LOCATION LUCKETTS           VA
Established Series
Rev. JMG, ELC, MAV
01/2006

LUCKETTS SERIES


TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Paleudults

Soils of the Lucketts series are very deep, well drained, and have slow permeability. They formed in colluvium derived from quartzite and greenstone overlying residuum derived from calcareous conglomerate, in the Triassic Basin of the Piedmont Plateau. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 51 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is about 40 inches.

TYPICAL PEDON: Lucketts silt loam - on a convex east facing, gently sloping sideslope, in a hayfield. (Colors are for moist soil)

Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) silt loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; 10 percent subrounded gravel of quartzite and greenstone; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)

AB--6 to 13 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; 5 percent subrounded gravel of quartzite and greenstone; many fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

Bt1--13 to 31 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly silty clay; many coarse irregular black manganese masses; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, sticky, slightly plastic; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent subrounded gravel of quartzite and greenstone; common fine and medium roots; many fine and medium pores; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--31 to 56 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) gravelly clay; common medium rounded black manganese concretions; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very sticky, very plastic; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; few medium rounded distinct pinkish gray (5YR 7/2) masses of weathered parent material; 30 percent subrounded gravel of quartzite and greenstone; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine, and few medium pores; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

2Bt3--56 to 88 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay; common medium rounded black manganese concretions; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very sticky, very plastic; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; few medium rounded distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) masses of weathered parent material; 5 percent subrounded and angular gravel of quartzite, sandstone, and conglomerate; few very fine roots; many fine pores; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 20 to 60 or more inches)

2BCt--88 to 103 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay; few fine rounded black manganese concretions; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very sticky, very plastic; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common medium rounded distinct yellow (10YR 7/8) and few medium rounded distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/8) masses of weathered parent material; 5 percent subrounded and angular gravel of quartzite, sandstone, and conglomerate; common fine pores; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)

2C--103 to 132 inches; variegated reddish brown (5YR 4/3) and yellow (10YR 7/8) clay; common fine black manganese concretions; massive; firm, sticky, plastic; few vertical clay flows in cracks and fissures; 5 percent subrounded and angular gravel of quartzite, sandstone, and conglomerate; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Loudoun County, Virginia. U.S. 15, approximately 2000 feet west of the intersection of U.S. 15 and VA-655 (Whites Ferry Road). Virginia grid coordinates E 2,270,270, N 543,190.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 36 to more than 60 inches. Depth to hard calcareous conglomerate bedrock is more than 60 inches. Depth to the lithologic discontinuity ranges from 35 to 60 inches. Rock fragments of quartzite, greenstone, or schist range from 0 to 15 percent in the Ap horizon and 0 to 35 percent in the AB and Bt horizon. Rock fragments of quartzite, greenstone, schist, or conglomerate range from 0 to 35 percent in the 2Bt, 2BC, and 2C horizons. Soil reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.

The Ap horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 3 through 6. Chroma of 6 is limited to eroded areas. The Ap horizon commonly is silt loam or loam, but some eroded pedons are silty clay loam.

The AB horizon, where present, has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 3 through 6. It is silt loam, loam, or silty clay loam in the fine-earth fraction.

The Bt and 2Bt horizons have hue of 10R through 5YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 4 through 8. they are silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, or clay in the fine-earth fraction.

The 2BCt horizon, where present, has hue of 10R or 2.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 4 through 6. They are loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, or clay in the fine-earth fraction.

The 2C horizon, where present, commonly has hue of 10R or 2.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 4 through 6; but colors are often variegated. It is loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, or clay in the fine-earth fraction.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Canmer, Doniphan, Frederick, Macedonia, and Monteagle series in the same family. Canmer and Monteagle soils have moderate permeability. Doniphan and Frederick soils have chert fragments in the control section. Macedonia soils have hues of 7.5YR and yellower.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lucketts soils are on gently sloping to strongly sloping, broad colluvial fans, and on footslopes of ridges. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent but are dominantly 3 to 7 percent. These soils formed in cappings of colluvium transported from areas of quartzite and greenstone that overly residuum of calcareous conglomerate. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 50 to 55 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 45 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Braddock, Wintergreen, Morven, Scattersville, and Springwood soils. Braddock and Wintergreen soils are on mountain footslopes. Braddock soils have a clay decrease in the series control section. Wintergreen soils have kaolinitic mineralogy. Morven soils have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Scattersville soils are in concave landscape positions and have redox depletions and a redox matrix. Springwood soils have 35 to 60 percent base saturation.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Medium runoff. Slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Lucketts soils are mainly cultivated or used for pasture. A significant area has been developed for residential use. A small acreage is in woodland. Corn and soybeans are the principal row crops. Alfalfa and timothy are the main hay crops. Fescue, orchardgrass, and red clover are the main pasture mixes. Woodlands are dominantly hardwood.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lucketts soils occur in Virginia and Possibly Maryland and Pennsylvania. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Loudoun County, Virginia, 2004.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are; 1. Ochric epipedon-zone from the surface to 13 inches (Ap and AB horizons)
2. Argillic horizon-zone from 13 to 103 inches (Bt, 2Bt, and 2BC horizons)
3. Palic feature-no significant decrease in translocated clay content in the argillic horizon

ADDITIONAL DATA: Particle-size data by Loudoun County, Virginia, Department of Natural Resources. Chemical analysis by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

SIR=VA0368
MLRA=148
REVISED=8/25/92, MHC


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.