LOCATION BALLAHACK          NC
Established Series
Rev. RAG:HJB
09/2002

BALLAHACK SERIES


The Ballahack series consists of very poorly drained soils in flats and depressions in the Coastal Plain. They formed in stratified loamy, sandy, and clayey sediment. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, acid, thermic Cumulic Humaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Ballahack fine-sandy loam-pastured. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sandy loam; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine fibrous roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)

A2--9 to 17 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy clay loam; few medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) bodies of fine sand; weak medium granular structure; friable; many fine fibrous roots; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 30 inches thick)

A3--17 to 35 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sandy clay loam; few medium distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) mottles; massive in place which parts to weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine fibrous roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 40

Cg1--35 to 49 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam; many large faint dark grayish (10YR 4/2) mottles; massive; very friable; common fine and medium opaque grains; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)

Cg2--49 to 58 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2 sandy clay; common medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and few fine distinct yellowish brown mottles; many lenses and pockets of loamy sand; massive; firm; common fine and medium opaque grains; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Cg3--58 to 74 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy sand; massive; very friable; few fine flakes of mica and many fine and medium opaque grains; strongly aicd.

TYPE LOCATION: Edgecombe County, North Carolina; 5 3/4 miles east of Taraboro on North Carolina Highway 44; 0.3 mile west of highway on farm path to canal; 1/4 mile north of path and 200 feet east of canal.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil is strongly acid to extremely acid in the upper 40 inches unless the surface has been limed. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to mildly alkaline below 40 inches. Organic matter content in the A or Ap horizon ranges from 5 to 20 percent.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 2 or 3. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam, or their mucky analogues. Some pedons have lenses of loamy sand or loamy fine sand in the A horizon. The A horizon is more than 24 inches thick.

The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 6, or has hue of 5GY or 5G, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1. It is stratified sandy, loamy, or clayey sediment. Loamy textures dominate in the 10- to 40-inch control section.

Some pedons have buried horizons of organic matter accumulation and some overlie marl formations within 6 to 20 feet of the surface.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Similar soils in closely related families are the Arapahoe, Bibb, Deloss, Ellabelle, Forescue, Hyde, Johnston, Kinston, Masontown, Pocomoke, Portsmouth, Torhunta, Toxaway, Wasda, and Wilbanks series. Araphoe, Torhunta, and Weeksville soils are typic Humaquepts. In addition, Arapahoe is in a coarse-loamy, mixed, nonacid, thermic family. Bibb, Kinston, and Wedhadkee soils are typic Fluvaquents. In addition, Bibb is in a coarse-loamy, siliceous, acid, thermic family. DeLoss, Hyde, Pocomoke, and Portsmouth are typic Umbraquults. Also, Deloss is in a fine-loamy, mixed, thermic family. Ellabelle is a loamy, siliceous, thermic Arenic Umbric Paleaquult. Fortescue, Johnston, Masontown, Toxaway, and Wilbanks are Cumulic Humaquepts. In addition, Forestcue is in a fine-silty, mixed, acid, thermic family. Hyde is in a fine-silty, mixed, thermic family. Johnston is in a coarse-loamy, siliceous, acid, thermic family. Kinston is in a fine-loamy, siliceous, acid, thermic family. Masontown is in a coarse-loamy, siliceous, nonacid, thermic, family. Pocomoke is in a coarse-loamy, mixed, thermic family. Portsmouth is in a fine-loamy over sandy or sandy skeletal family. Torhunta is in a coarse-loamy, siliceous, acid, thermic family. Toxaway is in a fine-loamy, mixed, nonacid, mesic family. Wilbanks is in a fine, mixed, acid, thermic family. Wasda is a fine-loamy, mixed, nonacid, thermic Histic Humaquept. Weeksville is in a coarse-silty, mixed, thermic family. Wehadkee is in a fine-loamy, mixed, nonacid, thermic family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Ballahack soils are on low stream terraces, high bottomlands, and marine terraces below 25 feet elevation. Slopes are less than 2 percent. They formed in stratified sandy, loamy, and clayey fluvial and marine sediments. Mean annual temperature near the type location is 61 degrees F., and average annual precipitation is about 47 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing Arapahoe, Deloss, Forestcue, Hyde, Pocomoke, Portsmouth, and Wasda series, these are the Altavista, Cape Fear, Conetoe, Dogue, Molena, Roanoke, Tarboro, and State series. Altavista, Contoe, Dogue, and State soils are on higher, better drained parts of the landscape and have argillic horizons. Cape Fear and Roanoke soils have clayey Bt horizons and lack cumulic epipedons. Molena and Tarboro soils are on higher parts of the landscape and are somewhat excessively drained and sandy throughout.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; runoff is slow to ponded; moderate to moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: About two-thirds of the known areas of this soil are in forests of water tolerant hardwood and scattered pine. Native trees include loblolly pine, pond pine, water tupelo, sweetgum, swamp tupelo, yellow-poplar, red maple, slippery elm, and water oak. About one-third of the known soil areas have been drained and are primarily for growing corn, soybeans, small grain, and pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Plain of North Carolina and South Carolina. The series is thought to be inextensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina

SERIES ESTABLIHSED: Edgecombe County, North Carolina; 1976.

REMARKS: The Ballahack series was formerly mapped in the Johnston series. The distribution of clay in these soils is believed to be the result of relic features.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data for particle distribution and mineralogy is available for one pedon sampled in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. The laboratory determinations were made by North Carolina State University Soils Department.

TABULAR SERIES DATA:

SOI-5  Soil Name   Slope  Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip  Elevation
NC0010 BALLAHACK   0-  2   59- 63  195-250  44- 58     5-  50 

SOI-5 FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness NC0010 COMMON 0-1.0 APPARENT NOV-MAR 60-60

SOI-5 Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC- NC0010 0- 9 FSL SL L 0- 0 100-100 5-20 6- 14 NC0010 0- 9 MK-FSL MK-SL MK-L 0- 0 100-100 5-20 11- 24 NC0010 9-35 SCL L 0- 0 100-100 18-35 6- 17 NC0010 35-74 SR S SC 0- 0 95-100 5-40 1- 10

SOI-5 Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll NC0010 0- 9 3.5- 5.5 5.-10 0- 0 2.0- 6.0 LOW NC0010 0- 9 3.5- 5.5 10-15 0- 0 2.0- 6.0 LOW NC0010 9-35 3.5- 5.5 2.-10 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW NC0010 35-74 4.5- 5.5 .5-2. 0- 0 0.6- 20 LOW


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.