LOCATION ARKAQUA GA+NC TNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Fluvaquentic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Arkaqua loam--cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine and very fine roots; common fine pores; common fine flakes of mica; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--9 to 20 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; common fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and few fine faint pale brown mottles; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine pores; common fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
Bw2--20 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; many medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine pores; common fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 19 inches thick)
Bg--30 to 46 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) sandy clay loam; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine pores; common fine flakes of mica; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 19 inches thick)
Cg--46 to 72 inches; stratified gray (5Y 5/1), light gray (10YR) and dark gray (10YR 4/1) loamy sand, sandy loam, and sandy clay loam; massive; friable; few fine old roots; common fine flakes of mica; common rounded quartz pebbles; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Union County, Georgia; 7.5 miles west of Blairsville on Georgia Highway 2; 0.4 mile north on Dock Jones road; 75 feet east of road; 150 feet north of Little Young Cane Creek.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 35 to 60 inches. Depth to stratified sand and gravel is 44 to more than 72 inches. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid. Flakes of mica range from few to many in all horizons.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 2 through 6. It is fine sandy loam, loam, sandy loam, or silt loam. Some pedons have an Ab horizon that has hue of 10YR, or it is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 through 2. It has texture same as the A horizon.
The Bw1 horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 5Y, value of 3 through 8, and chroma of 3 through 8. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, silt loam, or clay loam. Few to many, fine to coarse, faint to prominent yellowish red, strong brown, yellowish brown, brownish yellow, and dark yellowish brown mottles are throughout the horizon; light brownish gray or grayish brown mottles are within 24 inches of the surface.
The Bw2 horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 5Y, value of 3 through 6, and chroma of 3 through 8. It is fine sandy loam, silt loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam; it is rarely sandy loam. Few to many fine to coarse, faint to prominent brownish, reddish, or grayish mottles are throughout the horizon. The Bg horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 3 through 5 and chroma of 1 or 2. It has few to many brownish, reddish, or grayish mottles. Texture is same as Bw horizon.
The BC horizon, where present, is similar in color and texture to the Bw2 horizon.
The C horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR through 5Y, value of 3 through 6, and chroma of 3 through 6. Texture is very gravelly loamy sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, loam, sandy clay loam, and clay loam. The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR through 5Y, or it is neutral, value 3 to 6 and chroma of 0 to 2.
Texture is same as C horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Codorus and Rowland of the same family and the Cartecay, Chewacla, Congaree, Enoree, French, Mantachie, Suches, Suka, and Tawcaw series of the closely related families. Codorus, Congaree, Suches and Suka soils are better drained. Cartecay and Enoree soils have less than 18 percent clay in the control section. Chewacla soils have mean annual soil temperature above 59 degrees F. French soils have thinner sola. Mantachie soils are siliceous. Rowland soils have redder B horizons or underlying layers. Tawcaw soils have more than 35 percent clay in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Arkaqua soils are on flood plains of streams draining from the mountains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 50 to 70 inches and evenly distributed throughout the year. Mean annual soil temperature is about 50 to 58 degrees F. In unprotected areas, these soils flood occasionally or frequently for very brief periods. Protected areas are subject to rare or occasional flooding for very brief periods.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing soils, there are the Chatuge, Toxaway, and Transylvania series, on alluvial flood plains, and the Dillard and Tate series on higher stream terraces. Both Dillard and Tate soils have argillic horizons. Chatuge soils are poorly drained. Transylvania soils are well to moderately well drained. Toxaway soils are very poorly or poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is slow and permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of acreage is used for pasture, corn, and truck crops. The native trees are mixed hardwoods.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Mountains of Georgia, North Carolina, and possibly Tennessee and Virginia. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Union County, Georgia; 1990.
REMARKS: The 2/99 revision updates classification to 8th Edition of Keys to Soil Taxonomy. This soil is placed in the active CEC activity class based on similar soils. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 9 inches. (Ap horizon)
Cambic horizon - the zone from approximately 9 to 46 inches. (Bw1, Bw2, and Bg horizons)
Revised 7/92; 2/99-MKC
SIR = GA0075
MLRA = 130