LOCATION BLANDBURG PA+WV
Established Series
Rev. TAC-JWB-WJN
08/2020
BLANDBURG SERIES
Blandburg series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively and excessively drained, rapidly permeable soils on gently sloping ridgetops and side slopes. They formed in residual, colluvial or frost-churned materials derived from acid sandstone. Slopes range from 2 to 35 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 6 degrees C (43 degrees F) and mean annual precipitation is about 1143 mm (45 inches).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, siliceous, semiactive, frigid Typic Haplorthods
TYPICAL PEDON: Blandburg very channery fine sandy loam on a 4 percent convex south-west facing slope in a hardwood forest at an elevation of 722 meters (2,367 feet) (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise indicated.)
Oi--0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches); slightly decomposed hardwood leaf litter; 30 percent flat subangular indurated sandstone channers.
Oa--5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches); highly decomposed hardwood leaf litter; many very fine and fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; 30 percent sandstone channers; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the O horizon is 0 to 15 cm [0 to 6 inches] thick)
A--8 to 13 centimeters (3 to 5 inches); black (10YR 2/1) very channery fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; 35 percent sandstone channers; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 cm [0 to 6 inches] thick)
E--13 to 48 centimeters (5 to 19 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/2) extremely channery loamy sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; 10 percent sandstone flagstones, 15 percent sandstone stones, and 40 percent sandstone channers; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 46 cm [0 to 18 inches] thick)
Bhs--48 to 53 centimeters (19 to 21 inches); dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) extremely channery sandy loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic, moderately smeary; many very fine and fine roots throughout; 25 percent continuous faint organoargillans on all faces of peds; 10 percent sandstone flagstones, 15 percent sandstone stones, and 40 percent sandstone channers; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); abrupt irregular boundary.
Bs--53 to 76 centimeters (21 to 30 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) extremely channery sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic, weakly smeary; many very fine and fine roots throughout; 10 percent sandstone flagstones, 15 percent sandstone stones, and 40 percent sandstone channers; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bhs and Bh horizons is 5 to 69 cm (2 to 27 inches) thick)
BC--76 to 112 centimeters (30 to 44 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) extremely stony sandy loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; 20 percent sandstone flagstones, 20 percent sandstone stones, and 30 percent sandstone channers; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 61 cm (0 to 24 inches) thick)
C--112 to 163 centimeters (44 to 65 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) extremely stony sandy loam; loose single grain; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; 15 percent sandstone flagstones, 35 percent sandstone stones, and 30 percent sandstone channers; very strongly acid (pH 5.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Potter County, Pennsylvania; about 3.6 miles southwest on Rock Ridge Road from its intersection with State Route 44; 60 feet south of the road. Ayers Hill, Pennsylvania, USGS topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 38 minutes 45.96 seconds N. and longitude 77 degrees 53 minutes 52.46 seconds W., WGS 84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
The solum is 89 to 140 cm (35 to 55 inches) thick. Depth to bedrock is greater than 152 cm (60 inches). Rock fragments range from 25 to 80 percent by volume, throughout, and typically are sandstone channers and gravel but some pedons contain flagstones and stones. These soils commonly have sandstone stones and boulders on the surface. Soil reaction ranges from ultra-acid through strongly acid. Depth to the top of the Spodic horizon ranges from 5 to 50 cm (2 to 20 inches). Depth to the base of the Spodic horizon ranges from 10 to 102 cm (4 to 40 inches). Shrink-swell Potential is low.
The O horizon, an organic horizon in various stages of composition is present. It is slightly to highly decomposed (fibric or sapric). This horizon is mainly derived from the leaf litter of oaks, northern hardwoods, hemlock, red spruce and ferns.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 2, and chroma of 0 through 2. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam, in the fine-earth fraction.
The E horizon has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 4 through 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam, in the fine-earth fraction.
The Bh horizon, if present, has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 2 through 4, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam, in the fine-earth fraction. Moist consistence is friable to firm. Manner of failure is weakly or moderately smeary.
The Bhs horizon has hue of 2.5YR through 10YR, value of 3 or less, chroma of 3 or less. It is loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. Moist consistence is friable to firm. Manner of failure is weakly or moderately smeary.
