LOCATION ESCATAWBA VAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, mesic Oxyaquic Paleudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Escatawba on a 7 percent forested slope, at an elevation of approximately 1,880 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)
Oe--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed pine needles and hardwood leaf litter.
A--1 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine, common medium roots; 5 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
BE--3 to 17 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bt1--17 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, slightly sticky, plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
2Bt2--30 to 44 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay loam; strong medium subangular blocky structure; friable, sticky, plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many prominent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt coatings on faces of peds; common distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6) soft masses of iron accumulation; 12 percent gravel; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
2Bt3--44 to 50 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) gravelly clay loam; strong medium subangular blocky structure; friable, sticky, plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct pale brown (10YR 6/3) iron depletions; 17 percent gravel; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
2Bt4--50 to 65 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) cobbly clay loam; strong medium subangular blocky structure; friable, sticky, plastic; few very fine roots; common distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) iron depletions; many medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/8) soft masses of iron accumulation; 25 percent cobbles and gravel; strongly acid. (Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 10 to 40 inches)
TYPE LOCATION: Alleghany County, Virginia. U.S.G.S. Jordan Mines topographic quadrangle; Latitude 37 degrees, 39 minutes, 43.7 seconds N and Longitude 80 degrees, 4 minutes, 7.7 seconds W; NAD-1927.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to bedrock are more than 60 inches. Depth to the 2Bt horizon ranges from 15 to 48 inches and typically contains more than 35 percent clay. Some pedons have multiple discontinuities. Gravel, cobble, and stone content ranges from 0 to 25 percent in the A, Ap, E, and BE horizons; 0 to 35 percent in the Bt horizon; 10 to 35 percent in the upper 2Bt horizon; and 15 to 50 percent in the lower 2Bt horizon. Reaction is extremely acid to strongly acid in the A, E, and BE horizons, and very strongly acid or strongly acid in the Bt, and 2Bt horizons.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.
Some pedons have an Ap horizon up to 12 inches thick with hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.
Some pedons have an E horizon up to 10 inches thick with hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.
The BE horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma 2 through 6. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. It is loam , silt loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or silty clay loam.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. It is silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, or clay.
COMPETING SERIES: No other known series share this classification.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Escatawba soils formed in loamy over clayey colluvium derived from shale, sandstone, and limestone on colluvial fans and benches. Slope gradients range from 2 to 35 percent. Climate is humid continental. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 50 to 54 degrees F., mean annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 50 inches, and elevation ranges from 1,000 feet to 3,000 feet above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Berks, Grimsley, Jefferson, Laidig, Oriskany, Sequoia, Shelocta, Tumbling, and Weikert series. None of these soils have a discontinuity. Berks and Sequoia soils have bedrock within 20 to 40 inches and are on summit and backslope positions. Grimsley and Oriskany soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section, and are on backslope or footslope positions, or in associated drainageways. Grimsley soils also have bedrock within 40 to 60 inches. Jefferson and Shelocta soils are on backslope or footslope positions. Laidig soils found on similar positions have a fragipan. Tumbling soils have more clay and are on backslope or footslope positions. Weikert soils have bedrock at 10 to 20 inches and are on shoulder or backslope positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff potential is medium to high. Permeability is moderate above the discontinuity and moderately slow in the 2Bt horizon. A seasonal high water table is perched at two and one half to four feet for one to two weeks following heavy rains or snow melt during the winter months.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Escatawba soils are used mostly for timber production or recreation. Some small areas are used for pasture or hay production. The native vegetation consists of an overstory of pitch pine, scarlet oak, white oak, white pine, red maple, chestnut oak, sugar maple, and black oak. The understory is mountain laurel, dogwood, rhododendron, blueberry, sourwood, sassafras, Virginia creeper, and greenbrier.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 128, 147, Appalachian Ridge and Valley areas of Virginia, and possibly West Virginia and Kentucky. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Alleghany County, Virginia, 1994.
REMARKS: Formerly mapped as Laidig, Monongahela, Buchanan, Murrill, and Oriskany soils. The name Escatawba is from a creek near the type location.
The classification of this series was changed (2003 Rev.).from: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, mesic Typic Paleudults to: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, mesic Oxyaquic Paleudults. The oxyaquic subgroup was not available when the series was established. Field evidence supports the oxyaquic classification.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1. Ochric epipedon-the zone from 0 to 17 inches (A and BE horizons)
2. Argillic horizon-the zone from 17 to 65 inches (Bt and 2Bt horizons)
3. A lithologic discontinuity at 30 inches.