LOCATION ACY LA
Established Series
Rev. JDS;WLC
03/2019
ACY SERIES
The Acy series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately slowly permeable soils that formed in thick loamy deposits on low, nearly level to gently sloping Pleistocene age terraces. Slope is dominantly less than 0.5 percent but ranges up to 2 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Aeric Epiaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Acy silt loam on a smooth 0.5 percent slope. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few fine distinct dark yellowish brown masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Btg--6 to 13 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine roots; few fine pores; thin patchy black (10YR 2/1) clay films; few fine black and brown concretions; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Btk--13 to 30 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; thick continuous dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; about 10 percent calcium carbonate concretions up to 3 inches in diameter; few fine black concretions; common fine faint grayish brown iron depletions; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (2 to 2.5 inches thick)
Bt--30 to 41 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly firm; thin patchy dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; few medium calcium carbonate concretions; few fine black concretions; common medium faint grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
BC--41 to 52 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; massive; friable; few medium calcium carbonate concretions; few fine black concretions; many coarse distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (11 to 24 inches thick)
C--52 to 65 inches; variegated yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; massive; friable; few fine black concretions; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Ascension Parish, Louisiana; 2.2 miles west of Brittany; 325 feet north Louisiana Highway 431; SW1/4SE1/4SW1/4 sec. 33, T. 9 S., R. 3 E.; lat. 30 degrees 12 minutes 42.44 seconds N. and long. 90 degrees 54 minutes 53.24 seconds W., WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Sand content in the B horizon averages less than 10 percent and is dominantly very fine sand. Clay content averages 25 to 35 percent in control section.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2; or hue of 2.5Y, value of 5, and chroma of 2. Texture is silt loam. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 through 4, and chroma of 1 or 2, or value of 5 and chroma of 2. Ped coatings are black (10YR 2/1) or very dark gray (10YR 3/1). Iron accumulations and iron depletions are in shades of brown and gray. Texture is silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to moderately alkaline.
The Btk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5, and chroma of 2 through 6; or hue of 2.5Y, value of 5, and chroma of 4 or 6. Faces of peds are coated or partly coated with clay films that have chroma of 1 or 2. Iron depletions are in shades of gray. Texture is silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. The Btk horizon has 1 to 15 percent calcium carbonate concretions.
The Bt horizon has the same color as the Btk horizon. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The BC and C horizons are variegated in shades of brown and gray. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Essen and
Kurk series in the same family, and the
Amagon,
Center,
Deerford,
Dundee,
Fountain,
Fred,
Galvez,
Hebert,
Jeanerette, McGehee,
Patoutville, and
Routon series in closely related families. Amagon and Dundee soils have more than 15 percent sand that is dominantly very fine in the B horizon. Center and Fred soils have dominant chroma of more than 2 in the matrix of the B horizon and do not have dominant ped coatings with chroma 2 or less. Deerford soils have more than 15 percent exchangeable sodium in the lower B horizon. Essen and Galvez soils do not have dark ped coats in the upper B horizon. In addition, Galvez soils do not have calcium carbonate concretions. Fountain soils are dominantly 1 chroma in all subhorizons between the base of the Ap and 30 inches. Hebert soils have an argillic horizon that has redder hue. Jeanerette soils have a mollic epipedon. Kurk soils are more acid throughout and do not have calcium carbonate concretions. McGehee soils have a 2B horizon with redder hue. Patoutville soils have red iron accumulations and do not have subhorizons with calcium carbonate concretions. Routon soils lack subhorizons with carbonate concretions.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Acy soils are on nearly level Pleistocene age terraces. Slopes ranges from 0 to 2 percent. They are at low elevations. The soil formed in loess that has been influenced by Mississippi River alluvium. The mean annual temperature is about 67.5 degrees F., and the average annual rainfall is about 60 inches near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Essen series, the closely related
Deerford and
Jeanerette series, and the
Baldwin,
Calhoun,
Foley,
Frost,
Iberia, and
Verdun series. Baldwin and Iberia soils have more than 35 percent clay in the upper part of the subsoil. Calhoun and Frost soils have a glossic horizon. Foley and Verdun soils have a natric horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; low rate of runoff; moderately slowly permeable. An apparent water table is at 1.0 to 2.5 feet below the surface during December through April in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly in pasture. A few areas are in cropland or woodland.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Mississippi Valley Silty Uplands (MLRA 134) in Louisiana and possibly Arkansas and Mississippi. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AUBURN, ALABAMA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ascension Parish, Louisiana; 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the type location pedon include:
Ochric epipedon 0 to 6 inches (Ap horizon)
Argillic horizon 6 to 41 inches (Btg, Btk, and Bt horizons)
Secondary carbonates 13 to 52 inches (Btk, Bt, and BC hozizons)
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.