LOCATION BIGPOOL MD
Established Series
CRS, JRT, JB
08/2021
BIGPOOL SERIES
The Bigpool series consist of very deep, moderately well drained, soils formed in alluvium derived from sedimentary rocks on nearly level high flood plains along major rivers. Permeability is moderately slow to slow. Slopes ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual air temperature ranges from about 50 to 54 degrees F., and annual precipitation ranges from about 38 to 50 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Hapludults
TYPICAL PEDON: Bigpool silt loam, on a 1 percent slope, in cultivated field, at an elevation of 390 feet.
Ap1--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak fine granular structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine roots; many fine and coarse vesicular pores, many fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary.
Ap2--7 to 11 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many fine, common coarse tubular, and common medium vesicular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Ap horizon ranges from 5 to 15 inches)
BE--11 to 21 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; common coarse distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) organic stains lining pores and on faces of peds; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; many fine, common medium vesicular and many fine, and common coarse tubular pores; 1 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.9); clear wavy boundary. (thickness ranges from 0 to 10 inches)
Bt1--21 to 32 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) fine sandy clay loam; common medium faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; common medium distinct pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) iron depletions; few fine distinct black (5YR 2.5/1) iron-manganese stains; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; friable; few very fine roots; common fine and few coarse tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds, rock fragments and lining pores; 2 percent rounded gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bt horizon ranges from 15 to 25 inches)
Bt2--32 to 41 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loam; common fine faint brown (7.5YR 5/2) iron depletions; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) iron concentrations; many medium prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese stains on faces of peds; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine and medium tubular, common fine vesicular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 15 percent gravel and 2 percent channers; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear irregular boundary.
C1--41 to 61 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam; many medium distinct reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) iron concentrations; common medium distinct pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) depletions; massive; friable; many fine and common medium tubular, and common fine vesicular pores; common distinct clay films in pores; 5 percent gravel and 1 percent cobble; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the C horizon ranges from 30 to 50 inches)
C2--61 to 76 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron concentrations; common medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; massive; friable; common fine tubular and vesicular pores; common distinct clay films in pores; 7 percent gravel and 3 percent cobble; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear smooth boundary.
C3--76 to 83 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy sand; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron concentrations; common medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) iron concentrations; massive; friable; common fine tubular and few medium vesicular pores; 11 percent rounded gravel; very strongly acid (pH 5.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, MD; in a crop field, 3,600 ft. south of Frederick Park Dr. and its intersection with MD Rt. 56, 2,000 feet west of Fort Frederick Dr. on a high flood plain adjacent to the Potomac River, in the Big Pool area. U.S.G.S. Big Pool, MD-WV topographic quadrangle. Latitude. 39 degrees, 36 minutes,' 33" minutes N. and Longitude. 78 degrees, 00 minutes,' 42" minutes W.; NAD 1927.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 30 to 50 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 6 feet. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to very strongly acid throughout the pedon. Rock fragments content commonly ranges from 2 to 20 percent by volume in the solum, and 5 to 25 percent in the substratum. Rock fragments are mainly rounded gravel and cobbles of sandstone and shale.
The Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 4 through 6, and chroma 3 through 8. Texture is commonly silt loam, but the range includes loam and fine sandy loam in the fine earth fraction.
The BE horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value 4 through 6, chroma 4 through 6. Texture is commonly silt loam, but the range includes loam, and fine sandy loam in the fine earth fraction.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 4 through 6, chroma 3 through 8. Texture is commonly loam, or sandy clay loam, or fine sandy clay loam, but includes silt loam, or clay loam in the fine earth fraction.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 4 through 6, chroma 3 through 8. Texture is commonly loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loamy sand, but the range includes silt loam in the fine earth fraction.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Adelphia,
Blairton,
Holmdel,
Kensington,
Trackler,
Wharton,
Whiteside, and
Woodstown soils are in the same family.
Fenwick and
Tuscarawas series were competing under the old classification and are potential competitors pending assignment of cation-exchange activity class. Adelphia and Holmdel soils have olive hues and contain glauconite. Adelphia soils formed in glauconite bearing eolian and/or fluviomarine deposits. Blairton and Fenwick soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to sedimentary bedrock. Holmdel soils have formed in unconsolidated marine or reworked marine deposits in which glauconite is common. Kensington soils formed in loess and Illinoian age or Wisconsinan age till. Trackler soils formed in loamy colluvium and residuum from fine-grained igneous rocks, predominantly rhyolite. Tuscarawas soils formed in channery colluvium and in residuum weathered from clayey acid shale. Wharton soils formed in residuum from interbedded clay shale, siltstone, and fine-grained sandstone on uplands. Whiteside soils formed in colluvium and alluvium derived from materials weathered from felsic to mafic crystalline rocks. Woodstown soils formed in sandy marine and old alluvial sediments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bigpool soils formed in alluvium derived from sedimentary rocks on nearly level high flood plains along major rivers, commonly 25 to 30 feet above the water line at normal summer flow. Slope gradients range from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 50 to 54 degrees F., and annual precipitation ranges from 38 to 55 inches. Elevation ranges from 200 to 600 feet above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Combs,
Dunning,
Lindside,
Melvin,
Downsville,
Monongahela, and
Tyler soils. Combs soils are well drained and are commonly found on the stream levee position. The Dunning and Melvin soils are very poorly and poorly drained, and commonly found in the back water areas. Lindside soils do not have argillic horizons. Downsville, Monongahela, and Tyler soils are found on adjacent higher stream terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Bigpool soils are moderately well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low to high. Permeability is moderately slow to slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the soil is in cultivated crops such as corn, soybean, small grains, and hay. Some areas are used for recreation and wildlife. Native vegetation consists of ash, yellow poplar, red maple, pines, and oaks.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Maryland, and potentially Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The soils of this series are not extensive. MLRA:147, 130, 148
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washington County, Maryland 1998
REMARKS:
1. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are;
a. Orchric epipedon - 0 to 11 inches (Ap horizon)
b. Argillic horizon - 21 to 41 inches (Bt horizon)
c. Redoximorphic features commonly occur within the
upper 24 inches of the argillic horizon.
2. This soil was formerly mapped as phases of the Huntington series along the Potomac River.
3. Cation-exchange activity class is based on classification of geographically associated soils.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.