LOCATION CULLOWHEE NC
Established Series
MLS-AG; Rev. BPS
02/2011
CULLOWHEE SERIES
The Cullowhee series consists of somewhat poorly drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils on flood plains in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. They formed in recent alluvium that is loamy in the upper part and is moderately deep to sandy strata that contain more than 35 percent by volume rock fragments. They are very deep to bedrock. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. Near the type location, mean annual air temperature is 55 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is 50 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Fluvaquentic Humudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Cullowhee fine sandy loam on 1 percent slope in a flood plain--pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; common fine flakes of mica; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.
A--8 to 13 inches, dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sandy loam; common medium faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) mottles; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; common fine and medium roots; common fine flakes of mica; few thin lenses of loamy sand; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 20 inches)
AC--13 to 19 inches, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) loamy sand; few fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; massive; very friable; common fine flakes of mica; few fine and medium roots; few manganese concretions; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
C--19 to 23 inches, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy sand; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles; massive; very friable; common fine flakes of mica; few manganese concretions; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.
Ab--23 to 35 inches, black (10YR 2/1) loamy fine sand; few medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles; massive; very friable; common fine flakes of mica; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
C'--35 to 65 inches, multicolored, extremely gravelly sand; single grained; loose; dominantly water-worn gravel with many cobbles; common fine flakes of mica; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, North Carolina; 0.2 mile south of intersection of NC 107 and SR 1001 on SR 1001; northwest on farm path just before crossing Cullowhee Creek; 50 feet north of path in field.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 12 to 35 inches. Sandy C horizons that contain more that 35 percent by volume gravel and/or cobbles are within depths of 20 to 40 inches. Gravel and/or cobbles are in the A and AC horizons of some pedons but comprise less than 35 percent. Content of mica flakes is few to common. Reaction is very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam in the fine-earth fraction. In some pedons, there is a recently deposited thin layer of loamy or sandy overwash. Also, most pedons have an Ab horizon that ranges from sand to loam in the fine-earth fraction. It has the same color range as the A horizon.
The AC horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sand, or coarse sand in the fine-earth fraction.
The Bw horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is mottled in chroma of 2 or less within 20 inches of the surface. It is loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction.
Some pedons have a Bg horizon below a depth of 20 inches that has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of l or 2. It has the same textures as the Bw horizon. The Bg horizon, where present, does not immediately underlie the umbric epipedon.
The C or C' horizons, where present, are similar in color to the Bw horizon. If they immediately underlie the umbric epipedon, mottles with chroma of 2 or less are within 20 inches of the surface. Some pedons have a Cg horizon below a depth of 20 inches. The Cg horizon, where present, is similar in color to the Bg horizon. The C and Cg horizons, in the upper part are usually sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand, but range to include sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and loam. Within depths of 20 to 40 inches,the C or Cg horizons are sand, loamy sand, coarse sand, or loamy coarse sand in the fine-earth fraction and contain more than 35 percent rock fragments by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other known series in this family. Soil series in r
Elated families are the
Arkaqua,
Colvard,
Comus,
Craigsville,
Dellwood,
French,
Iotla, Ela,
Nikwasi,
Ostin,
Potomac,
Rosman, and
Toxaway soils. Arkaqua, Colvard, Comus, Iotla, Rosman, and Toxaway soils lack sandy-skeletal material within depths of 20 to 40 inches. Craigsville soils are loamy-skeletal. Dellwood, Potomac and Ostin soils are sandy-skeletal. French soils are fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal. Ela and Nikwasi soils are poorly to very poorly drained with dominant chroma of 2 or less immediately underlying the umbric epipedon. Nikwasi soils have A horizons thicker than 24 inches.
Reddies soils are moderately well drained and do not have chroma 2 or less mottles within a depth of 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cullowhee soils are on nearly level, relatively narrow flood plains in the upper reaches of watersheds in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in recent alluvium consisting of loamy material that is moderately deep to sandy, gravelly, and /or cobbly strata. Near the type location, mean annual air temperature is about 55 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is about 50 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are
Craigsville,
Dellwood,
French,
Ela,
Nikwasi,
Ostin,
Potomac,
Reddies, and
Toxaway soils. Craigsville, Dellwood, Ostin, Potomac, and Reddies soils are better drained and are typically nearer to the stream channels than Cullowhee soils. French soils are in similar positions to Cullowhee soils. Ela, Nikwasi and Toxaway soils are wetter and are farther from stream channels.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability in the A, Bw, and Bg horizons, and rapid in the AC, C, and Cg horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is used for hay, corn, pasture, truck crops, or ornamental crops. The rest is mainly in hardwood forest. Common trees are yellow poplar, red maple, sycamore, yellow birch, and river birch. A few areas have been planted to eastern white pine. Common understory plants include rhododendron, sedges, and eastern hemlock.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Blue Ridge mountains, MLRA 130B of North Carolina, and possibly Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, North Carolina, 1991. The name is from the town of Cullowhee, North Carolina.
REMARKS: The soils now placed in the Cullowhee series were previously included in the Iotla and French series. However, these soils lack an umbric epipedon. In addition, Iotla soils lack sandy-skeletal material within a depth of 40 inches, and French soils are fine-loamy. This revision classifies Cullowhee soils in the Aquic Haplumbrepts subgroup which was added to "Soil Taxonomy" by "National Soil Taxonomy Handbook Issue No. 13", October, 11, 1989.
Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon - 0 to 13 inches (Ap and A horizons)
Dominant chroma of more than 2 immediately underlying the umbric epipedon, and mottles of chroma 2 within 20 inches of the surface.
Sandy-skeletal material at a depth of 35 inches (C' horizon)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
MLRA: 130B SIR: NC0209
Revised 02/11-BPS: Taxonomic Classification -- 11th Keys, update competing and associated series, MLRA clarification
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.