LOCATION FALAYA TN+AL AR KY LA MO MS

Established Series
Rev. JAE-WTB
02/2013

FALAYA SERIES

The Falaya series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in silty alluvium from loess. These level to nearly level soils are wide flood plains in the Southern Mississippi Valley Silty Uplands, MLRA 134. They are subject to flooding and are saturated with water at 1 to 2 feet during periods of high rainfall. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, active, acid, thermic Aeric Fluvaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Falaya silt loam - cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)

A--6 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; few fine and medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation and few fine and medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bw--10 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak medium platy structure, very friable; common fine roots; many medium and coarse faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions and few medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

Cg1--17 to 21 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; weak medium platy structure; massive in places; very friable; common fine roots; common fine and medium faint brown (10YR 4/3) masses of iron accumulation; few fine very dark grayish brown and black specks and stains; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

Cg2--21 to 24 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; massive; friable; few fine roots; common fine and medium faint brown (10YR 4/3) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

Cg3--24 to 42 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; massive; friable; few very fine pores; some evidence of bedding planes; many fine to coarse distinct brown (10YR 4/3) and a few fine and medium distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 25 inches thick)

Egb--42 to 50 inches; light gray (10YR 6/1) silt loam; weak medium platy parting to weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly brittle; many fine to coarse distinct brown (10YR 4/3), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), and few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; few black and brown concretions; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)

Bxb--50 to 65 inches; variegated light gray (10YR 6/1, 7/1), light brownish gray (10YR 6/2), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak coarse platy parting to weak medium subangular blocky structure; moderately brittle; firm; common vesicular pores; common veins of grayish clay and grayish silt; few brown and black concretions; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Fayette County, Tennessee; 2 miles east of Somerville on U. S. Highway 64; in bottomland along Loosahatchie River; 100 feet east of large oak tree that stands in a north/south fence row.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the upper boundary of the A or E horizons of any buried soil, if present, typically is between 20 and 45 inches and ranges from 20 to 60 or more inches. Depth to the upper boundary of argillic or fragipan horizons of a buried soil, if present, ranges from 40 to more than 80 inches. Total sand content in the control section is less than 10 percent. The soil is strongly acid or very strongly acid except the surface layer where limed.

The Ap horizon, and A horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is silt or silt loam.

The Bw horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 with iron accumulations and depletions in shades of brown and gray. Texture is silt or silt loam.

The Cg and the Bg, Egb, Bxb, and Btb horizons, where present, have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. These horizons have few to common iron accumulations and depletions in shades of yellow, gray, and brown. Texture is silt or silt loam.

COMPETING SERIES: Gillsburg is the only series in this family. Gillsburg soils have more than 10 percent sand in the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Falaya soils are on level to nearly level rather wide flood plains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. The soil formed in relatively thin deposits of silty alluvium from loess. Near the type location, mean annual temperature is 61.4 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 53 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include Collins, Waverly, and Vicksburg series. Collins and Vicksburg soils are better drained. Waverly soils are poorly drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability. The soil is subject to flooding from flowing or standing water, and the water table is within 20 inches of the surface during periods of high rainfall.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the soil is used for growing corn, cotton, soybeans, and small grains. Some is used for growing pasture and hay. The native vegetation is mixed hardwoods.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the loess belts bordering the Mississippi River in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, and in Alabama. The series is of large extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AUBURN, ALABAMA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Quitman County, Mississippi, 1950.

REMARKS: Diagnostic features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to about 10 inches.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.