LOCATION NITTAW                  FL

Established Series
EKR:GWS
10/2018

NITTAW SERIES

The Nittaw series consists of very poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in thick deposits of clayey sediments of marine origin. These soils are in well defined drainageways, broad, nearly level swamps, and marshes of central and southern peninsular Florida. They are subject to flooding and water standing above the soil surface for 6 months or more in most years during late spring, summer and fall. Slopes are less than 2 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Typic Argiaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Nittaw muck in a cypress swamp drainageway. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oa--0 to 7 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2), black (5YR 2/1) rubbed muck, 50 percent fiber, 7 percent rubbed; weak medium granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; few uncoated white sand grains; mineral content 10 percent; sodium pyrophosphate extract light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4); extremely acid (pH 4.4 in 0.01M CaC12); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)

A--7 to 15 inches; black (10YR 2/1) fine sand; weak medium granular structure; friable; many fine and medium and few large roots; few uncoated white sand grains; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

Bt--15 to 28 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy clay; moderate medium blocky structure; sticky; few fine roots; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; medium acid; gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 18 inches thick)

Btg1--28 to 52 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1) sandy clay; few fine faint olive gray (5YR 4/2) and few fine distinct olive (5YR 5/4, 5/6) mottles; moderate medium blocky structure; very sticky; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; neutral, gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 25 inches thick)

Btg2--52 to 71 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) sandy clay; few fine faint olive gray (5YR 5/2) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly sticky; few to common fine to coarse pockets of light gray (10YR 7/1) fine sand; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; neutral, clear smooth boundary. (12 to 27 inches thick)

Cg--71 to 83 inches; light gray (5Y 6/1) fine sand; single grained; loose, many uncoated sand grains, neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Osceola County, Florida; well defined drainageway 3/4 mile south of U.S. Highway 192 and 3/4 mile east of Crabgrass Road. SE1/4SE1/4 sec. 22, T. 26 S., R. 33 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum thickness is 50 inches or more. Reaction of the Oa horizon is extremely acid. The A and Bt horizons range from medium acid to neutral. The Bg, and Cg horizons range from neutral to moderately alkaline.

The Oa horizon has hue 10YR, value 2, chroma 1 or 2; hue 5YR, value 2 or 3, chroma 1 through 3, or hue N, value 2 or 3. Thickness is 6 to 14 inches.

The A horizon has hue 10YR, value 2 or 3, chroma 1; hue 2.5Y, value 3, chroma 2; or hue N, value 2 or 3. Texture is sand, fine sand, or mucky fine sand.

The Bt horizon has color in hue 10YR, value 2 or 3, chroma 1 or 2; hue 2.5Y, value 3, chroma 2; or hue N, value 2 or 3. Combined thickness of the A and Bt horizons ranges from 10 to 24 inches. The Bg horzion have color in hues 10YR, 2.5YR, and 5Y value 4 through 6, chroma 1 or 2; or hue N, value 4 through 6. Few to many, fine to coarse mottles of gray, brown, olive, and yellow are in this horizon in some pedons. Some pedons have few, medium or coarse pockets of grayish brown, gray, or light gray sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand in the B22tg and B23tg horizons. Few to many, fine to coarse mottles and pockets of light gray and white carbonatic material also occur in these horizons in some pedons. Texture is sandy clay or clay. In some pedons, the Bg horizon extends to depths of more than 80 inches.

The Cg horizon has hues of 10YR or 5Y, value 5 through 8, chroma 1 or 2; hue 2.5Y, value 5 through 7, chroma 2; hue of N and value 5 through 7; or hue 5GY, value 4 through 6, chroma 1. Texture
ranges from sand to fine sandy loam.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no soils in the same family. Closely similar soils are the Chobee, Copeland, Delray, Floridana, Gentry, Manatee, and Rio series. All these soils lack histic epipedons. Chobee and Copeland soils have mixed mineralogy and are in a fine-loamy family. In addition, Copeland soils have limestone at depths greater than 30 inches. Delray soils have A horizons more than 40 inches thick and Floridana and Gentry soils have A horizons 20 to 40 inches thick. Delray soils have mixed mineralogy and Floridana soils have siliceous mineralogy. Manatee soils are in a coarse-loamy family and have mixed mineralogy. Rio soils have mixed mineralogy and are in the thermic region.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nittaw soils are in narrow to broad, well-defined drainageways, depressions and swamps adjoining the larger lakes, streams and drainageways. Slopes are dominantly less than 1 percent but range up to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 50 to 55 inches. Rainfall is unevenly distributed with most of it occurring during the months of June through September.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Chobee, Delray, Floridana, and Gentry series, and the Hontoon, Samsula, Tomoka, and Winder series. Hontoon, Samsula, and Tomoka are organic soils. Winder soils have an albic horizon that tongues into the Btg horizon and lacks a histic epipedon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Nittaw soils are very poorly drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is rapid in the Oa and A horizon and slow in the B2tg horizon. The water table is at or above the surface for 6 to 8 months in most years. Most areas are flooded during the summer months.

USE AND VEGETATION: Use is mainly for water storage and wildlife habitat. Some areas have been drained and cleared and used for improved pasture. Native vegetation is mixed hardwoods of bald cypress, red maple, sweetgum, and hickory with an understory of wax myrtle, greenbrier, wild grape, cabbage palm, and few shade and water tolerant forbes and grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and Southern Florida. This series is of moderate extent

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Osceola County, Florida; 1976.

REMARKS: Nittaw soils were formerly included in the Chobee series. These soils would be classified as Histic Argiaquolls if the subgroup were available.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon - 0 to 28 inches - Oa, A, Bt

Argillic horizon - 15 to 71 inches - Bt, Btg

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.