LOCATION BRITWATER AR+KY MO OKEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Paleudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Britwater gravelly silt loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes, in pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly silt loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; many fine roots; about 15 percent chert gravel 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 22 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; about 20 percent chert gravel 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--22 to 35 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) very gravelly silty clay loam; common medium distinct brown (10YR 5/3) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine roots; many faint clay films on faces of peds; about 40 percent chert gravel 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--35 to 60 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) very gravelly silty clay loam; few medium prominent brown (10YR 5/3) mottles; moderate fine blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; about 50 percent chert gravel 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt4--60 to 74 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) very gravelly silty clay; common medium distinct dark red (2.5YR 3/6) and brown (10YR 5/3) mottles; moderate fine blocky structure; firm; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; about 50 percent chert gravel 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter; strongly acid. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon ranges from 55 to more than 74 inches.)
TYPE LOCATION: Benton County, Arkansas; 4 miles south of Bentonville; 1/8 mile north of Osage Creek; SW1/4NW1/4NW1/4 sec. 20, T. 19 N., R. 30 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to Bedrock: greater than 60 inches
Note: The soil is neutral to very strongly acid in the A, BE, and Bt1 horizons and slightly acid to very strongly acid in the lower Bt horizons.
A or Ap horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Fine-earth: silt loam or loam
Total Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent gravel
BE or BA horizon (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Fine-earth: loam or silt loam
Total Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent gravel
Bt1 horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 8
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5
Chroma: 6 or 8
Fine-earth: silt loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam
Total Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent gravel
Bt2 horizon
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 8
Fine-earth: silt loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam
Total Rock fragments: 5 to 45 percent gravel
Bt3, Bt4 and 2Bt horizons
Hue: 10R to 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 4 to 8
Fine-earth: silty clay loam, silty clay, sandy clay loam, clay loam, or clay
Total Rock fragments: 15 to 75 percent gravel
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Holstein, Morven, and Negley series. Holstein soils have sandy clay loam and loam textures and fewer rock fragments in the lower Bt horizon. Morven soils formed in material weathered from calcareous conglomerate rock. Negley soils have sandy clay loam and sandy clay textures and fewer rock fragments in the lower Bt horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Britwater soils are on old, high stream terraces. Slope gradients are 1 to 12 percent. The soils formed in moderately fine textured alluvial sediments washed from cherty limestone, or cherty dolomite uplands. The mean annual temperature is about 54 to 58 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 38 to 48 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Captina, Doniphan, Elsah, Healing, Peridge, Razort, Secesh, and Waben series. Captina soils are on adjacent uplands; are in a fine-silty particle-size class and have fragipans. Doniphan soils are on adjacent uplands; are in a clayey particle-size class and have lower base saturation. Elsah soils are on lower floodplains; are in a loamy-skeletal particle-size and do not have an argillic horizons. Healing soils are on lower terraces and floodplains; are in a fine-silty particle-size class and have mollic epipedons. Peridge soils are on adjacent uplands and in a fine-silty particle-size class. Razort soils are on lower floodplains and terraces and have mollic epipedons. Secesh soils are on lower floodplains; are in a siliceous mineralogy class and have a lithologic discontinuities. Waben soils are on similar narrow terraces, or alluvial fans; are in a loamy-skeletal particle-size class and siliceous mineralogy class.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is low to medium. Permeability is moderate, the saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for pasture, hay, small grains and corn production. Native vegetation was mostly hardwoods such as oaks, hickory, and black walnut.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Arkansas and southern Missouri (MLRAs 116A and 116B). The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Benton County, Arkansas; 1973.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - surface to a depth of 6 inches (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 6 to 74 inches (Bt horizons).
The Britwater series was formerly included in the Etowah series.