LOCATION ORA MS+AL AR LA
Established Series
Rev. ACM: WMK: RBH; GRB
12/2014
ORA SERIES
The Ora series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, moderately permeable soils on terraces and uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain Major Land Resource Area (MLRA 133A). They formed in loamy marine and fluvial deposits. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 66 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 60 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Fragiudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Ora sandy loam, on 0 to 2 percent slope, in a forested area (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and coarse roots; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 12 inches thick)
E--3 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots, few coarse roots; few root and worm holes filled with A material; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 11 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly hard; common fine roots; common fine pores; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--11 to 26 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; slightly hard; few fine roots; common fine pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons range from 10 to 30 inches in thickness)
Bx1--26 to 48 inches; 34 percent yellowish red (5YR 5/8), 33 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and 33 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay loam; strong very coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, hard, brittle and compact in about 65 percent of the volume; slightly sticky; few fine roots in cracks; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam material between prisms; common distinct clay films on faces of prisms; common fine voids; the areas of yellowish red, strong brown are relict and contemporary iron accumulations and the areas of light brownish gray are relict and contemporary iron depletions; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bx2--48 to 56 inches; 34 percent red (2.5YR 5/8), 33 percent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and 33 percent pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam; strong very coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, hard; brittle and compact in about 65 percent of the volume; slightly sticky; light brownish gray sandy loam between prisms; clay films on faces of prisms; common fine voids; the areas of yellowish red, strong brown are relict and contemporary iron accumulations and the areas of light brownish gray are relict and contemporary iron depletions; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bx horizon is 12 to 40 inches)
C--56 to 70 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) sandy loam; structureless; friable; common medium distinct brown (10YR 5/3) areas of iron depletions; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Pike County, Mississippi. Approximately. 2.0 miles east and 1.5 miles northeast of Holmesville on a gravel road and about 200 feet west of road. NW1/4, SE1/4 Sec. 14, T. 3 N., R. 9 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 50 to more than 60 inches. Depth to the fragipan ranges from 18 to 42 inches. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid throughout, except where the surface has been limed.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 4, or it is neutral with value of 4 and chroma of 0. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam or loam.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam or loam.
Some pedons have a thin BE horizon. Where present, it has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 6 to 8. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam or loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam, or loam.
The Btx horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8; or there is no dominant color and is variegated and multicolored in shades of yellow, brown, gray, and red. Vertical seams in shades of gray form a roughly polygonal pattern of prisms. The matrix of the prisms is very firm when dry and brittle when moist in the major part of the fragipan and constitutes more than 60 percent of the volume. Concretions in shades of black and brown range from none to many. Texture is sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. Some pedons have few fine to coarse quartz pebbles.
The BC and C horizon, where present, has the same range of colors as the Btx horizon. Texture is sandy loam, loam or sandy clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Berger,
Cane,
Kizzia,
Savannah and
Wax series in the same family and the
Sidon series in a closely related family. Berger soils are in the Southern Appalachian Ridges and
Valleys (MLRA 128). Cane soils are in the Arkansas Valley and Ridges (MLRA 118),
Cumberland Plateau and Mountains (MLRA 125), Limestone Valley (MLRA 128) and Sand Mountain (MLRA 129)
Major
Land Resource Areas. Kizzia soils are in the Western Coastal Plain (MLRA 133B) Major Land Resource Area. Savannah soils are on similar positions but have yellower subsoils. Wax soils are in the Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys (MLRA 128). Major Land Resource Area. Sidon soils are in the active family and are in the
Boston Mountains, (MLRA 117) and Arkansas Valley and Ridges, Eastern Part (MLRA 118A) Major Land Resource Areas.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ora soils are on terraces and uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain. They formed in loamy marine and fluvatile deposits. The climate is humid subtropical. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is 66 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 60.0 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the competing
Savannah series and the
Boswell,
Mashulaville,
Paden,
Pheba,
Prentiss,
Ruston and
Smithdale soils. Boswell soils are on lower adjacent positions on foot slopes and benches and have clayey subsoils. The poorly drained Mashulaville soils are in adjacent lower flats and depressions and have coarse-loamy control sections. The somewhat poorly drained Pheba soils are on similar to lower positions and have coarse-silty control sections. Paden and Prentiss soils are moderately well drained and are on broad flats in uplands and on terraces along major streams. Paden soils are on similar positions, have fine-silty control sections and have yellower subsoils. Prentiss soils are on similar positions, have coarse-loamy control sections and have yellower subsoils. The well drained Ruston soils are in similar positions but do not have a fragipan. The well drained Smithdale soils are on adjacent hill sides and do not have fragipans.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium to rapid runoff. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the solum and moderately slow in the fragipan.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Ora soils are either cropped to cotton, corn, small grains, and truck crops or used for hay and pasture. Some areas are in woodlands. Principal vegetation of wooded areas is loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, or longleaf pine, or pines mixed with oaks, hickory, and sweetgum.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Coastal Plain in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lower East Saline SCD, Drew County, Arkansas; 1941.
REMARKS: diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 7 inches (A and E horizons).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 7 inches to a depth of 56 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Btx1 and Btx2 horizons).
Fragipan - the zone from 26 inches to a depth of 56 inches (Btx1 and Btx2 horizons).
Ora soils have a perched water table at a depth of 24 to 40 inches during the months of high rainfall.
Ora soils are in MLRA 133A.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available on the National Soil Survey website at: http;://ncsslabdatamart.sc.egov.usda.gov/querypage.aspx
Laboratory data was provided by the National Soil Survey laboratory, Lincoln, NE.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.