LOCATION CANAVERAL               FL

Established Series
Rev. TEC; WGH; GRB
03/2019

CANAVERAL SERIES


The Canaveral series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly to moderately well drained, very rapidly permeable soils on side slopes of dune-like ridges bordering depressions and sloughs along the coast in Peninsular Florida. They formed in thick marine deposits of sand and shell fragments. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 73 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 55 inches. Slopes are dominantly less than 3 percent but range up to 5 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hyperthermic, uncoated Aquic Quartzipsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Canaveral sand--forested (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).

A1--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sand; single grained; loose; many fine roots, common medium and large roots; about 5 percent, by volume, pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine shell fragments; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

A2--6 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sand; single grained; loose; common fine roots, few medium and large roots; about 10 percent, by volume, sand-size shell fragments, few pale brown (10YR 6/3) shell up to 1 cm in length; few medium faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) streaks along root channels; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons ranges from 4 to 15 inches)

C1--12 to 32 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand; single grained; loose; about 30 percent, by volume, multicolored shell fragments sand-size to 0.5 cm in length; few medium faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) streaks; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

C2--32 to 38 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) coarse sand mixed with multicolored shell fragments; single grained; loose; about 55 percent, by volume, shell fragments ranging from sand-size to 1 cm in length; few medium distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) streaks and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of organic matter accumulation and shell fragments; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

C3--38 to 80 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) coarse sand mixed with multicolored shell fragments; single grained; loose; few fine and medium decaying roots; about 35 to 45 percent by volume, shell fragments ranging from sand-size to 1 cm in length; few coarse distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of redoximorphic accumulation in the upper 3 inches, few medium distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) streaks along old root channels; calcareous; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Brevard County, Florida; Floridana Beach, approximately 0.25 mile west of State Highway A1A on Carman Street and about 50 feet south of north turn in road; lat. 27 degrees 56 minutes 20.99 seconds N. and long. 80 degrees 29 minutes 49.88 seconds W., WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline throughout. The shell fragments are calcareous. Silt plus clay in the control section is less than 5 percent.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 3; or it is neutral with value of value of 2 to 4. Content of shell fragments ranges from about 5 to 15 percent, by volume. Texture is coarse sand, sand, or fine sand.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 4; or it is neutral with value of 5 or 6. Streaks and splotches in shades of brown, gray, and yellow range from few to common. Redoximorphic features in shades of yellow, brown, and gray range from few to many. This horizon is a mixture of sand and multicolored shells or shell fragments, but in some pedons sand and shells are stratified. Content of shell ranges from 10 to 60 percent in some subhorizon within the control section. Texture is coarse sand, sand, or fine sand.

COMPETING SERIES: These are Adamsville, Broward, Padre, Panam, and Satellite series in the same family. All these soils lack shells within depths of 80 inches. Adamsville, Broward, and Satellite soils are somewhat poorly drained. In addition, Adamsville soils are on slightly lower positions, Broward soils are on similar positions and are moderately deep to limestone, while Satellite soils are on similar positions. Padre and Panam soils are confined to the dune areas of the Texas Gulf coast.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Canaveral soils are on low dune-like ridges and side slopes bordering depressions and sloughs along the coast in the lower Coastal Plain. Slopes are dominantly 0 to 3 percent but range up to 5 percent. They formed in thick marine deposits of sand and shell fragments. The climate is humid subtropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 60 inches and average annual temperature ranges from 72 to 74 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Anclote, Delray, Palm Beach, Paola, Pompano, St. Lucie, and Welaka series. All the associated soils except Palm Beach and Welaka soils lack shells within depths of 80 inches. Anclote, Delray, and Pompano soils are on lower positions and are very poorly drained. In addition, Anclote and Delray soils have mollic epipedons. Palm Beach, Paola, St. Lucie, and Welaka soils are on higher positions. In addition, Palm Beach soils are well to somewhat excessively drained, Paola soils are excessively drained and have poorly defined spodic horizons, St. Lucie soils are excessively drained, and Welaka soils are well drained, have poorly defined spodic horizons, and also have cambic horizons.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly to moderately well drained; very rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Canaveral soils remain in their natural state and are used for wildlife habitat and recreation. A few areas are used for building sites. The native vegetation consists of cabbage palm, scattered sawpalmetto, magnolias, bays, and slash pine with an understory of gallberry and pineland threeawn.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and southern part of Peninsular Florida along Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. The series is of small known extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Brevard County, Florida; 1970.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).

Internal drainage is impeded by a shallow water table. The water table is at depths of 10 to 40 inches for periods of 2 to 6 months or more.

These soils were formerly a part of the Palm Beach series.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.