LOCATION BETHERA SC+AL FL GA NC VA
Established Series
BNS-DJD/Rev. DTA
09/2025
BETHERA SERIES
MLRA(s): 133A-Southern Coastal Plain, 153A-Atlantic Coast Flatwoods, 153B-Tidewater Area
Soil Survey Regional Office (SSRO) Responsible: Southeast
Depth Class: Very deep
Agricultural Drainage Class: Poorly drained
Internal Free Water Occurrence: Shallow, common
Flooding Frequency and Duration: None
Ponding Frequency and Duration: Rare or occasional for brief periods
Index Surface Runoff: Low to negligible
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately low
Shrink-Swell Potential: Moderate
Landscape: Lower, middle, upper coastal plain
Landform: Marine terraces, uplands
Geomorphic Component: Interfluve
Hillslope Profile Position: Toeslopes
Parent Material: Loamy marine deposits, fluviomarine deposits
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 18 degrees C (65 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1219 millimeters (48 inches)
Frost Free Period (type location): 250 days
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Paleaquults
TYPICAL PEDON: Bethera loam--forested. (Colors are for moist soil.)
A1--0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 20 centimeters (2 to 8 inches) thick)
A2--5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 18 centimeters (0 to 7 inches) thick)
E--10 to 18 centimeters (4 to 7 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; many fine pores; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches) thick)
BEg--18 to 25 centimeters (7 to 10 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam; weak fine angular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; few fine faint gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions, and common fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) irregularly shaped masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 30 centimeters (0 to 12 inches) thick)
Btg1--25 to 104 centimeters (10 to 41 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) clay; moderate fine angular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and common medium prominent red (2.5YR 5/8) irregularly shaped masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Btg2--104 to 173 centimeters (41 to 68 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) clay; moderate fine angular blocky structure; firm; patchy distinct clay films on faces of peds; many medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) irregularly shaped masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btg is 89 to 152 centimeters (35 to 60 inches) or more)
Cg--173 to 239 centimeters (68 to 94 inches); 35 percent light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), 35 percent gray (5Y 6/1), and 30 percent light gray (10YR 7/1) clay; massive; firm; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Berkeley County, South Carolina about 13 miles northeast of Moncks Corner on US 17A to Macedonia; 3.7 miles SE of Macedonia on S.C. Highway 48; site is 100 feet northeast of highway. USGS Bethera, South Carolina topographic quadrangle
Latitude--33.246944
Longitude-- -79.855
Datum--WGS84
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum thickness: 152 to 203 centimeters (60 to 80 inches) or more
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 152 centimeters (60 inches)
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 0 to 30 centimeters (0 to 12 inches)
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid to moderately acid throughout
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
A or Ap horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, or is neutral, value of 2 to 4, chroma of 0 to 2.
A or Ap horizons with value of less than 3.5 are less than 10 inches thick. Texture--fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or clay loam
E horizon, where present:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, or is neutral, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 0 to 2
Texture--fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or clay loam.
BEg or EBg horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, or is neutral, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 0 to 2
Texture--sandy clay loam or clay loam
Btg horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, or is neutral, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 0 to 2. Texture--clay loam, sandy clay, or clay; but ranges to silty clay loam or silty clay.
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron masses in shades of yellow, brown, or red
BCg or CBg horizon, where present:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, or is neutral, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 0 to 2. Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--iron masses in shades of yellow, brown, or red
Texture--sandy clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay, or clay.
Cg horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, 5BG, or is neutral, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 0 to 2 or is mottled in these colors.
Texture--sandy clay loam, sandy clay, or clay.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other known series in this family. Similar series in other families:
Byars soils--are very poorly drained and have kaolinitic mineralogy.
Cantey soils--have an abrupt texture change between the A and B horizons and have kaolinitic mineralogy.
Coxville soils--have kaolinitic mineralogy.
Grady soils--are only in MLRA 133A and have a kaolinitic mineraology.
Lumbee soils--are fine-loamy.
Paxville soils--are very poorly drained and are fine-loamy.
