LOCATION ALMOND NY
Established Series
WEH-PSP
02/2017
ALMOND SERIES
The Almond series consists of deep and very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils on uplands. The soils formed in till derived from soft shale, and some siltstone and sandstone. Slope ranges from 0 to 40 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the subsoil and low to moderately low in the substratum. Mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C (44 degrees F) and mean annual precipitation is about 1120 mm (37 in).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, acid, frigid Aeric Endoaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Almond silt loam, on a 4 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap -- 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry, silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; 10 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (13 to 30 cm [5 to 12 in] thick).
Bw1 -- 25 to 43 cm (10 to 17 in); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine roots; ped surfaces are coated with pale olive (5Y 6/3) silt; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix and many medium prominent gray (5Y 6/1) areas of iron depletion in the matrix; 10 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bw2 -- 43 to 81 cm (17 to 32 in); olive (5Y 5/3) silt loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; ped surfaces are coated with light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix and common medium prominent light gray (10YR 7/1) areas of iron depletion in the matrix; 10 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 33 to 89 cm [13 to 35 in]).
C -- 81 to 183 cm (32 to 72 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) channery silt loam; massive; firm; common medium distinct prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 20 percent rock fragments; moderately acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Steuben County, New York; Town of Fremont, 2 miles east of State Route 21 and 1 mile south of County Route 54, 50 feet south of Back Street. USGS Haskinville NY topographic quadrangle. Latitude 42 degrees, 23 minutes, 13 seconds N. and Longitude 77 degrees, 34 minutes, 46 seconds W., NAD 1983.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 61 to 140 cm (24 to 55 in). Depth to shale bedrock ranges from 102 cm to 3 m (40 in to 10 ft). Rock fragments, mainly channers of shale and siltstone, range from 10 to 35 percent in the solum and from 15 to 60 percent in C horizon.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam in the fine earth fraction. It has weak or moderate, fine or medium granular structure and very friable or friable consistence. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid, unless limed.
Some undisturbed pedons have an A horizon 2 to 4 in thick with color, texture, and structure similar to Ap the horizon.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4 with distinct or prominent mottles. Texture is silt loam, silty clay loam, loam or clay loam in the fine-earth fraction. It has weak or moderate, medium to very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak or moderate, fine to coarse subangular blocky, or the prisms are absent. Consistence is commonly friable or firm but the range includes very friable. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The C horizon has color and texture ranges similar to the B horizon. The horizon is massive or platy, with rock structure evident in most pedons. Consistence is firm or very firm. Reaction ranges from strongly acid through neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family.
The
Aurelie,
Atherton,
Easton,
Fremont,
Gulf,
Hornellsville,
Kendaia,
Painesville and
Ontusia series are similar soils in related families. Aurelie soils are less acid and formed in till derived from slates, phyllites and shales. Atherton, Fremont and Kendaia soils have a mesic temperature regime. Easton soils developed in metamorphosed limestone, calcareous sandstone and shale. Gulf soils are less acid and formed in water-sorted material. Hornellsville soils are moderately deep to bedrock and have a fine particle size control section. Painesville soils have a mesic temperature regime and formed in glaciofluvial material. Ontusia soils have a fragipan.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Almond soils are on broad hilltops and hillsides, and receive little runoff from adjacent areas. Surface shapes are plain to slightly convex, with slope gradients ranging from 0 to 40 percent. The soils developed in till derived from shale, siltstone, and some sandstone. The climate is humid and cool temperate. Mean annual temperature ranges from 4 to 9 degrees C. (39 to 48 degrees F.); mean annual precipitation ranges from 825 to 1790 mm. (32 to 70 inches); and the mean annual frost-free season ranges from 90 to 140 days. Elevation ranges from 425 to 1100 meters (1394 to 3600 feet) above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Hornellsville and
Ontusia, and the
Gretor,
Hawksnest,
Lewbath,
Mongaup,
Norchip,
Salamanca, and
Willdin soils on nearby landscapes. The Gretor, Hawksnest and Mongaup soils occur on bedrock controlled landscapes and have bedrock at within 40 in of the surface. Lewbath and Willdin soils are on nearby landscapes where the soil contains a fragipan horizon. Norchip soils are poorly drained. Salamanca soils are moderately well drained.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is low to very high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the subsoil and low to moderately low in the substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil have been cleared, and used for growing corn, small grains, hay, pasture, and potatoes. Because of the relatively short growing season many areas are reverting to woodland or brush. Native vegetation is sugar maple, oak, white ash, yellow birch, Eastern hemlock, and Eastern white pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern and south central New York at higher elevations of the Appalachian Plateau, and possibly Pennsylvania. MLRAs 139 and 140. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cattaraugus County, New York, 2002.
REMARKS: This series is the frigid equivalent of the mesic Fremont series. This soil now classifies in the subgroup of Aeric Endoaquepts. Competing series are expected to change as similar soils are reclassified.
Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in the typical pedon include:
1. Ochric Epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 25 cm (10 in) (Ap horizon).
2. Cambic horizon - the zone from 25 to 81 cm (10 to 32 in) (Bw horizons)
3. Aquepts suborder - aquic moisture regime, and evidence of wetness that includes 2 chroma ped faces and iron depletions in the zone from 43 to 81 cm (17 to 32 in) (Bw2 horizon).
4. Estimated CEC activity class as semiactive from similar soils.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data for the Almond series can be found at the NCSS Soil Characterization Database.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.