LOCATION BANISTER VA+NC
Established Series
DHE-HLG-GAH/Rev. JAK
04/2026
BANISTER SERIES
MLRA(s): 136 (mesic part)
Soil Survey Regional Office (SSRO) Responsible: Southeast
Depth Class: Very deep
Agricultural Drainage Class: Moderately well drained or somewhat poorly drained
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None or occasional, rare, or very rare for very brief periods
Index Surface Runoff: Medium
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately high
Shrink-Swell Potential: Moderate
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Stream terrace
Parent Material: Clayey alluvium
Slope: 0 to 15 percent
Elevation (type location): 122 meters (400 feet)
Frost Free Period (type location): 190 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 14 degrees C (57 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1067 millimeters (42 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Hapludults
TYPICAL PEDON: Banister loam (in an area of Banister-Kinkora complex, 0 to 4 percent slopes, rarely flooded) on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise indicated.)
Ap--0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches); olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) loam; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4), dry; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; slightly sticky; nonplastic; common fine roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 23 centimeters (2 to 9 inches) thick)
BA--20 to 36 centimeters (8 to 14 inches); olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; slightly sticky; nonplastic; common fine roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 centimeters (3 to 6 inches) thick)
Bt1--36 to 46 centimeters (14 to 18 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--46 to 97 centimeters (18 to 38 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very sticky, very plastic; few fine roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions and common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt3--97 to 127 centimeters (38 to 50 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very sticky, very plastic; few fine roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; many medium prominent gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions and common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Btg--127 to 147 centimeters (50 to 58 inches); light gray (N 7/0) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very sticky, very plastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds; few fine prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of oxidized iron; few very fine and fine flakes of mica; strongly acid. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 102 to 140 centimeters (40 to 55 inches)
Cg--147 to 165 centimeters (58 to 65 inches); light gray (N 7/0) clay loam; massive; moderately sticky, plastic; few medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of oxidized iron; common very fine and fine flakes of mica; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Halifax County, Virginia; about 7,300 feet northwest of the junction of U.S. Highway 58 and State Route 694; 4,800 feet off of State Route 694 along farm road towards the Dan River, in a cultivated field: USGS Milton, Virginia topographic quadrangle.
Latitude--36.5992
Longitude-- -79.1323
Datum--WGS84
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to top of Argillic horizon: 13 to 38 centimeters (5 to 15 inches)
Depth to base of Argillic horizon: 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches)
Depth to top of Seasonal High Water Table: 30 to 76 centimeters (12 to 30 inches)
Depth to base of Seasonal High Water Table: Greater than 203 centimeters (80 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 152 centimeters (60 inches)
Rock Fragment Content: 0 to 15 percent, by volume, in the A and B horizon and 0 to 25 percent in the C horizon; mostly rounded quartzite gravel
Soil Reaction: Strongly acid to neutral throughout
Mica Content: 0 to 20 percent mica flakes in the B and C horizons, commonly increasing with depth
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
A or Ap horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, chroma of 2 to 4. Some pedons have value of 3 if less than 6 inches thick.
Texture(fine-earth fraction)--loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
E horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 3 to 6
Texture(fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam
BE or BA horizon (if they occur):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 4 to 8
Texture(fine-earth fraction)--clay loam, sandy clay loam, silt loam, or loam
Bt horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, chroma of 4 to 8
Texture(fine-earth fraction)--clay loam, sandy clay loam, sandy clay, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Btg horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2, or it is neutral with value of 3 to 8
Texture(fine-earth fraction)--clay loam, sandy clay loam, sandy clay, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Redoximorphic features--iron depletions, clay depletions, masses of reduced iron in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron, iron-manganese masses, in shades of red, yellow, or brown
BC horizon or CB horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture(fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, or sandy clay
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown
BCg or CBg horizon (if they occur):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 8
Texture(fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, or sandy clay
Redoximorphic features--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown
C horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam and may be stratified with coarser textures
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown
2C horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam and may be stratified with finer textures
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown
Cg horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam , or silt loam and may be stratified with coarser textures
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown
2Cg horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam and may be stratified with finer textures
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron depletions or clay depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown
COMPETING SERIES:
None
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Stream terrace
Parent Material: Clayey alluvium
Slope: 0 to 15 percent
Elevation (type location): 91 to 488 meters (300 to 1600 feet)
Frost Free Period (type location): 160 to 205 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 14 degrees C (57 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1016 to 1397 millimeters (40 to 55 inches)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Bolling soils--are fine-loamy, have a high base saturation, and formed in fluvial sediments
Codorus soils--are fine-loamy and formed in alluvium; on adjacent floodplains
Colvard soils--are coarse-loamy, formed in alluvium, and have a seasonal high water table at a depth of greater than 183 centimeters (72 inches); on adjacent flood plains
Comus soils--are coarse-loamy, formed in alluvium high in mica, and have a seasonal high water table at a depth of greater than 183 centimeters (72 inches); on adjacent flood plains
Delanco soils--are fine-loamy; on similar landforms
Dillard soils--are fine-loamy and formed in alluvium; on adjacent floodplains
Elsinboro soils--are well drained and are fine-loamy; on similar landforms
French soils--are fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal; on adjacent flood plains
Hatboro soils--are poorly drained, fine-loamy, and formed in alluvium; on adjacent floodplains
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Agricultural Drainage Class: Moderately well drained or somewhat poorly drained
Index Surface Runoff: Medium
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately high
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Cropland and woodland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--principal crops are corn, small grain, and soybeans. Where wooded--mixed hardwoods and pine.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Virginia and North Carolina
Extent: Moderate
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Halifax County, Virginia, 2003.
REMARKS: Banister soils were previously mapped as Dogue soils. The April 1997 relocation of the mesic/thermic line necessitated the establishment of the mesic counterpart. In April 2008, due to insufficent data, the classification was changed back to Ultisols. When data collection is complete across the MLRA region, a decision will be made as to whether an Alfisols series is needed. The April 2026 revision changed the format. No data was changed.
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from 0 to 36 centimeters (0 to 14 inches) (Ap and BA horizon)
Argillic horizon--the zone from 36 to 147 centimeters (14 to 58 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, and Btg horizons)
Aquic conditions--periodic saturation and reduction in a zone from 46 to 203 centimeters (18 to 80 inches) of the soil surface at some time during the year (endosaturation)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Laboratory Data: Reference samples of three pedons are available from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA.
Database Information: Typical Pedon Data Mapunit ID--103304
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation
BANISTER 0-15 52-57 160-205 40-55 300-1600
FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness
NONE OCCAS 1.0-2.5 APPARENT JAN-MAR >60 --
Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC-
0-8 L SIL VFSL 0-0 80-100 5-27 3-9
0-8 FSL SL 0-0 80-100 5-20 3-7
8-65 CL C SC 0-0 80-100 35-60 8-30
Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll
0-8 4.5-7.3 0.5-1.0 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
0-8 4.5-7.3 0.5-1.0 0-0 2.0-6.0 LOW
8-65 4.5-7.3 0.0-0.5 0-0 0.2-0.6 MODERATE
________________________________________
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.