LOCATION ALAMANCE SC+NC VAEstablished Series
The Alamance series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable silty soils that formed in residuum weathered from Carolina slate, argillite, sericite schist, or other fine-grained rocks. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, siliceous, subactive, thermic Typic Hapludults
TYPICAL PEDON: Alamance loam--cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
E--7 to 11 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
BE--11 to 15 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; many fine pores; 5 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Bt1--15 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common fine and medium pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 1 percent gravel; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--27 to 35 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; common medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky and weak fine angular blocky structure; friable; few fine pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt is 16 to 35 inches)
BC--35 to 46 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; many medium distinct light gray (10YR 7/2) and red (2.5YR 5/8) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine pores; few faint clay films on some faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual irregular boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
C--46 to 64 inches; coarsely mottled, splotched, and streaked yellow (10YR 7/6), white (10YR 8/1), and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) very fine sandy loam; few medium strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles along cracks; 80 percent soft fine-grained saprolite that crushes easily; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Lexington County, South Carolina; 14 miles west of Lexington; 2 miles south of U.S. Highway 378; 1/4 mile northeast of secondary road 54; 20 feet north of secondary road 46.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is 30 to 60 inches. Depth to a lithic contact is more than 60 inches. The soil is very strongly acid to neutral in the A and E horizons, very strongly acid or strongly acid in the Bt horizon, and very strongly acid to moderately acid in the C horizon. Content of rock fragments ranges from 0 to 20 percent in the A and E horizons, and 0 to 10 percent in the Bt horizon.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or the gravelly analogues of these textures.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or the gravelly analogues of these textures.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Mottles in shades of red, brown, or yellow are in most pedons. The Bt horizon is silt loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam.
The BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Mottles in shades of red, brown, or yellow are in most pedons. Relic rock material with clay coatings are in many pedons. The BC horizon is loam, silt loam, or very fine sandy loam.
The C horizon is mottled in shades of brown, yellow, and gray. It is loam, silt loam, or very fine sandy loam, with as much as 90 percent soft saprolite that crushes easily.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other known series in this family. Brandon, Choccolocco, Durham, Granville, Hartsells, Kirksey, Pickwick, and Silerton series are similar soils in other families. Brandon, Choccolocco, Pickwick, and Silerton soils have mixed mineralogy. Durham, Granville, and Hartsells soils have more than 15 percent fine or coarser sand in the particle-size control section. Kirksey soils have wetness mottles of chroma 2 or less within 24 inches of the top of the argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Alamance soils are on smooth stream divides and mid slopes. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent. The soil formed in residuum weathered from Carolina slate, argillite, sericite schist, or other fine-grained rock. Average annual rainfall ranges from 37 to 60 inches, mean temperature ranges from 59 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit, and frost-free season ranges from 190 to 225 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar Kirksey series plus the Badin, Georgeville, Gills, Goldston, Helena, Herndon Nason and Tatum series. Badin, Georgeville, Gills, Helena, Herndon, Nason and Tatum soils contain more than 35 percent clay in the particle size control section. Goldston soils have more than 35 percent coarse fragments throughout the solum.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium surface runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Originally in hardwood and pine. Dominantly used for growing small grain, corn, soybeans, wheat, grain sorghum, and pasture. Reforested areas are in loblolly and shortleaf pines.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Alamance County, North Carolina; 1901.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to 15 inches (A, E, and BE horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 15 to 35 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Sample S70SC32-25-(1-7) and other unpublished data by Clemson University show that very fine sand is the dominant particle-size throughout and that very fine sand plus silt constitutes 60 to 75 percent of the control section. Bureau of Public Roads Engineering Test Data S33972, published in Saluda County, South Carolina Survey shows 88 percent of the material from the B horizon passing the 200 sieve.
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
SOI-5 Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation NC0212 ALAMANCE 2- 15 59- 61 180-210 47- 49 500-1700 SC0012 ALAMANCE 0- 15 59- 66 190-225 37- 60 300- 650SOI-5 FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness NC0212 NONE 6.0-6.0 - 40-60 SOFT SC0012 NONE 6.0-6.0 - 60-60
SOI-5 Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC- NC0212 0- 8 GR-L 0- 5 70- 80 7-20 2- 6 NC0212 8-27 CL SICL SIL 0- 0 90-100 18-35 3- 7 NC0212 27-45 L SIL VFSL 0- 0 92-100 5-20 1- 4 NC0212 45-60 WB - - - - SC0012 0-11 L SIL VFSL 0- 2 85-100 5-20 2- 6 SC0012 0-11 GR-L GR-SIL GR-VFSL 0- 5 70- 80 5-20 2- 6 SC0012 0-11 SL 0- 2 85-100 5-20 2- 5 SC0012 11-35 CL SICL SIL 0- 0 90-100 18-35 6- 20 SC0012 35-46 L SIL VFSL 0- 0 92-100 5-20 2- 8 SC0012 46-64 VFSL SIL L 0- 0 90-100 5-20 2- 8
SOI-5 Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll NC0212 0- 8 4.5- 7.3 .5-2. 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW NC0212 8-27 4.5- 5.5 0.-.5 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW NC0212 27-45 4.5- 5.5 0.-.5 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW NC0212 45-60 - - - - SC0012 0-11 4.5- 7.3 .5-2. 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW SC0012 0-11 4.5- 7.3 .5-2. 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW SC0012 0-11 4.5- 7.3 .5-2. 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW