LOCATION ALLEGHENY KY+AR MD OH PA TN VA WV
Established Series
JDM/Rev MDJ
11/2019
ALLEGHENY SERIES
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludults
TYPICAL PEDON: Allegheny loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes, rarely flooded in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise indicated).
Ap--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; loam, weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular structure; very friable, deformable, non-sticky, non-plastic; many fine roots and many medium roots; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (13 to 25 cm (5 to 10 inches) thick)
Bt1--20 to 38 cm (8 to 15 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, deformable, non-sticky, non-plastic; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; many faint organic stains and common faint clay films on all surfaces of peds; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--38 to 71 cm (15 to 28 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loam; few medium distinct brown (10YR 5/3) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, deformable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on all surfaces of peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt3--71 to 84 cm (28 to 33 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loam; few medium distinct brown (10YR 5/3) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, deformable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on all surfaces of peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt4--84 to 107 cm (33 to 42 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; few medium faint brown (10YR 5/3) and few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, deformable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on all surfaces of peds; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (51 to 152 cm (20 to 60 inches) thick)
BC1--107 to 140 cm (42 to 55 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, deformable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine roots; few faint silt coatings and clay films on all surfaces of peds; 15 to 30 percent brittle; common fine distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented spherical iron-manganese concretions in prism faces and common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) iron masses as irregular streaks along vertical surfaces of prisms; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
BC2--140 to 183 cm (55 to 72 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, deformable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine roots; few faint clay films and silt coatings on all surfaces of peds; 20 to 40 percent brittle; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 102 cm (0 to 40 inches) thick)
C--183 to 226 cm (72 to 89 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; massive; firm, few fine distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) irregular weakly cemented iron depletions in the matrix; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION:
State: Kentucky
County: Floyd
USGS Quadrangle: Offutt
Latitude: 37.855944 N NAD 83
Longitude: 82.728611 W NAD 83
Direction to pedon: about 500 feet south of the Jenny Wiley grave site (a local landmark) and 1000 feet east of Kentucky Highway 581 on a stream terrace along the western shore of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River,
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the top of the Argillic: 13 to 51 cm (5 to 20 inches)
Depth to the base of the Argillic: 64 to 165 cm (25 to 65 inches)
Solum Thickness: 76 to 183 cm (30 to 72 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 200 cm (80 inches)
Depth Class: Very Deep
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: >72 inches
Rock Fragment content: 0 to 15 percent, by volume, in the A horizon; 0 to 30 percent in the Bt horizons; and 0 to 35 percent in the BC and C horizons
Soil Reaction: strongly acid to extremely acid, except where limed
Other Soil Features: Some pedons have 2BC or 2C horizons with 35 to 80 percent gravel and cobbles and/or strongly contrasting particle size with overlying horizons
Depth to Lithologic Discontinuity (where it occurs): 61 to 203 cm (24 to 80 inches)
Range of Individual Horizons:
A or Ap horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--fine sandy loam, loam or silt loam
Other features--some pedons have thin A horizons that include value of 3 and chroma of 1 to 3
BA or BE horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, fine sandy loam or silt loam
Bt horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam, silt loam or rarely silty clay loam
Mottles (if they occur)--commonly faint in shades of brown, red, or yellow in the lower part
BC horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam, silt loam, or rarely silty clay loam.
