LOCATION DAN RIVER VA+NC
Established Series
DHE-DTA/Rev.JAK/Rev.DTA
04/2026
DAN RIVER SERIES
MLRA(s): 136 (mesic part)
Soil Survey Regional Office (SSRO) Responsible: Southeast
Depth Class: Very deep
Agricultural Drainage Class: Well drained
Flooding Frequency and Duration: Frequent or occasional for brief periods
Index Surface Runoff: Negligible to low
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately high
Shrink-Swell Potential: Low
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Flood plain
Parent Material: Alluvium
Slope: 0 to 3 percent
Elevation (type location): 105 meters (343 feet)
Frost Free Period (type location): 190 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 14 degrees C (57 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1067 millimeters (42 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Dan River loam (in an area of Dan River loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, occasionally flooded), in cropland. (Colors are for moist soil, unless otherwise indicated.)
A--0 to 23 centimeters (0 to 9 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 centimeters (3 to 10 inches) thick)
Bw1--23 to 64 centimeters (9 to 25 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--64 to 76 centimeters (25 to 30 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
Bw3--76 to 104 centimeters (30 to 41 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron and common medium prominent pale brown (10YR 6/3) iron depletions; common fine black manganese nodules; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw4--104 to 142 centimeters (41 to 56 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron and common medium prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; common fine black manganese nodules; few fine flakes of mica; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 14 to 50 inches.)
C--142 to 157 centimeters (56 to 62 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy loam; massive; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron and common medium prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; common very fine flakes of mica; very strongly acid
TYPE LOCATION: Halifax County, Virginia; about 1,600 feet west on State Route 658 from where it crosses the Dan River, near Paces, Virginia; USGS Oak Level, Virginia topographic quadrangle.
Latitude--36.6446
Longitude-- -79.0928
Datum--WGS84
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to top of Cambic horizon: 8 to 25 centimeters (3 to 10 inches)
Depth to base of Cambic horizon: 61 to 152 centimeters (24 to 60 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 152 centimeters (60 inches)
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 76 to 102 centimeters (30 to 40 inches)
Rock Fragment Content: 0 to 10 percent, by volume throughout; mostly quartz pebbles
Mica Content: 0 to 20 percent, by volume throughout
Soil Reaction: Very strongly acid to slightly acid throughout, unless limed
Other features: Some pedons have buried A or B horizons, below a depth of 63 centimeters (25 inches), with the same range in color and texture as the A or B horizons.
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
A horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, chroma of 2 to 4
Texture--very fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand
Bw horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8. Some pedons have a lower Bw with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 7, chroma of 3 to 6.
Texture--loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)--masses of oxidized iron in shades of yellow, brown, or red and iron depletions in shades of gray, brown, yellow, or olive. Iron depletions with chroma of 2 or less are below 61 centimeters (24 inches).
Bg horizon, (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 3 to 7
Texture--loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, or silt loam
Redoximorphic features-masses of oxidized iron in shades of yellow, brown, or red and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, and gray
BC horizon, (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 6, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture--loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Redoximorphic features-masses of oxidized iron in shades of yellow, brown, or red and iron depletions in shades of gray, brown, or yellow
BCg horizon, (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 6, chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 3 to 6
Texture--loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Redoximorphic features-masses of oxidized iron in shades of yellow, brown, or red and iron depletions in shades of gray, brown, or yellow
C horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture--loamy fine sand, loamy sand, sand, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Redoximorphic features-masses of oxidized iron in shades of yellow, brown, or red and iron depletions in shades of gray, brown, or yellow
Cg horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 7
Texture--loamy fine sand, loamy sand, sand, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Redoximorphic features-masses of oxidized iron in shades of yellow, brown, or red and iron depletions in shades of gray, brown, or yellow
COMPETING SERIES: None
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Flood plain
Parent Material: Alluvium
Slope: 0 to 3 percent
Elevation: 300 to 500 feet
Frost Free Period: 160 to 205 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 11 to 14 degrees C (52 to 57 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation: 1016 to 1397 millimeters (40 to 55 inches)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Biltmore soils--are sandy; on slightly higher natural levees
Codorus soils--are moderately well to somewhat poorly drained; on slightly lower-lying landforms
Comus soils--are well drained and coarse-loamy; on similar landforms
Elsinboro soils--are clayey; on adjacent low terraces
Hatboro soils--are poorly drained; on slightly lower-lying landforms
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Agricultural Drainage Class: Well drained
Index Surface Runoff: Negligible to low
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately high
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Cropland and woodland
Dominant vegetation: Where cultivated--small grain. Where forested--sweetgum, maple, yellow poplar, and sycamore.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Virginia and North Carolina
Extent: Moderate
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Halifax County, Virginia; 2009.
REMARKS: Dan River soils were previously mapped as Riverview or Congaree soils (thermic soils of MLRA 136). Due to the establishment of mesic regions in the Southern Piedmont, this soil is the mesic counterpart of Riverview and possibly Congaree series. The April 2026 revision changed the format. No data was changed.
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from 0 to 23 centimeters (0 to 9 inches) (A horizon)
Cambic horizon--the zone from 23 to 142 centimeters (9 to 56 inches) (Bw1, Bw2, Bw3, and Bw4 horizons)
Other soil features identified with this pedon:
Oxyaquic feature--indications of extended periods of saturation by the presence of redoximorphic features (masses and/or depletions) within 102 centimeters (40 inches) of the soil surface (Bw3 horizon)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Laboratory Data: No laboratory data available.
Database Information:
Typical Pedon Data Mapunit ID--103297
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation
DAN RIVER 0-3 52-57 160-205 40-55 300-500
FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness
OCCAS FREQ 2.5-3.3 APPARENT DEC-MAR >60 -
Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC-
0-9 SIL L VFSL 0-0 100-100 10-27 3-12
0-9 LS LFS 0-0 90-100 3-10 2-6
0-9 SL FSL 0-0 90-100 4-18 3-12
9-56 SCL SICL L 0-0 100-100 18-35 4-10
56-62 LFS SL S 0-0 100-100 4-18 2-6
Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll
0-9 4.5-6.5 0.5-2.0 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
0-9 4.5-6.5 0.5-2.0 0-0 2.0-6.0 LOW
0-9 4.5-6.5 0.5-2.0 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
6-56 4.5-6.0 0.5-1.0 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
56-72 4.5-6.0 0.5-1.0 0-0 2.0-6.0 LOW
________________________________________
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.