LOCATION ANNEMESSEX MD
Established Series
SYD-AMH/Rev. DHK-JWB
11/2015
ANNEMESSEX SERIES
MLRA(s): 153C (Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain), 153D (Northern Tidewater Area), 149A (Northern Coastal plain)
Depth Class: Very Deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Somewhat poorly drained
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately high in the solum; high or very high in the substratum
Landscape: Coastal Plain
Parent Material: Loamy fluvial and eolian deposits underlain by sandy and loamy fluvial and marine (fluviomarine) deposits
Slope: 0 to 5 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 14 degrees C. (57 degrees F.)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1168 mm (46 inches )
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Aquic Hapludults
TYPICAL PEDON: Annemessex loam on a 1 percent slope in a fallow farm field at an elevation of 3 meters (10 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise indicated.)
Ap1--0 to 10 cm (0 to 4 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam; moderate coarse and very coarse granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common fine vesicular pores, common medium tubular pores; 4 percent white (10YR 8/1) stripped sand grains; 1 percent subrounded mixed gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Ap2--10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) loam; moderate coarse and very coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine tubular and vesicular pores; a few small pockets of light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) B horizon material throughout; 3 percent white (10YR 8/1) stripped sand grains; 1 percent subrounded mixed gravel; slightly acid; abrupt broken boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ap horizon ranges from 15 to 28 cm)
Bt1--25 to 33 cm (10 to 13 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common medium tubular pores and common very fine vesicular pores; 10 percent small pockets of Ap material throughout due to bioturbation; few moist clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) irregular iron masses and common fine distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) irregular iron depletions throughout; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--33 to 43 cm (13 to 17 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) silt loam; moderate coarse and very coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common medium roots throughout; common medium tubular pores, common very fine vesicular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) irregular iron masses and many medium and coarse prominent gray (10YR 6/1) irregular iron depletions throughout; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon ranges from 13 to 20 cm)
2Bt3--43 to 53 cm (17 to 21 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam; moderate coarse and very coarse subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine vesicular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common medium and coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) irregular iron masses and common prominent medium and coarse gray (2.5Y 6/1) irregular iron depletions throughout; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
2Btg--53 to 64 cm (21 to 25 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium roots throughout; common very fine vesicular pores; few distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), and common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) irregular iron masses throughout; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of 2Bt horizon ranges from 13 to 38 cm)
2BC--64 to 79 cm (25 to 31 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) coarse sandy loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots matted around stones; common very fine vesicular pores; common medium yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) irregular iron masses throughout, common medium gray (10YR 6/1) irregular iron depletions throughout; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 58 cm thick)
2C--79 to 97 cm (31 to 38 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) loamy coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine vesicular pores; common coarse light gray (2.5Y 7/1) irregular iron depletions throughout; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary.
2Cg1--97 to 119 cm (38 to 47 inches); 85 percent light gray (2.5Y 7/1) and 15 percent white (2.5Y 8/1) coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
2Cg2--119 to 135 cm (47 to 53 inches); light gray (2.5Y 7/1) and light gray (2.5Y 7/2) coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
2Cg3--135 to 163 cm (53 to 64 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) coarse sandy loam; massive; very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; few roots; common fine and many coarse yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common medium and coarse dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) irregular iron masses throughout; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
2C'1--163 to 173 cm (64 to 68 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) loamy coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few roots; pockets of sandy loam material throughout; common fine grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and common medium and coarse light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) irregular iron depletions throughout; 1 percent subrounded mixed gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
2C'2--173 to 191 cm (68 to 75 inches); brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) loamy coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few roots; pockets of sandy loam material throughout; common coarse light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) irregular iron depletions throughout; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Somerset County, MD; about 10 miles south of Princess Anne on Rt. 13, 4.5 miles west on Rt. 667 and approximately 4000 feet south of Charles Barnes Road to farm lane, west on farm lane to field on left. USGS Kingston, MD topographic quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees, 03 minutes, 0.18 seconds N. and long. 75 degrees, 40 minutes, 18.48 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the Base of the Argillic: 53 to 99 cm (21 to 39 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 183 cm (72 inches)
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches), December to May
Rock Fragments: 0 to 5 percent rounded and subrounded gravel above the 2C horizon; 0 to 35 percent in the 2C horizon
Soil Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid, except where limed. Inherently these soils have a low base status
Silt content: 35 to 60 percent in layers above the lithologic discontinuity. A coarse-textured substratum occurs within 152 cm (60 inches) of the surface.
