Alaga Series

• Depth class: Very deep
• Drainage class: Excessively drained
• Permeability: Rapid
• Parent material: Sandy sediments
• Landscape: Coastal Plain uplands
• Landform: Stream terraces
• Landform position: Convex slopes on summits and shoulder slopes
• Slope: 0 to 3 percent
• Taxonomic class: Thermic, coated Typic Quartzipsamments

Alaga soils are commonly associated on the landscape with Annemaine, Cahaba, and Jena soils. The moderately well drained, clayey Annemaine soils are in the slightly lower positions on stream terraces. The well drained, loamy Cahaba soils are in positions similar to those of the Alaga soils. The well drained, loamy Jena soils are on flood plains.

Typical Pedon

Alaga loamy fine sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes, rarely flooded; in a pasture about 1.8 miles north of Taylorsville; 50 feet south and 3,500 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 7, T. 10 N., R. 14 E.; USGS Taylorsville topographic quadrangle; lat. 31 degrees 51 minutes 22 seconds N. and long. 89 degrees 26 minutes 29 seconds W.

• Ap—0 to 6 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) loamy fine sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
• C1—6 to 11 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loamy fine sand; single grained; loose; few fine roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
• C2—11 to 20 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) loamy fine sand; single grained; loose; few fine roots; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• C3—20 to 36 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) loamy fine sand; single grained; loose; few thin streaks of very pale brown (10YR 7/3) uncoated sand; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• C4—36 to 52 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) fine sand; single grained; loose; few fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• C5—52 to 80 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) fine sand; single grained; loose; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid.

Range in Characteristics

• Thickness of sandy material: More than 80 inches
• Reaction: Very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout the profile, except in areas that have been limed
• Ap horizon:
  • Color—hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 or 3
• C horizon:
  • Color—hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 3 to 8
  • Texture—loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sand, or fine sand
  • Redoximorphic features—none to common masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown

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