LOCATION AQUASCO MD
Established Series
EHE-SLD-DRPV /Rev. JWB
11/2015
AQUASCO SERIES
MLRA(s): 149A (Northern Coastal Plain)
Depth Class: Very Deep
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Somewhat poorly drained
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately low
Landscape: Coastal plain upland
Parent Material: Silty eolian over loamy fluviomarine deposits
Slope: 0 to 5 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 13 degrees C (56 degrees F).
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1067 mm (42 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, semiactive, mesic Aquic Fragiudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Aquasco silt loam in a flat wooded area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise indicated.)
Oi--0 to 2.5 cm (0 to 1 inch); very dark gray (5YR 3/1) slightly decomposed organic matter; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) dry; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--2.5 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches); black (2.5Y 2.5/1) silt loam; dark gray (2.5Y 4/1), dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; slightly sticky; nonplastic; common fine and very fine, many medium and common very coarse roots throughout; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary. (2.5 to 28 cm thick)
E--8 to 25 cm (3 to 10 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) silt loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; slightly sticky, nonplastic; common fine and very fine, many medium and common very coarse roots throughout; less than 1 percent rounded quartzite gravel; extremely acid; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 28 cm thick)
Bt1--25 to 36 cm (10 to 14 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silt loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine and medium and common coarse roots; few coarse gray (10YR 5/1) rounded to irregular iron depletions bounded by thin reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) soft iron masses; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--36 to 51 cm (14 to 20 inches); 40 percent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam; strong fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium platy; slightly hard, friable; slightly sticky, plastic; few medium and fine roots; few medium tubular pores; many coarse prominent gray (10YR 5/1) irregular iron depletions and many medium and coarse prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) soft iron masses in the soil matrix; many discontinuous prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay films on faces of peds in the upper part of horizon; common thin gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on horizontal faces of platy peds in the lower part of the horizon; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 10 to 56 cm)
Btx1--51 to 74 cm (20 to 29 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silt loam, moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine platy and angular blocky; firm to very firm, brittle; sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots between faces of prisms; common very fine, fine and medium vesicular and tubular pores throughout; 4 percent fine and medium prominent black (5YR 2/1) rounded iron-manganese nodules; common coarse distinct light gray (2.5Y 7/1) clay depletions on vertical faces of prisms; common coarse prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) iron masses on vertical faces of prisms; common medium and coarse distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions on faces of platy and blocky peds; very few faint clay films on surfaces along pores; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Btx2--74 to 89 cm (29 to 35 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) loam; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to strong very fine platy structure; firm to very firm, brittle; sticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots between faces of prisms; common very fine, fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores; common light gray (2.5Y 7/1) clay depletions on vertical faces of prisms; common reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) iron masses on vertical faces of prisms; common grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions on all faces of fine platy peds; 4 percent fine prominent black (5YR 2/1) iron-manganese nodules; many prominent round dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of platy peds; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Btx3--89 to 112 cm (35 to 44 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine platy; firm, brittle; sticky, plastic; few fine roots between faces of prisms; common very fine, fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores; common coarse distinct irregular reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) and common coarse distinct irregular yellowish red (5YR 4/6) iron masses on vertical faces of prisms; common coarse prominent irregular light gray (N 7/) iron depletions on vertical face of prisms; many prominent round dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of platy peds; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btx horizon is 15 to 107 cm)
BCt--112 to 183 cm (44 to 72 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) clay loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, sticky, plastic; many coarse vesicular pores; many coarse prominent light gray (N 7/) iron depletions and many prominent light red (2.5YR 6/8) soft iron masses in the soil matrix; many prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), light gray (N 7/) and light red (2.5YR 6/8) clay films on faces of peds; extremely acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Charles County, Maryland; about 2.7 miles west on Smallwood Drive from its intersection with U.S. Highway 301 in St. Charles, Maryland; 0.1 mile south on Middletown Road; 2540 feet northwest along gas line right-of-way; 20 feet northeast into woods. USGS La Plata topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees, 37 minutes, 20.13 seconds N; longitude 76 degrees, 58 minutes, 36.93 seconds W, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the top of the Argillic horizon: 13 to 38 cm (5 to 15 inches)
Depth to the base of the Argillic horizon: 76 to 203 cm (30 to 80 inches) or more
Depth to the top of the Fragipan: 38 to 76 cm (15 to 30 inches)
Depth to the base of the Fragipan: 76 to 152 cm (30 to 60 inches) or more
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 203 cm (80 inches)
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches), November to April
Depth to Lithologic Discontinuity: 102 cm (40 inches) or more. Rock Fragment content: 0 to 5 percent, by volume, quartz gravels in all horizons above a lithologic discontinuity.
