LOCATION LURAY OH

Established Series
Rev. AR-DRM
11/2021

LURAY SERIES

The Luray series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils formed in silty lacustrine material or slack water sediments. These soils are on lake plains, terraces, outwash plains, and some local areas on till plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 940 mm (37 inches), and mean annual air temperature is about 11 degrees C (51 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Luray silty clay loam, on a nearly level area in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium granular structure; firm; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) thick]

AB--23 to 36 cm (9 to 14 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; strong fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine faint dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) iron depletions; common medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) iron stains and concretions; neutral; clear irregular boundary. [0 to 25 cm (10 inches) thick]

Btg1--36 to 51 cm (14 to 20 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; firm; prominent very dark gray (N 3/) organo-clay films on faces of peds; common dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) iron concretions and root channel fillings; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Btg2--51 to 63 cm (20 to 25 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak very coarse [25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 inches) in diameter] prismatic structure parting to moderate medium prismatic which further parts to weak coarse subangular blocky; firm; prominent dark gray (N 4/) organo-clay films on faces of larger peds; gray (5Y 5/1) clay films on faces of smaller peds; common coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; few very dark gray (5Y 3/1) and brown (7.5YR 4/4) root channels; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Btg3--63 to 81 cm (25 to 32 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) organo-clay films on vertical faces of peds; gray (5Y 5/1) clay films on horizontal faces of peds; many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; weak stratification evident; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Btg horizon is 38 to 96 cm (15 to 38 inches).]

Cg1--81 to 114 cm (32 to 45 inches); mottled grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4, 5/6, and 5/8) silt loam with few thin strata of very fine sandy loam and silty clay loam; massive; friable; neutral.

Cg2--114 to 152 cm (45 to 60 inches); gray (N 5/) stratified silt loam and loam; massive; friable; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 and 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Ashland County, Ohio; Mohican Township; 600 feet south and 200 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 16, T. 21 N., R. 15 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 76 to 152 cm (30 to 60 inches)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: commonly 25 to 36 cm (10 to 14 inches) but ranges to 46 cm (18 inches) and includes the upper part of the argillic horizon in some pedons
Particle-size control section: averages 25 to 35 percent clay

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3 (4 or 5 dry)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Btg horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, or is neutral
Value: 4 to 6 (3 in the upper part of some pedons)
Chroma: 0 to 2 to a depth of 76 cm (30 inches) and 0 to 6 below
Texture: commonly silty clay loam or silt loam with subhorizons of silty clay in some pedons
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Cg horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, or is neutral
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 8
Texture: dominantly silt loam or silty clay loam and commonly has thin strata of loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline; some pedons have carbonates

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cyclone, Gabriel, Mahalaland, Mahalasville, Ragsdale, and Treaty series. Cyclone, Mahalasville, and Treaty soils have 2B horizons that contain rock fragments. Gabriel soils have a mollic epipedon that is thicker than 46 cm (18 inches). Mahalaland soils have more than 2 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Ragsdale soils formed entirely in loess and lack stratification in the lower part of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Luray soils are in slight depressions or on level areas on lake plains, terraces, outwash plains, and in small local areas on till plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in stratified lacustrine material or slack water sediments of Wisconsinan age with dominant textures of silt loam and silty clay loam. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 864 to 1016 mm (34 to 40 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 10 to 12 degrees C (50 to 54 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fitchville, Glenford, Mentor, and Sebring soils in a toposequence with Luray soils and the Bennington, Bogart, Canfield, Chili, Conotton, Damascus, Jimtown, Linwood, Mahoning, Olmsted, and Rittman soils. The somewhat poorly drained Fitchville soils, the moderately well drained Glenford soils, and the well drained Mentor soils are on higher landscape positions. The poorly drained Sebring soils are on similar positions as Luray soils but lack a mollic epipedon. Bennington, Canfield, Mahoning, and Rittman soils are on nearby till plains. Bogart, Chili, Conotton, Damascus, Jimtown, and Olmsted soils formed in stratified gravelly and loamy materials. Linwood soils are on similar landscape positions as Luray soils but have organic material overlying loamy mineral deposits.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained. The depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 30 cm (1 foot) above the surface to 30 cm (1 foot) below the surface during periods of high rainfall in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderately slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: More than half of the Luray soils are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, and mixed hay are the principal crops. Some areas are pastured and some are wooded. Native vegetation is swamp grasses and sedges or deciduous swamp forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern to central Ohio; MLRAs 111B, 111E, 114A, 124, and 139. The type location is in MLRA 139. The series is of moderate extent, about 50,000 acres.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Licking County, Ohio, 1930.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 36 cm (Ap, AB horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 36 to 63 cm (Btg1, Btg2, horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox features visible in the lower part of the mollic epipedon and in all underlying horizons.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.