Rembert soils--have kaolinitic mineralogy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Coastal Plain
Landform: Nearly level or slightly depressional terraces and uplands
Parent Material: Clayey marine or fluvial sediments
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 18 to 21 degrees C (65 to 70 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation: 1219 to 1321 millimeters (48 to 52 inches)
Frost-free period: 240 to 280 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Bayboro soils-are very poorly drained and have an umbric epipedon.
Bladen soils--have an abrupt texture change between the E and B horizons.
Craven soils--are moderately well drained and occur on higher landscapes.
Goldsboro soils--are moderately well drained and are fine-loamy.
Leaf soils--have an abrupt texture change between the E and B horizons.
Lynchburg soils--are somewhat poorly drained and are fine-loamy.
Pantego soils--are very poorly drained and are fine-loamy.
Rains soils--are fine-loamy.
Roanoke soils--have a solum thickness less than 152 centimeters (60 inches) and occur on fluvial terraces.
Wahee soils--are somewhat poorly drained and occur on fluvial terraces.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Agricultural Drainage Class: Poorly drained
Index Surface Runoff: Low to negligible
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately low
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: Woodland and where drained, some cropland
Dominant vegetation: Where wooded--loblolly pine, slash pine, black tupelo, red maple, sweetgum, white oak, baldcypress, and water oak. The undergrowth is waxmyrtle, sweetbay, blackberry, and sumac. Where drained and cultivated--corn, soybeans, small grains, hay, and pasture.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Extent: Extensive
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Berkeley County, South Carolina; l974
REMARKS:
The Bethera series was formerly included in the Coxville series. Clay mineralogy data indicated Bethera soils have mixed mineralogy.
The September 2025 revision reformatted the description to semi-tabular. No data was changed.
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from the surface to a depth of 18 centimeters (7 inches) (A1, A2, and E horizons).
Argillic horizon--the zone from 18 to 173 centimeters (7 to 68 inches) (Beg, Btg1, and Btg2 horizons).
Aquic conditions--endosaturation from the surface as indicated by matrix colors showing iron depletion, as well as areas of iron accumulation in the argillic horizon.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Typical Data Map Unit:
Typical User Pedon ID:
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
SOI-5 Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation
SC0023 BETHERA 0-2 65- 70 240-280 48-52 25-120
SC0109 BETHERA 0-2 65- 70 240-280 48-52 25-120
SOI-5 FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness
SC0023 NONE 0-1.5 APPARENT DEC-APR >60
SC0109 COMMON 0-1.5 APPARENT DEC-APR >60
SOI-5 Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC-
SC0023 0- 7 FSL 0-0 98-100 5-20 2-6
SC0023 0- 7 L SIL 0-0 95-100 10-20 3-10
SC0023 0- 7 CL 0-0 95-100 27-35 4-10
SC0023 7-68 C CL SC 0-0 98-100 35-50 8-20
SC0023 68-80 C SC SCL 0-0 98-100 20-50 4-18
SC0109 0- 7 FSL SL 0-0 98-100 5-20 2-6
SC0109 0- 7 L SIL 0-0 95-100 10-27 3-10
SC0109 0- 7 CL 0-0 95-100 27-35 4-10
SC0109 7-68 C CL SC 0-0 98-100 35-50 8-20
SC0109 68-80 C SC SCL 0-0 98-100 20-50 4-18
SOI-5 Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll
SC0023 0- 7 3.6- 6.0 1.-6. 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
SC0023 0- 7 3.6- 6.0 1.-6. 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
SC0023 0- 7 3.6- 6.0 1.-6. 0-0 0.6-2.0 MODERATE
SC0023 7-68 3.6- 6.0 .5-1. 0-0 0.06-0.6 MODERATE
SC0023 68-80 3.6- 6.0 .5-1. 0-0 0.06-2.0 MODERATE
SC0109 0- 7 3.6- 6.0 1.-6. 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
SC0109 0- 7 3.6- 6.0 1.-6. 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
SC0109 0- 7 3.6- 6.0 1.-6. 0-0 0.6-2.0 MODERATE
SC0109 7-68 3.6- 6.0 .5-1. 0-0 0.06-0.6 MODERATE
SC0109 68-80 3.6- 6.0 .5-1. 0-0 0.06-2.0 MODERATE
________________________________________
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.