LOCATION EGLIN FL
Established Series
Rev. FCW:AGH
10/2018
EGLIN SERIES
The Eglin series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in thick sandy marine sediments. These soils are on low, broad areas on uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, thermic Entic Grossarenic Alorthods
TYPICAL PEDON: Eglin sand--forested. (Colors are for moist soil.)
A--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) rubbed sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and common medium roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)
E1--2 to 5 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand; common medium faint brown (10YR 5/3) streaks; single grained; very friable; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
E2--5 to 62 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand; single grained; loose; few fine to coarse and common medium roots; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
E3--62 to 68 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand; single grained; very friable; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the E horizon is 46 to 72 inches.)
Bh1--68 to 75 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) sand; massive; very friable; sand grains coated with colloidal organic matter; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 15 inches thick)
Bh2--75 to 80 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) sand; massive; very friable; sand grains well coated with colloidal organic matter; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Walton County, Florida; 30 feet northeast of Eglin Air Force Road 309, 0.4 mile southeast of junction of Eglin Air Force Roads 309 and 307. NE1/4NE1/4SE1/4 Sec. 22, T. 1 N., R. 19 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is greater than 80 inches thick. Soil reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid in all layers. Texture is sand or fine sand throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 3, or hue of 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 3 to 8; or hue of 2.5Y, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 4. Few to common yellow, brown, or strong brown mottles may occur in the E horizon as do few to common uncoated sand grains.
The BE horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 5YR, value of 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. Sand grains are weakly coated with organic matter. However, the horizon does not meet the requirements of a spodic horizon.
The Bh horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. Sand grains are well coated with colloidal organic matter.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Centenary and
Rimini series in the same family. Centenary soils have mottles indicative of wetness above a depth of 60 inches. Rimini soils have an E horizon with chroma of 2 or less. Also competing is the
Cainhoy series which differs by having a Bh horizon below a depth of 80 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Eglin soils are on nearly level to gently sloping broad upland landscapes on relatively low elevations within the sand hills commonly near the heads of drainageways. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent. Annual precipitation is about 50 to 60 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 65 to 70 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Cainhoy series and the
Blanton,
Chipley,
Foxworth,
Hurricane,
Lakeland,
Leon and
Rutlege series. Blanton soils have an argillic horizon. Chipley, Foxworth, and Lakeland soils do not have spodic horizons. Hurricane soils have a seasonally high water table above a depth of 40 inches. Leon soils have a high water table and spodic horizon within a depth of 30 inches. Rutlege soils have a high water table near the soil surface for long periods and have an umbric epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: The water table is at a depth below 72 inches for most of the year. The water table fluctuates briefly between depths of 60 to 80 inches during periods of high rainfall. Runoff is low. Permeability is rapid in the surface and subsurface layer and moderate to moderately rapid in the subsoil.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in natural vegetation of sand live, laurel, post, bluejack, and turkey oaks, longleaf pine, scattered sand pine with few scattered sawpalmetto and woody goldenrod and broomsedge bluestem and pineland threeawn (wire grass). Eglin soils are used mainly for forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The thermic region of Florida and possibly Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Walton County, Florida; 1985. Soil is named after Eglin Air Force Base where the soil occurs.
REMARKS: Eglin soils were formerly mapped as inclusions in the Centenary and Lakeland series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - zone from the surface to a depth of 68 inches. (A, E1, E2, E3)
Spodic horizon - zone from 68 inches to 80 inches. (Bh1, Bh2)
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.