Soil Reaction: extremely acid, except where limed
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
A or Ap horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 5 and chroma of 1 to 4, or is neutral with a value of 4. A horizons with chroma less than 3 are less than 10 inches thick.
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam
E horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7 and chroma of 1 to 6
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, loam , fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam Redoximorphic features--iron masses in shades of red, yellow or brown, and iron or clay depletions in shades of gray or pale olive, may be present.
Other features--iron-manganese nodules may be present
Bt horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam
Redoximorphic features--iron masses in shades of red, yellow, or brown may be present. Iron depletions in shades of gray occur within the upper 25 cm (10 inches) of the Bt horizon.
Other features--iron-manganese nodules may be present.
Btx horizon:
Color--hue of 5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 3 to 6; or is variegated in hues of red, brown, gray and olive, without dominant hue or is neutral with a value of 6.
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--loam, silt loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, very fine sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Redoximorphic features--iron masses in shades of red, brown, yellow or olive and clay or iron depletions in shades of gray are present in all pedons.
BC horizon:
Color--hue of 5YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7 and chroma of 3 to 8; or it is variegated in shades of red, brown, yellow, olive, and gray, without dominant hue or is neutral with a value of 6 or 7.
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--loam, clay loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, and occasionally fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Redoximorphic features--iron masses in shades of red, brown, yellow, or olive, and iron depletions in shades of gray are present in all pedons.
2C horizon (if present):
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 4 and some pedons have variegations of many colors
Texture (fine earth fraction)--ranges from fine sand to clay loam
COMPETING SERIES:
Johnsburg soils--formed in loess deposits over residuum
Needleye soils--formed in loess deposits over residuum
Pekin soils--moderately well drained and have an active CE activity class
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Coastal Plain, upland
Landform: Flat, broad interstream divide
Geomorphic Component: Interfluves
Parent Material: Silty eolian over loamy fluviomarine deposits
Slope: 0 to 5 percent
Elevation: 13 to 67 m (45 to 220 feet)
Frost-free period: 180 to 210 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 12 to 13 degrees C (54 to 56 degrees F
Mean Annual Precipitation: 1016 to 1270 mm (40 to 50 inches)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Beltsville soils--moderately well drained with a seasonal high water table between 51 to 102 cm (20 and 40 inches), fine-loamy particle size class, on higher landscape positions
Elkton soils--poorly drained with a seasonal high water table between 0 to 25 cm (0 and 10 inches), and lack a fragipan; in swales and ephemeral drainageways
Fallsington soils--poorly drained, contain more sand in the Bt horizon and lack a fragipan; in swales, depressions and ephemeral drainageways
Lenni soils--poorly drained with a seasonal high water table between 0 to 25 cm (0 and 10 inches), and lack a fragipan; in swales and ephemeral drainageways
Leonardtown soils--poorly drained with a seasonal high water table between 0 to 25 cm (0 and 10 inches), in swales, depressions and ephemeral drainageways
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage Class (Agricultural): Somewhat poorly drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Very thin (10 to 30 cm thick) and shallow (25 to 50 cm deep); common (present 3 to 6 months)
Flooding Frequency and Duration Classes: None
Ponding Frequency and Duration Classes: Rare and brief
Index Surface Runoff Class: Moderate to high
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately low
Permeability Class (obsolete): Slow
Shrink-swell Potential Class: Low
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Most areas are wooded, or urbanized. A few areas are used for crop or hay land.
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--soybeans and pasture grasses. Where wooded--white ash, mixed red oaks, holly, red maple, sweetgum, Virginia pine, and shortleaf pine, with an understory of blueberries.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Distribution: Maryland, possibly Delaware, and New Jersey, MLRA 149A (Northern Coastal Plain).
Extent: Small, but locally significant.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Charles County, Maryland, 2006.
REMARKS: Aquasco soils were previously mapped as members of the Beltsville and Leonardtown series.
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from 0 to 25 cm (Oi, A, and E horizons)
Argillic horizon--the zone from 25 to 183 cm (Bt, Btx, and BCt horizons)
Fragipan--the zone from 51 to 112 cm (Btx horizons)
Aquic conditions--the soil has redoximorphic depletions with a chroma of 2 or less and concentrations within the upper 25 cm of the argillic horizon, with periodic saturation and reduction at some time during the year
Other soil features identified with this pedon:
Series control section--the zone from 0 to 200 cm
Previous revisions: 06/2004 JWB, 08/2006 DRPV-JWB
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL pedon number 01MD-017-011. Reference particle-size data from the University of Maryland Pedology laboratory is available for pedon number 00MD-017-014.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.