United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Southeast Coastal Plain and Caribbean Soil Survey Region #15 Go to Accessibility Information
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Ailey Series

  • Depth class: Very deep
  • Drainage class: Well drained
  • Permeability: Slow
  • Parent material: Sandy and loamy marine sediments
  • Landscape: Coastal Plain
  • Landform: Uplands
  • Landform position: Narrow ridges; side slopes
  • Slope: 2 to 25 percent
  • Taxonomic class: Loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Arenic Kanhapludults

Commonly Associated Soils

Cowarts, Lakeland, Maubila, Nankin, and Troup soils are commonly associated with the Ailey series.

  • The Cowarts soils are in positions similar to those of the Ailey soils; do not have thick, sandy surface and subsurface layers; and have a solum that ranges from 20 to 40 inches in thickness.
  • The Lakeland soils are in the slightly higher positions, are excessively drained, and are sandy throughout.
  • The Maubila soils are in positions similar to those of Ailey soils; are moderately well drained; and have a fine control section.
  • The Nankin soils are in positions similar to those of the Ailey soils or slightly lower; do not have thick, sandy surface and subsurface layers; and have a fine control section.
  • The Troup soils are in the slightly higher positions, are somewhat excessively drained, and have sandy surface and subsurface layers with a combined thickness of 40 to 80 inches.

Typical Pedon

Ailey loamy sand, 5 to 8 percent slopes; about 2,500 feet north of County Road 152, on a side slope adjacent to Collins Mill Creek; Randolph County, Georgia; USGS Brooksville topographic quadrangle; lat. 31 degrees 51 minutes 2 seconds N. and long. 84 degrees 41 minutes 55 seconds W., NAD27.

  • Ap—0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loamy sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots and few coarse roots; about 5 percent, by volume, angular ironstone; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
  • E1—3 to 14 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine and medium and few coarse roots; about 5 percent, by volume, angular ironstone; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • E2—14 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loamy sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine and medium and few coarse roots; about 5 percent, by volume, angular ironstone; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Bt1—23 to 30 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; common medium distinct pockets of very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clean sand grains; about 10 percent, by volume, angular ironstone; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Bt2—30 to 42 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; few medium distinct pockets of very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clean sand grains; about 12 percent, by volume, angular ironstone; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Btx—42 to 47 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; about 80 percent moderate medium subangular blocky structure and 20 percent red (2.5YR 5/6) strong thick platy; firm when moist; platy peds are hard and brittle when dry; few medium roots; few faint clay films on faces of some peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • 2Cd—47 to 80 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay loam; massive parting to strong thick platy structure; very firm; few medium roots; few faint clay films on faces of some peds; common medium distinct red (2.5YR 5/6) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) masses in which iron has accumulated; light gray (10YR 7/1) areas from which iron has depleted; strongly acid.

Range in Characteristics

  • Thickness of the solum: 42 to 60 inches
  • Thickness of the sandy epipedon: 20 to 40 inches
  • Reaction: Very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout, except where the surface layer has been limed
  • A or Ap horizon:
    • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 or 3
    • Texture—loamy sand or sand
  • E horizon:
    • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 to 6
    • Texture—loamy sand or sand
  • BE horizon (where present):
    • Color—hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 6 to 8
    • Texture—loamy sand or sandy loam
  • Bt horizon:
    • Color—hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 6 to 8
    • Redoximorphic features—no, few, or common iron accumulations in shades of brown and red
    • Texture—sandy loam or sandy clay loam
  • Btx horizon:
    • Color—hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 6 to 8; or no dominant color and multicolored in shades of red, yellow, brown, and gray
    • Redoximorphic features—few or common iron or clay depletions in shades of gray and iron accumulations in shades of brown, red, and yellow
    • Texture—sandy clay loam
    • Other features—brittle and hard bodies, commonly red, make up 10 to 40 percent, by volume, of the horizon.
  • Cd or 2Cd horizon:
    • Color—hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 4 to 8; or no dominant color and multicolored in shades of red, yellow, brown, and gray
    • Redoximorphic features—common or many iron or clay depletions in shades of gray and iron accumulations in shades of red, brown, or yellow
    • Texture—sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam


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