LOCATION CHENIERE                LA

Established Series
Rev. WLC-KEM-CLN
03/2019

CHENIERE SERIES

The Cheniere series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained, rapidly permeable soils that formed in shell and sand beach deposits. These soils are on low ridges that generally parallel the coast. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Carbonatic, hyperthermic Typic Udipsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Cheniere sandy clay loam--on ridge crest, 1 percent slope. (Colors are for moist soil)

Ap--0 to 5 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy clay loam; weak coarse platy structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; common fine and medium roots; about 20 percent shell fragments 2 to 30 mm in diameter; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)

C1--5 to 26 inches; stratified yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and dark brown (10YR 3/3) sand, loamy sand, and shell; single grain; loose; common fine roots; about 40 percent shell fragments 2 to 40 mm in diameter, thin strata have up to 85 percent shell fragments; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)

C2--26 to 63 inches; stratified dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), brown (10YR 5/3) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4); sand, loamy fine sand, and shell fragments; single grain; loose; few fine roots; about 45 percent shell fragments 2 to 50 mm in diameter, individual strata contain 5 percent to 90 percent shell fragments; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.

TYPE LOCATION: Vermilion Parish, Louisiana; 1.0 mile west of Pecan Island school; 125 feet north of Louisiana Highway 82; 80 feet west of corral fence. SW1/4SE1/4 sec. 33, T. 15 S., R. 1 W.; lat. 29 degrees 39 minutes 8.17 seconds N. and long. 92 degrees 28 seconds 39.03 seconds W., WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Soil reaction ranges from slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline throughout.

The Ap and A horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. Content of shell fragments ranges from less than 10 percent to about 40 percent.

Where present, the Ab horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 3. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand. Content of shell fragments ranges from about 10 percent to about 40 percent.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is stratified sand, fine sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand, and shell. Content of shell fragments range from 35 to 85 percent by volume of the particle-size control section. Shell fragment content of individual strata ranges from 2 to 90 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. The Felicity, Galveston, and Peveto soils are competing in related families. Galveston, Felicity, and Peveto soils have mixed mineralogy.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cheniere soils are on low narrow ridges that generally parallel the coast. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in coastal beach deposits of shell and sand. Mean air temperature is 70 degrees F., and mean annual rainfall is about 53 inches near the type location.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Creole, Hackberry, Mermentau, Peveto, and Bancker series. The Creole and Bancker soils are on lower positions and are clayey. Mermentau soils are on lower positions and have clayey surface layers. Hackberry soils are on slightly lower positions and are loamy. Peveto soils are on similar landscape positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained. Runoff is low. Permeability is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for pasture and homesites. Some areas are used for gardens and orchards. Native vegetation is bermudagrass, switchgrass, eastern gamma, purpletop, carpetgrass, oak, sugarberry, and cactus.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. The soils of this series are of small extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AUBURN, ALABAMA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Vermilion Parish, Louisiana; 1988. Name is derived from the name of a local community.

REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Palm Beach series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon--0 to 5 inches (Ap horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: S85LA113-5.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.