LOCATION NATCHEZ MS+AR LA TN
Established Series
Rev. WMK:RBH
10/2021
NATCHEZ SERIES
The Natchez series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in thick deposits of loess. Permeability is moderate, and runoff is rapid to very rapid. These strongly sloping to very steep soils are on hillsides in the highly dissected bluff hills section of the Southern Mississippi Silty Uplands that border the alluvial plains of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Slope ranges from 12 to 60 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Eutrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Natchez silt loam - forest. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
0i--0 to 1 inches; partially decomposed matted leaves and twigs.
A1--1 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
A2--4 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 4 to 12 inches thick.)
Bw1--9 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--12 to 27 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw subhorizons is 14 to 38 inches.)
C1--27 to 49 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; massive; very friable; few fine roots; few fine calcareous white nodules; few small shell fragments; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C2--49 to 66 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam; massive; very friable; few medium roots; few fine white calcareous small shell fragments; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Tate County, Mississippi; 0.5 mile south of Trusalae Methodist Church; 150 yards east of gravel road across the cemetery; northeast corner SW1/4, sec. 17, R. 9 N., T. 6 S.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of solum ranges from 18 to 48 inches. The A and B horizons range from strongly acid to neutral. The C horizon ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is silt or silt loam.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is silt loam or silt. The 10- to 40-inch control section has 7 to 18 percent clay and sand is less than 10 percent.
The C horizon has the same range in color and texture as the B horizon. It is neutral to moderately alkaline. Shell fragments are few to many.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family. Closely related series are the
Ariel,
Bruin,
Memphis
Nixonton, and
Tutwiler. Ariel and Bruin soils have organic carbon content that decrease irregularly with depth. In addition, Bruin soils have mottles of chroma of 2 or less within a depth of 24 inches from the surface. Memphis and Tutwiler soils have an argillic horizon. In addition, Memphis soils are fine-silty. Nixonton soils have base saturation of less than 60 percent within the upper 30 inches of the soil.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Natchez soils are strongly sloping to very steep soils on hillsides in the highly dissected parts of the bluff hills that border the alluvial plains of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Slopes range from 12 to 50 percent. These soils formed in thick loess accumulations that are high in silt and low in sand and leached of carbonates in the upper part. Near the type location the average annual temperature is 63 degrees F, and average annual precipitation is 52 inches near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Memphis soils and the
Morganfield soils. The well drained Memphis soils are on the ridgetops and upper parts of the hillsides. The well drained Morganfield soils are on flood plains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid to very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Major use is forest; a small amount is cleared and used for pasture. Principal species are mixed hardwoods and loblolly pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The series is of modern extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: DeSoto County, Mississippi; 1955.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 9 inches (Oi, A1, A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from approximately 9 to 27 inches (Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
The soil horizon depths were updated on 10/2021 to ensure the description began at the soil surface.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Bureau of Public Roads No. 534056, 534057, 534058, 534059, 534060, 534061, 534062. (Soil Survey Report, Warren County, Mississippi)
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.