The Bs horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 4 through 6. It is loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam, in the fine-earth fraction. Moist consistence is friable or firm. Manner of failure is weakly or moderately smeary.
The BC horizon, if present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 through 6, chroma of 4 through 8. It is loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam, in the fine-earth fraction.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 through 7, chroma of 4 or 6. It is sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam, in the fine-earth fraction.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. The
Gauley,
Hermon,
Leetonia,
Nipissing and
Winnecook series are in closely related families. Gauley soils are moderately deep (51 to 102 cm) to bedrock. Hermon soils are in a sandy-skeletal particle-size class and are formed in granitic glacial till. Leetonia soils are in a sandy-skeletal particle-size class and have a mesic soil temperature regime. Nipissing soils are moderately deep (51 to 102 cm) to bedrock and formed from glacial lake beach deposits. Winnecook soils are moderately deep (51 to 102 cm) to bedrock and are formed in glacial till derived from phyllite, slate or shale.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Blandburg soils are on gently sloping ridgetops and side slopes at 640 to 1494 meters (2100 to 4900 feet) elevation. Slopes range from 2 to 35 percent. They formed in residual, colluvial or frost-churned materials derived from acid sandstone. The mean annual precipitation is 1067 to 1321 mm (42 to 52 inches). Mean annual air temperature is about 6 to 7 degrees C. (43 to 45 degrees F.). The frost-free period is about 90 - 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are
Elko,
Gaudineer,
Gauley,
Leatherbark,
Mandy,
Onoville,
Paddyknob, Shinglehouse,
Snowdog,
Trussel and
Wildell soils. Elko, Snowdog and Onoville are moderately well drained, have a fragipan, and do not have a spodic horizon. Gaudineer soils have more clay and less sand in the fine-earth fraction. Gauley soils are moderately deep. Mandy soils are moderately deep and do not meet the definition of spodosol based on iron, aluminum and ODOE values. Paddyknob soils are moderately deep and do not have a spodic horizon. Leatherbark soils are moderately deep and somewhat poorly drained. Shinglehouse soils are moderately well to somewhat poorly drained and have a fragipan. Trussel soils are very deep, poorly drained have a fragipan, and do not have a spodic horizon. Wildell soils are moderately deep and have mixed mineralogy.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively and excessively drained. Surface runoff is negligible to medium. Permeability is rapid. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nearly all areas of these soils are in woodland. Some small areas on public land have been cleared for wildlife food plots. The forest overstory includes northern hardwoods, hemlock, and red spruce. The understory includes mountain laurel, great rhododendron, huckleberry, and low bush blueberry. Ground cover includes clubmoss, ground pine, and ferns.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High elevation in the MLRA 127 regions of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and possibly Maryland and Virginia. The series is of moderate extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cambria County, Pennsylvania, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from 0 to 48 cm (Oi, Oa, A and E horizons)
Albic horizon--the zone from 13 to 48 cm (E horizon)
Spodic horizon--the zone from 48 to 76 cm (Bhs and Bs horizons)
Series control section--the zone from 0 to 76 cm
The 7/2020 revision moves the Type Location and the Typical Pedon for the series to Potter County, PA from Garrett Co. MD where it was never correlated. It also revises the mineralogy class from mixed to siliceous. The revision of the mineralogy class is based on laboratory data and the classification of soils which have formed in materials weathered from the same parent bedrock; these include Dekalb, Gauley, Hazleton, Leetonia, and Paddyknob soils.
Previous revisions: 1/84--DLY, CER; 12/05-DLY, CER
These soils were previously recognized as members of the Hazleton and Leetonia series in areas where soil temperature studies by the Pennsylvania State University and NRCS have shown that the soil temperature class is frigid.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data are available from Pennsylvania State University for the following pedons sampled as members of the Hazleton series; S71 PA11-1, S71 PA11-2, S71 PA11-3, S67 PA062-001, S67 PA062-002, S78 PA056-005, S78 PA053-007, S78 PA053-008, S79 PA042-007, S88 PA017-039. The data from these pedons support the classification of the series.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.