LOCATION ETHEL AREstablished Series
The Ethel series consists of level, poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in alluvium. They are on Prairie terraces in the Lower Mississippi Valley; MLRA 131. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. Near the type location, the average annual temperature is about 63 degrees F., and the average annual rainfall is
about 53 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Typic Glossaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Ethel silt loam - in an idle field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to fine and medium granular; friable; many fine and medium roots; common fine and medium pores; many fine and medium distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron accumulations; common fine iron-manganese concretions; common fine dark brown soft iron-manganese masses; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Eg1--5 to 13 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; common fine pores; common fine and medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) iron accumulations on faces of peds and lining pores; few medium distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) manganese accumulations on faces of some peds; common fine and medium yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; common fine and medium brown to black iron-manganese concretions; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Eg2--13 to 24 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; friable; many fine, medium and coarse pores; few fine roots; few medium and coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron accumulations; common medium distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) manganese accumulations on faces of some peds; common fine and medium yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; common fine and medium dark brown to black iron-manganese concretions; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Eg horizon ranges from 12 to 24 inches.)
Btg1/Eg--24 to 38 inches; about 60 percent of horizon is Btg material that is dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay loam; weak coarse and very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; firm; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; some pores lined with dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) clay films; common fine pores; few fine roots mainly between prisms; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron accumulations; many fine and medium dark brown to black iron-manganese concretions; common fine to medium yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; about 40 percent of horizon is Eg material which is light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt; massive; many fine and medium dark brown to black iron-manganese concretions; many fine and medium yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Btg2/Eg--38 to 52 inches; about 85 percent of horizon is Btg material which is grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate coarse and very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; firm; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; common fine pores; few fine roots; many medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 and 10YR 5/6) iron accumulations; few medium and coarse faint dark gray (10YR 4/1) iron depletions; many fine, medium and coarse dark brown to black iron-manganese concretions; many fine, medium and coarse yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; about 15 percent of horizon is Eg material which is light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt; massive; many fine, medium and coarse dark brown to black iron-manganese accumulations; many fine medium and coarse yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; very stongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btg/Eg horizon ranges from 20 to 36 inches.)
Btg1--52 to 64 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate coarse and very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; firm; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; common fine pores; many medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 and 5/6) and few medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) iron accumulations in matrix; few medium black manganese accumulations on faces of peds; common faint light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions between prisms; many fine and medium dark brown to black iron-manganese concretions; common fine and medium yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Btg2--64 to 80 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate coarse and very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; firm; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; common fine pores; many medium and coarse faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 and 10YR 5/6) and few medium distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron accumulations; common medium black manganese accumulations on faces of prisms, faces of peds and lining pores; few faint light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions between prisms; few fine and medium dark brown to black iron-manganese concretions; few fine and medium yellow to brown soft iron-manganese masses; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Arkansas County, Arkansas; SW1/4SE1/4NE1/4, sec. 29, T. 4 S., R 1 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 60 inches. These soils typically have more than 60 percent silt and less than 10 percent sand throughout. The glossic horizon extends deeply into the B horizon. Sodium saturation typically increases with depth and ranges from 5 to 10 percent in lower part of solum.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 to 3. Reaction typically ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid, but where limed or affected by irrigation water it ranges to neutral. Iron accumulations are in shades of brown. Texture is silt or silt loam.
The E horizon and Eg part of the Btg/Eg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Reaction typically ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid, but where limed or affected by irrigation water, it ranges to neutral. Texture is silt or silt loam. Iron accumulations are in shades of brown.
The Btg horizon and Btg part of the Btg/Eg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Iron accumulations and depletions are in shades of brown, yellow, and gray. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. Clay content ranges from 22 to 35 percent. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The BCg and Cg horizons, where present, have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to neutral. Iron accumulations and depletions are shades of brown, yellow, and gray.
COMPETING SERIES: The Calhoun series is in the same family. Calhoun soils have higher soil temperatures.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ethel soils are on level to depressional areas of the Grand Prairie of Arkansas and other Prairie terraces in the Lower Mississippi Valley; MLRA 131. These soils formed in alluvium high in silt and low in sand, or mixture of loess and alluvium. The climate is warm and humid. The average annual temperature ranges from about 60 to 65 degrees F., and the average annual rainfall ranges from about 50 to 55 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Dewitt, Immanuel, Stuttgart and Tichnor series. Dewitt soils occur on similar landscapes. Dewitt soils are in a fine particle-size family and contain an abrupt texture change. Immanuel soils occur around the perimeter of the terrace; have fragic properties in the argillic and are moderately well drained. Stuttgart soils occur on slightly higher positions; are moderately well drained and contain an abrupt texture change. Tichnor soils occur on floodplains that drain the terrace; have A and E horizons greater than 24 inches thick and do not contain a glossic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; runoff is negligible to low; permeability is slow. These soils have an apparent water table within 12 inches of the soil surface in late winter and spring.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for row crops. Rice, soybeans and wheat are the main crops. Minor areas are in hardwood forest of water oak, willow oak and sweetgum.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Arkansas and possibly Louisiana. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Arkansas County, Arkansas; 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Assigned to an active CE activity class in 2002.
Ochric epipedon.................0 to 24 inches (A,Eg)
Albic horizon...................5 to 24 inches (Eg)
Glossic horizon................24 to 52 inches (Btg/Eg)
Argillic horizon...............24 to 80 inches (Btg)
These soils were formerly mapped in the Calhoun series.
ADDITIONAL DATA: The typical pedon was characterized by the University of Arkansas Soil Charaterization Laboratory. Pedon S94AR001-04.