LOCATION CITICO TN+NCEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Citico channery silt loam - forested. (Colors are for moist
soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oe-0 to 1 inch; nearly black partially decomposed organic mat of pine needles
and hardwood leaves.
A-1 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) channery silt loam;
moderate medium granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; 15
percent phyllite channers by volume; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (1
to 4 inches thick)
BA-3 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) channery silt loam; moderate medium granular
and weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium
roots; 20 percent phyllite channers by volume; strongly acid; gradual wavy
boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bw-8 to 20 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) channery silt loam; weak medium
subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; 20 percent
phyllite channers by volume; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 18
inches thick)
BC-20 to 39 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) channery silt loam; weak medium
subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; 20 percent
phyllite channers by volume; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 24
inches thick)
C-39 to 49 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very channery silt loam; massive; friable;
few fine roots; 35 percent phyllite channers and 5 percent flagstones by volume;
strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
R-49 inches; hard phyllite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Monroe County, Tennessee; 6 miles southeast of Tellico Plains on
Old Furnace Road; .75 miles northeast of Holder Cemetery.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 30 to 50 inches and depth
to hard bedrock ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Channers, gravels, and flagstones
of phyllite, slate, or other fine grained metasedimentary rocks range from 15
to 35 percent by volume in the solum and from 15 to 50 percent by volume in the
C horizon. Reaction is very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Horizons
with value 3 have a thickness of less than 7 inches. Texture of the fine earth
is silt loam or loam.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6, Texture
of the fine earth is silt loam or loam.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. Few or
common mottles in shades of gray or brown may be present. Texture of the fine
earth is silt loam or loam.
Transitional horizons occur between the major horizons in many pedons. They
have properties and features similar to adjacent horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other competing series. The
Brecksville,
Irma,
and
Muskingum series are in closely related families. Brecksville and Muskingum
soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Irma soils have bedrock
greater than 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Citico soils are on foot slopes, benches, in coves, and on
lower parts of mountain slopes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, particularly in the
Unaka Mountain Range. They formed in colluvium from metasedimentary rocks
including phyllite, slate, and slightly metamorphosed shale, siltstone, or
sandstone.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Brasstown,
Brookshire,
Cataska,
Ditney,
Jeffrey,
Junaluska,
Keener,
Maymead,
Soco,
Spivey,
Sylco, and
Unicoi
series. Brasstown, Cataska, Ditney, Jeffrey, Junaluska, Soco, and Sylco soils
are on adjacent ridges and upper side slopes and formed in residuum.
Brookshire, Keener, Maymead, and Spivey soils are on landscapes similar to
Citico soils. Brasstown, Junaluska, and Keener soils have argillic horizons.
Brookshire and Jeffrey soils have dark surface horizons with color value and
chroma of 3 or less 7 to 10 inches thick. Cataska soils have a paralithic
contact within 20 inches. Ditney and Soco soils have a lithic contact between
20 and 40 inches and are in coarse-loamy families. Soco soils have a paralithic
contact between 20 and 40 inches. Maymead soils are in a coarse-loamy family.
Spivey soils have an umbric epipedon. Unicoi soils are in a loamy-skeletal
family and have a lithic contact within 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderate
permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Practically all areas are in forest. White pine, yellow
poplar, eastern hemlock, white oak, northern red oak, red maple, and yellow
birch are dominant in the overstory. Rhododendron, sweetball, and hydrangea are
common in the understory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Blue Ridge Mountains, in Tennessee and possibly in
North Carolina and Virginia. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Monroe County, Tennessee; 1974.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon (after mixing) - 1 to 8 inches
Cambic horizon - 8 to 20 inches
Lithic contact - 49 inches
ADDITIONAL DATA: SIR=TN0072