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
Ap or A horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 4
Texture (fine-earth fraction)-sandy loam, loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron masses in shade of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
Bt horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)-loam or silt loam
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron masses in shade of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
2Bt horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)-sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron masses in shade of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
2BC or 2CB horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 3
Texture (fine-earth fraction)-loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, or less commonly loam
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron masses in shade of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
2C or 2Cg horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 6 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 6
Texture (fine-earth fraction)-coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand, coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron masses in shade of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
COMPETING SERIES:
Cotaco soils--formed in loamy sediments of acid sandstone, siltstone and shale; on foot slopes, colluvial fans, and low stream terraces
Delanco soils--formed in alluvium washed from areas of micaceous crystalline rocks; on stream terraces, in the heads of drainageways and on nearly level concave colluvial areas
Dillard soils--moderately well drained; formed in loamy alluvium; on narrow stream terraces and toe slopes
Manokin soils--moderately well drained; formed in silty eolian deposits over fluviomarine sediments; on similar landforms
Russett soils--moderately well drained; formed in mixed sandy and loamy deltaic and fluvio-marine sediments; do not have a lithologic discontinuity and do not have 35 to 60 percent silt in upper subsoil
Sheva soils--moderately well drained; formed in materials weathered from Triassic-age sedimentary bedrock on
Piedmont uplands; moderately deep to paralithic contact
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Coastal Plain
Landform: Interfluves, broad interstream divides, and flats
Geomorphic Component: Rise and talf
Parent Material: Loamy fluvial and eolian deposits underlain by sandy and loamy fluvial and marine (fluviomarine) deposits
Elevation: 0 to 6 meters (0 to 20 feet) above mean sea level
Frost Free Period: 200 to 232 days Mean Annual Air Temperature: 13 to 15 degrees C. (56 to 59 degrees F.)
Mean Annual Precipitation: 1067 to 1168 mm (42 to 46 inches)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Glassboro soils--coarse-loamy particle-size control section; on similar landforms
Hammonton soils--moderately well drained with coarse-loamy particle-control section; on slightly higher landforms
Mattapex soils--moderately well drained with fine-silty particle-size control section; on slightly higher landforms
Woodstown soils--moderately well drained; on slightly higher landforms
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class (Agricultural): Somewhat poorly drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Shallow (25 to 51 cm) and common (3 to 6 months)
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None
Ponding Frequency and Duration: None Index Surface Runoff Class: Negligible where concave (depressional), ranging to high where nearly level
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately high in the solum; high or very high in the substratum
Permeability Class (obsolete): Moderate in the solum and rapid in the underlying material
Shrink-swell potential: Low
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Cultivated crops and timber production
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated-mostly agronomic crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans and lesser extent truck crops. Where wooded-- upper story species include red maple (Acer rubra), American holly (Ilex opaca), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda).
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Distribution: MLRAs 153C, 153D, and 149A; the tidewater area of MD and possibly DE
Extent: The series extent is small, 3,000 to 3,500 acres
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Somerset County, MD 2006
REMARKS: Annemessex soils were previously mapped as Mattapex silt loam. Annemessex soils are differentiated from Mattapex by having a particle-size control section that is fine-loamy rather than fine-silty and having a seasonal water table between 25 and 51 cm (10 and 20 inches).
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from 0 to 25 cm (Ap1 and Ap2 horizons).
Argillic horizon--the zone from 25 to 64 cm (Bt1, Bt2, 2Bt3, and 2BtG horizons).
Aquic conditions--the soil has redox depletions with color value of 4 or more and chroma of 2 or less, and redox concentrations within the upper 61 cm of the argillic horizon, with periodic saturation and reduction at some time during the year.
Series control section--the zone from 0 to 152 cm.
ADDITIONAL DATA: This pedon sampled as S02MD039-007. Additional reference samples include sample numbers S99MD039-017-1, 2; S00MD039-057-1, 2,3; S00MD039-189-1, 2,3; (University of Maryland, College Park, MD).
Data Mapunit ID: 409002; User Pedon ID: Annemessex-OSD
Revised: 02/2002-SYD, AMH, JAK; 02/2004-SYD, AMH, DHK; 09/2004-SYD, JWB, 04/2007-JWB
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.