LOCATION CONGAREE SC+AL GA NC VAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, nonacid, thermic Oxyaquic Udifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Congaree loam--cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; common wormcasts; many fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C1--8 to 18 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) loam; massive; friable; many fine roots; many fine pores; few wormcasts; many fine flakes of mica; medium acid; gradual wavy boundary.
C2--18 to 22 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; massive; friable; many fine roots; few fine pores; few wormcasts; common 1/4 inch horizontal lenses of light yellowish brown loamy fine sand; few fine flakes of mica; medium acid; clear smooth boundary.
C3--22 to 32 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very fine sandy loam; massive; friable; many fine roots; many fine pores; many fine flakes of mica; few thin lenses of loamy fine sand; few fine fragments of charcoal; medium acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
Ab--32 to 38 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; many fine pores; few wormcasts; many fine flakes of mica; medium acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bb--38 to 62 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic and subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; many fine and medium pores; few faint silt coatings on vertical ped faces; common fine flakes of mica; medium acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 30 inches thick)
C'--62 to 80 inches; mottled strong brown (7.5YR 5/8), brown (10YR 5/3) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam; massive; friable; common fine flakes of mica; common 1 to 2 mm. very dark brown and black concretions; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Richland County, South Carolina, 2-1/2 miles south of Farmers Market, 1/2 mile east of Congaree River, on Congaree River flood plain, 0.8 mile north of Burwell Mannin grain drier and storage facility, 100 feet east of field road.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock commonly is more than 10 feet. The soil is very strongly acid to neutral throughout but some part of the control section has a pH of 5.5 or higher. Thin strata of contrasting textures are in the C horizon. Most pedons have few to many flakes of mica. Content of coarse fragments commonly is less than 2 percent by volume. Content of organic matter is erratic with depth and buried horizons commonly below a depths of 24 inches.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 6. Where the value is less than 3.5, and A or Ap horizon is less than 6 inches thick. The A horizon is loam, silt loam, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam.
The C horizon, to a depth of 20 inches or more, has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. Mottles in shades of red, brown, or yellow are in some pedons. Below a depth of 20 inches to a depth of about 50 inches, colors are similar to the upper part of the C horizon; however, some pedons range to a hue of 2.5Y, and may have mottles of chroma 2 or less. Below about 50 inches, the color ranges from brown to gray, commonly with contrasting mottles. Texture of the particle-size control section is silty clay loam, sandy clay loam, fine sandy loam, or loam commonly with strata of coarser or finer material. Below a depth of 40 inches, the texture is variable, ranging from loamy sand to silty clay.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other known series in this family. Similar soils in other families are the Bunyan, Cascilla, Dela, Morganfield, Neubert, Norwood, Ochlockonee, Riverview, Robinsonville, Starr, and Toccoa series. Bunyan soils are neutral to alkaline in some part of the 10 to 40 inch control section. Cascilla, Morganfield, and Norwood soils have less than 15 percent fine and coarser sand in the 10 to 40 inch control section. Neubert soils have siliceous mineralogy. Dela, Ochlockonee, Robinsonville, and Toccoa soils contain 8 to 18 percent clay in the 10- to 40-inch control section. Riverview soils are more acid and have a cambic horizon. Starr soils have a dark red to strong brown cambic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Congaree soils are on flood plains or at base of slopes. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. The soil formed in loamy alluvium, 2 to 6 feet thick. Near the type location, the average annual temperature is 64 degrees F., the annual precipitation is 44 inches, and the freeze-free growing season is 217 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar Starr and Toccoa series, and the Altavista, Augusta, Buncombe, Cartecay, Chewacla. State, and Wehadkee series. Altavista, Augusta, and State soils have an argillic horizon. Buncombe soils, to a depth of 40 inches, are sand or loamy sand. Cartecay soils have less than 18 percent clay in the 10- to 40-inch control section and they have mottles of 2 or lower chroma within 24 inches of the surface. Chewacla and Wehadkee soils have a cambic horizon. In addition, Chewacla soils have mottles of 2 or lower chroma within 20 inches of the surface, and Wehadkee soils are dominantly gray.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well to moderately well drained; slow surface runoff; moderate permeability. These soils flood for brief periods, during winter or spring.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas have been cleared and are used for growing corn, small grain, vegetables, pasture, and hay. Native vegetation is oak, hickory, gum, poplar, and loblolly pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The series is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Orangeburg County, South Carolina; 1904.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 8 inches
Stratification and irregular distribution of OM - 10 to 40 inches
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
SOI-5 Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation SC0064 CONGAREE 0- 4 59- 66 190-225 42- 50 100- 500SOI-5 FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness SC0064 NONE COMMON 2.5-4.0 APPARENT NOV-APR 60-60
SOI-5 Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC- SC0064 0- 8 FSL SL 0- 0 95-100 5-15 5- 12 SC0064 0- 8 L SIL 0- 0 95-100 10-25 6- 15 SC0064 8-62 SICL FSL L 0- 0 95-100 18-35 5- 18 SC0064 62-80 VAR - - - -
SOI-5 Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll SC0064 0- 8 4.5- 7.3 1.-3. 0- 0 0.6- 6.0 LOW SC0064 0- 8 4.5- 7.3 1.-4. 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW SC0064 8-62 4.5- 7.3 1.-3. 0- 0 0.6- 2.0 LOW SC0064 62-80 - - - -