LOCATION LAPPANS MD+PA WV

Established Series
Rev. MDJ
02/2015

LAPPANS SERIES

The Lappans series consists of very deep, well drained, soils formed in alluvial/lacustrine calcareous marl sediments on nearly level flood plains. Permeability is moderately rapid to rapid. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 38 to 50 inches and mean annual air temperature is about 55 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, carbonatic, mesic Fluventic Calciudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Lappans (marl) loam in a pasture on a 1 percent slope. (Colors are for moist soil)

Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) marl with a texture of loam; moderate medium and fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots, common medium roots; 3 percent gastropod shells; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (80 percent CaCO3); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)

BA--7 to 13 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) marl with a texture of sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky and moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots, common medium roots; common fine tubular and vesicular pores; 4 percent gastropod shells; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)

A--13 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) marl with a texture of sandy loam; moderate to strong, medium granular structure; very friable; common fine tubular and vesicular pores; 2 percent gastropod shells; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)

Bk1--20 to 26 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) marl with a texture of sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure, and weak medium granular structure; very friable; common fine tubular and vesicular pores; few medium tubular pores; 3 percent gastropod shells; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear wavy boundary.

Bk2--26 to 42 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) marl with a texture of loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores, few coarse vesicular pores; common fine distinct very pale brown (10YR 7/4) mottles, and common fine distinct very pale brown (10YR 8/2) mottles; 2 percent gastropod shells; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear smooth boundary.

Bk3--42 to 47 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) marl with a texture of clay loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine tubular and vesicular pores, common medium tubular and vesicular pores, few coarse vesicular pores; common fine distinct gray (5Y 6/1) mottles and few fine faint pale brown (10YR 6/3) mottles; 2 percent gastropod shells; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bk horizon is 20 to 40 inches)

Ab--47 to 54 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) marl with a texture of clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure, and weak medium granular structure; many fine tubular and vesicular pores, common medium tubular and vesicular pores, few coarse vesicular pores; few fine faint light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) mottles; 3 percent gastropod shells; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)

Bkb1--54 to 64 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) marl with a texture of clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; many fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores, common coarse tubular pores, few coarse vesicular pores; common fine faint very pale brown (10YR 7/4) mottles; 3 percent gastropod shells; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear smooth boundary.

Bkb2--64 to 71 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) marl with a texture of sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many large secondary carbonate coatings on root channels; many fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores, many coarse tubular pores, few coarse vesicular pores; common medium distinct very pale brown (10YR 7/4) mottles; 3 percent gastropod shells; strongly alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear smooth boundary.

Akb--71 to 78 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) marl with a texture of clay loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common large secondary pendants and coatings on root channels; many fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores, many coarse tubular pores, few coarse vesicular pores; few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) concentrations; 3 percent gastropod shells; strongly alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)

B'kb--78 to 85 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) marl with a texture of clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few large thick secondary carbonate coatings on pores; many fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores, few coarse tubular and vesicular pores; common fine faint light yellowish brown (2.5y 6/4) mottles; secondary carbonates associated with very pale brown (10YR 8/2) mottles; 3 percent gastropod shells; moderately alkaline (95 percent CaCO3); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bkb horizon is 0 to 35 inches)

Ck--85 to 115 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) marl with a texture of loam; 3 percent gastropod shells; moderately alkaline (100 percent CaCO3). (15 to 40 inches thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Maryland; .25 miles east of Bakersville road and Sprecher road intersection; .5 miles north of Bakersville road; and 250 feet west of Norfolk and Southern railroad tracks in the hamlet to Grims. Latitude 39 degrees, 31 minutes, 10 seconds, N; Longitude 77 degrees, 46 minutes, 40 seconds, W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to marl ranges from 5 to greater than 20 feet; depth of solum ranges from 50 to 90 inches; percent CaCo3 equivalent is greater than 40 percent throughout; depth to Ab horizon ranges from 20 to 72 inches; depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches; and depth to contrasting material is greater than 60 inches.

The Ap and A horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 5, and chroma of 0 to 3. Texture is (marl) with texture of silt loam, loam or sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.

The Ab and Akb horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of N to 6, and chroma of 0 to 3. Texture is (marl) with texture of silt loam, loam, clay loam, or sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. Reaction is slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.

The BA horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 4. Texture is (marl) with a texture of loam, sandy loam, or silt loam in the fine earth fraction. Reaction is slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.

The Bk and Bkb horizons have hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 4. Texture is (marl) with a texture of loam, sandy loam, or clay loam in the fine earth fraction. Rock fragments comprised of gastropod shells range from 2 to 10 percent. Reaction is slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.

The Ck horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 8 and chroma of 1 to 4. Texture is (marl) with a texture of loam, sandy loam, or clay loam in the fine earth fraction. Rock fragments comprised of gastropod shells range from 2 to 10 percent. Reaction is slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other known soils in the same family. Soils in closely related families are Dunning, Huntington, Massanetta, and Warners. Dunning has greater than 35 percent clay in the particle size control section. Huntington, Massanetta and Warners are lacking a calcic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lappans Soils formed in alluvium in floodplains below springs flowing from limestone. Slope gradients are from 0 to 3 percent. Climate is humid temperate. Mean annual temperature ranges from 46 to 55 degrees F., mean annual precipitation from 38 to 50 inches; and mean growing season is from 140 to 210 days. The soils developed in mineral material of mixed mineralogy, overlying marl, either impregnated with calcium carbonate or having marl within the soil.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dunning, Funkstown, Huntington, Lindside, and Melvin series. The Dunning soils are poorly and very poorly drained. Funkstown, Lindside and Melvin soils have an ochric epipedon. The Huntington contains less than 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible and permeability is moderately rapid to rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cleared and cultivated or pastured. Crops commonly grown are corn, soybean, and grass and legume hay crops. Woodlands consist of Sycamore, Oak, Locust, and Black Walnut.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the great limestone valley of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and to a lesser extent New York. Total extent is moderate.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lappans area; Washington County Maryland, 1993.

Remarks:
1. This soil was formerly included in the Warners soil series.
2. Diagnostic horizon and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon 0 to 7 inches, calcic horizon 20 to 47 inches.
3. The CaCo3 equivalent is greater than 40 percent throughout, so dry color value is waived and moist value is 5 or less.
4. Additional laboratory data on pedons 92MD043T3P1, 92MD043T6P2.
5. Revisions made 02/2005 reflect changes in horizon nomenclature, horizon descriptions, and geographic settings.

2/2015 Update was to add WV as 1 of the states using.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.