LOCATION LOREAUVILLE LA

Established Series
Rev. JDS
10/2018

LOREAUVILLE SERIES

The Loreauville series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately slowly permeable soils that formed in loamy Mississippi River sediments. These soils are on nearly level, slightly convex natural levees. Slope is less than 1 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Mollic Endoaqualfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Loreauville silt loam--in a cultivated field on a slightly convex slope of less than 1 percent on a natural levee on Bayou Teche at about 15 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; friable, many fine roots; few fine black concretions; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

Btk--8 to 24 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; common medium distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) mottles; firm; common fine roots; few fine black manganese concretions; about 5 percent calcium carbonate concretions that are up to 1 inch in diameter; distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organically stained silt coatings on faces of peds; prominent clay films on faces of peds; fine earth effervesces in dilute HCl in spots; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)

Btkg--24 to 38 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; weak coarse prisms that part into weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few roots; prominent clay films on faces of peds; few soft calcium carbonate nodules; many medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)

Btg--38 to 60 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) loam; weak coarse prismatic structure; firm; thin patchy clay films on peds; many coarse distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Iberia Parish, Louisiana; about two miles northeast of Loreauville, 1/4 mile east of Louisiana Highway 345; sec. 27, T. 11 S., R. 7 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 35 to more than 80 inches. The upper 20 inches of the subsoil averages between 18 and 32 percent clay and from 15 to 30 percent very fine sand. The soil material has value of 3 or less when mixed to a depth of 7 inches.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through slightly alkaline.

The Btk or Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5, and chroma of 2. Iron accumulations are in shades of brown and iron depletions are in shades of gray. Peds are coated or partly coated with very dark gray (10YR 3/1), very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), dark gray (10YR 4/1), or black (10YR 2/1) silt coatings or clay films. Calcium carbonate nodules 1 to 5 centimeters in diameter range from 0 to 10 percent. Texture is silt loam, loam, or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from neutral through moderately alkaline.

The Btkg or Btg horizon has hue of 2.5Y to 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Iron accumulations are in shades of brown or olive, and iron depletions are in shades of gray. Calcium carbonate nodules 1 to 5 centimeters in diameter range from 0 to 10 percent. Texture is silt loam, loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam. Reaction ranges from neutral through moderately alkaline.

The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is very fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam. Iron accumulations are in shades of brown or olive, and iron depletions are in shades of gray. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline through moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Galvez soils are in a closely related family. They are on more convex positions on the natural levee and do not have a mollic epipedon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Loreauville soils are on the level to nearly level slightly convex natural levees. Slope gradients are dominantly from 0 to 1/2 percent. They formed in loamy Mississippi River sediments. Mean annual air temperature is about 68 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 64 inches near the type location.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the closely related Galvez series, and the Baldwin, Jeanerette, and Iberia series. Baldwin soils are on lower positions on the natural levee and have more than 35 percent clay throughout the upper part of the solum. Iberia soils are on lower, backswamp positions, and have more than 60 percent clay throughout the upper part of the solum. Jeanerette soils are on more concave positions, have a mollic epipedon more than 10 inches thick, and formed in water re-worked loess with less than 15 percent very fine sand throughout the upper part of the subsoil.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; negligible to low runoff; moderately slow permeability. The soil is saturated in the layers below 1.0 to 2.5 feet during December through April in normal years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the acreage is cropland or pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Mississippi Valley Alluvium (MLRA 131) in south-central Louisiana. The series is of small extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AUBURN, ALABAMA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Iberia Parish, Louisiana; 1973

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the type location pedon include:
Mollic epipedon 0 to 8 inches (Ap horizon)
Argillic horizon 8 to 60 inches (Btk, Btkg, and Btg horizons)
Secondary carbonates 8 to 38 inches (Btk and Btkg horizons)
Aquic conditions 8 to 60 inches (Btk, Btkg, and Btg horizons)

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.