LOCATION CATALPA MS+AL AR

Established Series
Rev. WMK: RBH: WIS; GRB
03/2019

CATALPA SERIES

The Catalpa series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly to moderately well drained, slowly permeable soils on flood plains or low terraces of streams that drain areas of the Alabama and Mississippi Blackland Prairie Major Land Resource Area (MLRA 135A). They formed in clayey alluvium. Near the type location, the average annual temperature is about 63 degrees, F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 51 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Fluvaquentic Hapludolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Catalpa silty clay loam, occasionally flooded, in cultivated field (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).

Ap--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silty clay loam; moderate fine and medium granular structure, some platiness in lower 2 inches; firm, sticky, plastic; few fine roots; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--6 to 20 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silty clay; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky and angular blocky; firm, sticky, plastic; few fine roots; faint pressure faces on surfaces of peds; few fine distinct pieces of charcoal; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 24 inches)

Bw1--20 to 27 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate and strong fine and medium angular blocky and subangular blocky; firm, very sticky, very plastic; faint pressure faces on surfaces of peds; few fine brown 910YR 4/4) and black (10YR 2/1) concretions; few fine lime concretions; slightly effervescent; common fine faint olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) areas of iron accumulations; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Bw2--27 to 41 inches; 50 percent olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) and 50 percent dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky and subangular blocky; firm, sticky, very plastic; distinct pressure faces on surfaces of peds; few fine dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and black (10YR 2/1) concretions; few distinct pieces charcoal; slightly effervescent; the areas of olive brown are iron accumulations and the areas of dark grayish brown are iron depletions; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Bw3--41 to 54 inches; 50 percent dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) and 50 percent olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) silty clay; moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm, sticky, very plastic; distinct pressure faces on surfaces of peds; few fine dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and black (10YR 2/1) concretions; few medium lime concretions; slightly effervescent; the areas of dark grayish brown are iron depletions and the areas of olive brown are iron accumulations; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons ranges from 25 to 55 inches)

BC--54 to 60 inches; 34 percent dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2), 33 percent olive brown (2.5Y 4/4), and 33 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay; weak fine angular blocky structure; firm, sticky, very plastic; distinct pressure faces on surfaces of peds; few fine dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and black (10YR 2/1) concretions; few medium lime concretions; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Lee County, Mississippi. Approximately 5.0 miles west of Shannon, about 770 feet east and 100 feet north of the SW corner of the SW1/4, SW1/4, Sec. 17, T. 11 S., R. 5 E.; lat. 34 degrees 7 minutes 8.76 seconds N. and long. 88 degrees 48 minute 14.14 seconds W., WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum exceeds 60 inches. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline throughout, except where the surface has been limed.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 5Y, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3; or it is neutral with value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 0. Texture is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay. Some pedons have an overwash of coarser materials that is less than 10 inches thick in areas along stream channels.

The upper part of the Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4, and chroma of 2, or there is no dominant color and is multicolored in shades of brown and gray. Redoximorphic features in shades of yellow, brown and/or gray range from few to many. Texture is silty clay loam, silty clay or clay.

The lower part of the Bw horizon has no dominant color and is multicolored in shades of brown and gray. Lime concretions and/or concretions in shades of brown and black range from none to common. Texture is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay.

The BC horizon has no dominant color and is multicolored in shades of brown, gray, yellow or olive. Lime concretions and/or concretions in shades of brown and black range from few to common. Texture is clay, silty clay, or silty clay loam.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no known competing series in the same family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Catalpa soils are on flood plains or low terraces along streams that drain the Alabama and Mississippi Blackland Prairie. They formed in clayey alluvial sediments. The climate is humid subtropical. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 51 inches and the mean annual temperature is 63 degrees Fahrenheit near the type location.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Belden, Griffith, Houlka, Leeper, Marietta, Tuscumbia and Una soils. These soils formed in clayey alluvium derived from uplands of the Blackland Prairie. The somewhat poorly drained Belden soils are on similar to lower positions, have fine-silty control sections and do not have mollic epipedons. The moderately well drained Griffith soils are on similar to slightly higher positions and are Vertisols. The somewhat poorly drained Houlka soils are on similar positions, are acidic throughout, do not have mollic epipedons and are Vertisols. The somewhat poorly drained Leeper soils are on similar to slightly lower positions and do not have mollic epipedons. The moderately well drained Marietta soils are on similar to slightly higher positions, have fine-loamy control sections and do not have Mollic epipedons. The poorly drained Tuscumbia and Una soils are on adjacent lower areas and sloughs and do not have mollic epipedons.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Catalpa soils have been cleared and are used for pasture, hayland and row crops such as cotton, corn, and soybeans. Wooded areas are in mixed hardwoods.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Oktibbeha County, Mississippi; 1907.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:

Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of about 20 inches (Ap and A horizons).

Cambic horizon - the zone from approximately 20 to 60 inches (Bw1, Bw2, Bw3 and BC horizons).

The water table is at a depth of 1.5 to 2.0 feet during wet seasons late in winter and early in spring. Catalpa soils are subject to either occasional or frequent flooding for brief duration late in winter and early in spring.

Catalpa soils are in MLRA 135A.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available on the National Soil Survey website at: http;://ncsslabdatamart.sc.egov.usda.gov/querypage.aspx

Laboratory data was sampled and provided by the National Soil Survey laboratory, Lincoln, NE.

Engineering test data for the typical profile are published in the Soil Survey of Lee County, Mississippi (issued March 1973) pp. 54-55.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.