LOCATION LEWBEACH NY
Established Series
Rev. JWW-STS-SEA
09/2015
LEWBEACH SERIES
The Lewbeach series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in till derived from sandstone, siltstone and shale. They are gently sloping to steep soils on hillsides and hilltops on uplands. A dense fragipan is present beginning at a depth of 43 to 91 cm (17 to 36 in). Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the mineral soil above the fragipan and low or moderately low in and below the fragipan. Slope ranges from 3 to 55 percent. Mean annual temperature is 7 degrees C (45 degrees F) and mean annual precipitation is 1120 mm (44 in).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, semiactive, frigid Typic Fragiudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Lewbeach channery silt loam-in a crop field (Colors are for moist soil, unless otherwise specified.)
Ap--0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 in); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) channery silt loam, light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; 20 percent rock fragments, including 5 percent larger than 75mm (3 in) in diameter; neutral (limed); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 30 cm [4 to 12 in] thick)
Bw1--23 to 38 cm (9 to 15 in); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) channery silt loam; strong medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium vesicular pores; 20 percent rock fragments; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--38 to 48 cm (15 to 19 in); reddish brown (5YR 4/3) channery silt loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; common fine and medium vesicular and tubular pores; 25 percent rock fragments, including 3 percent larger than 75mm (3 in) in diameter; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bw horizon is 28 to 64 cm [11 to 25 in].)
E1--48 to 61 cm (19 to 24 in); reddish brown (5YR 5/3) gravelly loam with a few dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) streaks; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; few fine vesicular and tubular pores; 20 percent rock fragments; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.
E2--61 to 69 cm (24 to 27 in); reddish gray (5YR 5/2) gravelly fine sandy loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak thin platy structure; friable; few fine vesicular and tubular pores; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), moist, masses of oxidized iron; 33 percent rock fragments, including 10 percent larger than 75mm (3 in) in diameter; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the E horizon is 0 to 20 cm [0 to 8 in].)
Bx1--69 to 89 cm (27 to 35 in); reddish brown (5YR 4/3) channery loam; moderate very coarse prismatic structure, massive within prisms; streaks separating the prisms are 5 cm (2 in) wide, are 61 cm (24 in) apart, and have light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) interiors and yellowish red (5YR 5/6) edges; very firm; brittle; common fine tubular and many fine vesicular pores; 25 percent rock fragments, including 3 percent greater than 75mm (3 in) in diameter; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bx2--89 to 183 cm (35 to 72 in); reddish brown (5YR 4/3) channery loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure, massive within prisms; streaks separating the prisms are 5 cm (2 inches) wide, are 61 cm (24 inches) apart, and have light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) interiors and yellowish red (5YR 5/6) edges; very firm; brittle; common fine vesicular and tubular pores; few distinct clay films on surfaces along pores; 25 percent rock fragments, including 3 percent greater than 75mm (3 in) in diameter; moderately acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Otsego County, New York, Town of Butternuts; 1,000 feet north of the intersection of Field Miller Road and County Route 5 and 400 feet East of Field Miller Road, in a cornfield. USGS Otego, NY topographic quadrangle, Latitude 42 degrees, 27 minutes, 15 seconds N. and Longitude 75 degrees, 14 minutes, 59 seconds W. NAD83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 102 to 183 cm (40 to 72 in) or more. Depth to bedrock is usually greater than 152 cm (60 in). Depth to the fragipan ranges from 43 to 91 cm (17 to 36 in). Rock fragment content ranges from 5 to 35 percent by volume in the A and Bw horizons and from 15 to 50 percent in the Bx and C horizons. Reaction, where unlimed ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the solum, and strongly acid to slightly acid in the C horizon.
The Ap horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 to 4 and chroma of 2 or 3. Dry color value is 6 or more. It is silt loam, loam or fine sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. Structure is weak or moderate granular or subangular blocky. Consistence is friable or very friable. Where an A horizon is present, thickness ranges from 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in).
The Bw horizon has hue or 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. Structure is weak to strong, medium or fine subangular blocky.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 2 or 3. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam or sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. Structure is granular, platy or subangular blocky and consistence is friable or very friable.
The Bx horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam or silt loam in the fine earth fraction. Gray or brown redoximorphic features may be present. Prism face colors range from weak red (2.5YR 5/2) to light brown (7.5YR 6/4). It has very coarse prismatic structure with platy, blocky or massive interiors.
The C or Cd horizon, where present, has color and texture similar to those of the Bx horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Lewbath and
Willowemoc series are in the same family. Lewbath soils have hues of 7.5YR or yellower in the Bx and C horizons. Willowemoc soils have redoximorphic features in the Bw horizon below 30 cm (12 in).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lewbeach soils are gently sloping to very steep soils on glaciated uplands. Slope ranges from 3 to 55 percent. The soils developed in very firm, acid till high in sandstone with a smaller component of red shale. The climate is humid and is cool in summer and cold in winter. Annual air temperature ranges from 4 to 9 degrees C (39 to 48 degrees F). Annual precipitation ranges from 825 to 1790 mm (32 to 70 in) and the frost free days range from 110 to 155 days. Elevation ranges from 425 to 1100 m (1394 to 3608 ft) above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the moderately well drained
Willowemoc, the somewhat poorly drained
Onteora soils, and poorly drained
Norchip soils that are associated in a drainage sequence with Lewbeach. The moderately deep
Mongaup and
Vly soils near hilltops and the very deep, well drained
Elka soils that lack fragipans are on nearby landscapes.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low to very high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the mineral soil above the fragipan and low or moderately low in and below the fragipan.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cleared areas are used for hay, pasture, and some corn. Many areas are forested or idle. Native trees include sugar maple, black cherry, red maple, beech, ash, birch, and hemlock.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Higher elevations of MLRA 140. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sullivan County, N.Y., 1984.
REMARKS: Lewbeach was proposed as the frigid equivalent of Lackawanna. As defined for Sullivan County, it ranged to cover soils mapped as Swartswood in the frigid region.
Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in the typical pedon include:
1. Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 in) (Ap horizon).
2. Cambic horizon - from 23 to 48 cm (9 to 19 in) (Bw horizon).
3. Fragipan - from 69 to183 cm (27 to 72 in) (Bx1 and Bx2 horizons).
4. Udic soil moisture regime (humid, temperate climate).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data is available for 2 pedons from Delaware County, NY (S86NY025-010,011) and 1 pedon from Allegany County, NY (S10NY003002).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.