LOCATION BAHIAHONDA FL
Established Series
Rev. GWH
10/2018
BAHIAHONDA SERIES
The Bahiahonda Series consists of moderately well drained soils that are deep to rippable coral limestone. Bahiahonda soils formed in marine sands and shells overlying the limestone bedrock. These soils are on upland dunes and ridges. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Isohyperthermic, uncoated Aquic Quartzipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Bahiahonda fine sand on a coastal dune (colors are for moist soil).
A--0 to 8 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sand; single grained; loose; common fine and medium roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--8 to 35 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) fine sand; single grained; loose; few fine and medium roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (25 to 38 inches thick)
Cgl--35 to 68 inches; white (10YR 8/1) sand; single grained; loose; few fine roots; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 40 inches thick)
Cg2--68 to 82 inches; white (10YR 8/1) very gravelly sand; single grained; loose; 40 percent by volume of limestone and shell fragments less than 1 inch in size; moderately alkaline. (10 to 40 inches thick)
2R--82 inches; soft to hard but rippable coral limestone.
TYPE LOCATION: Monroe County, Florida; Bahia Honda Key; 800 feet south of US Hwy. 1 from entrance to Bahia Honda State Park; NE 1/4, NW 1/4, SW 1/4, Sec. 25, T. 66 S., R. 30 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock is 60 to 90 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is sand or fine sand. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is sand or fine sand. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture of the upper part of the Cg horizon is sand or fine sand with less than 10 percent shells. Texture of the lower part of the Cg horizon is gravelly sand or very gravelly sand with 25 to 60 percent shells dominantly less than 1 inch in size. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline in the upper part of the Cg horizon and mildly alkaline to moderately alkaline in the lower part of the Cg horizon.
The 2R horizon is soft to hard but rippable coral limestone.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family. Closely similar series in hyperthermic families include the
Canaveral and
Welaka Series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bahiahonda soils are on coastal dune and tropical hammock uplands. Elevations are dominantly 4 to 7 feet above 1929 NGVD. Bahiahonda soils are subject to rare flooding from hurricanes and other tropical storms. The mean annual temperature is about 78 degrees F. And the mean annual precipitation is about 45 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the moderately well drained organic
Matecumbe soils on similar landforms; the poorly drained marly
Cudjoe on slightly lower landforms;
and the very poorly drained organic
Islamorada and Key
Largo soils on significantly lower landforms.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: These soils are moderately well drained with a high water table of 2.5 to 3.5 feet during wet periods of most years. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of the soil are in native vegetation of poisonwood, crabwood, pigeon plum, toarchwood, stopper, gumbo limbo, Deering's tree cactus, aloe vertie, prickley pear, sea grape, and silver palm. Some areas have invader species dominated by Australian pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Bahiahonda soils are of small known extent with less than 500 acres occurring on the Florida Keys. These soils may occur on other tropical islands.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Monroe County, Florida, 1989
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.