within the upper 10 inches. The Bt horizon is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay.

Many pedons have a transitional horizon between the Bt and C horizons. The transitional horizon has textures and colors similar to those of the master horizons.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 6; or it does not have a dominant matrix color and is mottled in shades of brown, yellow, or gray. The C horizon has texture of loam, clay loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam and has subhorizons of silty clay or clay.



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