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--commonly deeper than 107 cm (42 inches) iron masses in shade of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
C horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8 with some pedons variegated
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, loam, or silt loam and may be stratified
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--commonly deeper than 107 cm (42 inches) iron masses in shade of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
COMPETING SERIES:
Albemarle soils - are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to bedrock
Cardova soils - are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to bedrock
Clifftop soils - are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to bedrock
Drapermill soils - are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to bedrock
Ezel soils--are less than 152 cm (60 inches) to bedrock
Frankstown soils--formed in upland residuum weathered from siliceous limestone and interbedded limy shale and siltstone
Gilwood soils - are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to bedrock
Leck Kill soils--formed in residuum or glacial till weathered from red shale, siltstone, and sandstone
Meadowville soils--formed on uplands in local alluvium and the underlying residuum weathered from basic and acidic rocks
Milldraper soils - are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to bedrock
Murrill soils--formed in colluvial materials derived from acid sandstones and shales and the underlying limestone residuum
Nixon soils--formed in old alluvium and contain detectable red shale detrital components in the coarse fragments and fine earth fractions
Shouns soils--have redder colors in the solum
Ungers soils--formed in residuum weathered from red sandstone and shale and have redder colors in their argillic horizons
Whiteford soils--formed in residuum weathered from dark colored slate and/or phyllite
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: River valleys
Landform: stream terraces and alluvial fans
MLRA(s): 117--Boston Mountains, 120A--Kentucky and Indiana Sandstone and Shale Hills and Valleys, Southern Part, 122--Highland Rim and Pennyroyal, 124--Western Allegheny Plateau, 125--Cumberland Plateau and Mountains, 126--Central Allegheny Plateau, 127--Eastern Allegheny Plateau and Mountains, 128--Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys, 130A--Northern Blue Ridge, 147--Northern Appalachian ridges and Valleys
Geomorphic Component: treads and risers
Parent Material: alluvium derived from acid sandstone, siltstone, and shale
Slope: 0 to 25 percent
Elevation: 175 to 441 meters
Frost-free period: 152 to 245 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 11 degrees C.
Mean Annual Precipitation: 1143 millimeters
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Barbourville soils--are on adjacent alluvial fans, foot slopes and terraces and have thicker and darker surface layers and do not have argillic horizons.
Chavies soils--are on adjacent treads and risers of river valleys, have less clay in the solum and higher base saturation.
Cotaco soils--are on adjacent foot slopes, colluvial fans, and low stream terraces and are moderately well or somewhat poorly drained.
Cottonbend soils--are on high stream terraces or benches on valley sides and have more clay and redder colors in the lower subsoil.
Ezel soils--are on high strath terraces along rivers and streams and have bedrock within 60 inches.
Grigsby soils--are on adjacent floodplains and have more sand in the subsoil, do not have argillic horizons, and have higher base saturation.
Kanawha soils--are on high bottoms and low stream terraces and have higher base saturations.
Monongahela soils--are on terrace positions in old alluvium and have a fragipan in the argillic horizon.
Nolin soils--are on adjacent floodplains, in depressions, or on natural levees along major streams and rivers and do not have argillic horizons.
Orrville soils--are on adjacent floodplains and are somewhat poorly drained.
Pope soils--are on adjacent floodplains and have more sand in the subsoil and do not have argillic horizons.
Rowdy soils--are on adjacent low stream terraces, foot slopes and alluvial fans and do not have argillic horizons.
Wheeling soils--are on adjacent river terraces and have higher base saturation.
Whitley soils--are on adjacent stream terraces, foot slopes, and alluvial fans and have more silt in the subsoil.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Well
Internal Free Water Occurrence: None
Index Surface Runoff: Low to medium
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately high
Permeability Class (obsolete): Moderate
Shrink-swell Potential: Low
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None, or rare and very brief
Ponding Frequency and Duration: None
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: crops and pasture including corn, tobacco, small grains, hay, vegetables and fruits.
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--tall fescue. Where wooded--hardwoods interspersed with conifers
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: The Eastern Kentucky Coalfields, Bluegrass, and Knobs regions of Kentucky and similar areas in Arkansas, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia
Extent: moderate
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1948.
REMARKS: Soils previously mapped as the Allegheny Variant or Allegheny Shale Substratum phase are now to be correlated as the Ezel Series.
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from 0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches) (Ap horizon)
Argillic horizon--the zone from 20 to 107 cm (8 to 42 inches) (Bt horizons)
Series control section--the zone from 20 to 72 cm (8 to 28 inches)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data is available from the NSSL for this pedon: S89KY-115-4 by the University of Kentucky
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.