Alpin Series

The Alpin series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils that formed in thick beds of sandy eolian or marine deposits. These soils are on broad upland and terrace ridges and on side slopes. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. The soils of the Alpin series are thermic, coated Argic Quartzipsamments.

Alpin soils are associated with Blanton and Foxworth soils. The moderately well drained Blanton soils have sandy A and E horizons with a combined thickness of 40 to 79 inches underlain by loamy Bt horizons. Foxworth soils do not have lamellae.

Typical pedon of Alpin sand, 0 to 5 percent slopes; about 3,800 feet north and 3,800 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 36, T. 1 N., R. 11 E.

• Ap—0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• E1—4 to 15 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand; single grained; loose; common fine roots; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• E2—15 to 47 inches; yellow (10YR 7/6) sand; single grained; loose; many uncoated sand grains; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
• E&Bt1—47 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sand (E); single grained; loose; many uncoated sand grains; few strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loamy sand lamellae (Bt) about 3 millimeters thick; sand grains in lamellae are coated and bridged with clay; individual lamellae are discontinuous in length; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• E&Bt2—60 to 80 inches; pinkish white (7.5YR 8/2) sand (E); single grained; loose; many uncoated sand grains; common strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loamy sand lamellae (Bt) about 3 to 15 millimeters in thickness; sand grains in lamellae are coated and bridged with clay; individual lamellae are discontinuous in length; very strongly acid.

The thickness of the solum is more than 80 inches. Reaction is very strongly acid to slightly acid throughout. The content of silt plus clay between depths of 10 and 40 inches is 5 to 10 percent.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 to 3.

The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 8. The quantity of streaks of uncoated sand grains, which have hue of 10YR, value of 7 or 8, and chroma of 1 or 2, ranges from none to common. The texture is sand or fine sand.

The E part of the E&Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 7 or 8, and chroma of 1 to 6. The texture of the E part is sand or fine sand. The B part consists of lamellae that have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. The texture of the lamellae is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, or sandy loam. The lamellae are 1 to 25 millimeters in thickness and 10 millimeters to more than 50 centimeters in horizontal length.

The Bt horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is sandy loam or sandy clay loam. It is below a depth of 80 inches and is not diagnostic for the series.

The C horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 1 to 6. It is sand or fine sand.

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