LOCATION POARCH AL+FL MS
Established Series
Rev. LFR: GWH, SP, GRB
10/2018
POARCH SERIES
The Poarch series consists of very deep, moderately well and well drained, moderately permeable soils on uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain Major Land Resource Area (MLRA 133A). They formed in unconsolidated sandy and loamy marine sediments. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 66 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 56 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Plinthic Paleudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Poarch fine sandy loam, on a smooth 0.5 percent slope in a cultivated field (Colors are for moist soil).
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; common fine roots; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
E--7 to 12 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 24 inches; yellow (2.5Y 7/6) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots and pores; sand grains coated and bridged with clay; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
Bt2--24 to 32 inches; yellow (2.5Y 7/6) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots and pores; most sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; few fine faint brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) areas of iron accumulation; common medium light gray (2.5Y 7/2) areas of iron depletions; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 19 inches thick)
Btv1--32 to 38 inches; 25 percent yellow (2.5Y 7/6), 25 percent light gray (2.5Y 7/2), 25 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and 25 percent red (2.5YR 5/6) loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots and pores; sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; about 6 percent, by volume, plinthite nodules; few faint clay films on plinthite nodules; the areas of yellow, brown and red are iron accumulations and the areas of light gray are iron depletions; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Btv2--38 to 50 inches; 25 percent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6), 25 percent light gray (2.5Y 7/2), 25 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and 25 percent red (2.5YR 5/8) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine pores; sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; about 12 percent, by volume, plinthite nodules; few faint clay films on plinthite nodules; few iron oxide concretions; the areas of olive yellow and strong brown are iron accumulations and the areas of light gray are ion depletions. very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 21 inches thick)
Btv3--50 to 66 inches; 34 percent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6), 33 percent light gray (10YR 7/1) and 33 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; most sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; about 3 percent, by volume, plinthite nodules; few distinct iron oxide concretions; the areas of brownish yellow and strong brown are iron accumulations and the areas of light gray are iron depletions; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Escambia County, Alabama. Approximately 2.6 miles southeast of the radio station in Atmore and about 60 feet north of Florida line road in SW1/4, SW1/4, SE1/4, Sec. 34, T. 1 N., R. 6 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 60 inches. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid except where the surface has been limed. Silt content in the control section ranges from 20 to 55 percent. Depth to the Btv horizon ranges from 24 to 58 inches.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 3; or it is neutral with value of 3 or 4. Texture is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam or silt loam
The Btv horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to seven and chroma of 4 to 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of red, yellow, brown and gray range from common to many. Some pedons have no dominant color and are variegated in shades of red, brown, yellow or gray. Percent by volume of plinthite is 5 to 25 percent. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam or silt loam and includes clay loam and sandy clay loam below a depth of about 40 inches.
The BC or CB horizons, where present, has the same range of colors and textures as the Btv horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Brogdon series is the only known series in the same family. The
Compass and
Perdido series are in closely related families. The well drained Brogdon soils are bisequal. The moderately well drained Compass soils have less than 20 percent silt in the control section. The well drained Perdido soils have redder upper subsoils.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Poarch soils are on nearly level to gently sloping uplands of the Coastal Plain. They formed in loamy and clayey marine sediments. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. The climate is humid subtropical. Near the type location the average annual temperature is 66 degrees F., and the average annual rainfall is about 58 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Atmore,
Escambia,
Fuquay,
Irvington,
Malbis,
Notcher,
Robertsdale,
Saucier, and
Stilson series. The poorly drained Atmore soils are on lower, dominantly depressional, positions. The somewhat poorly drained Escambia and Robertsdale soils are on slightly lower positions and have less than 5 percent, by volume, ironstone concretions in their control sections. In addition, Robertsdale soils have fine-loamy control sections. The moderately well drained Irvington soils are on slightly lower positions, have fine-loamy control sections and have a fragipan. The moderately well drained Saucier soils are on slightly lower positions and have fine-loamy control sections. Fuquay and Stilson soils are on similar positions but have sandy surface and subsurface layers 20 to 40 inches thick. In addition, Fuquay soils are well drained while Stilson soils are moderately well drained and have less than 5 percent, by volume, plinthite. Malbis and Notcher soils are on similar positions but have fine-loamy control sections. In addition, Notcher soils are moderately well drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well and moderately well drained. Slow to medium runoff and moderate to moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Poarch soils are cleared and used for the production of corn, cotton, soybeans, peanuts, small grains and truck crops. Other areas are used for pasture and woodland. The forested areas have longleaf pine, loblolly pine, slash pine along with some hardwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and possibly Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina. Poarch soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Escambia County, Alabama; 1969.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches (A and E horizon).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 12 to 66 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Btv1, Btv2 and Btv3 horizons).
Plinthic horizons - the zone from 32 to 66 inches (Btv1, Btv2 and Btv3 horizons).
Chroma 2 colors at depths less than 30 inches are attributed to clean quartz grains rather than wetness.
Poarch soils are saturated in the lower part in late winter and early spring.
Poarch soils are in MLRA 133A.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available on the National Soil Survey website at: http://ncsslabdatamart.sc.egov.usda.gov/querypage.aspx
Laboratory data was provided by Auburn University, Soil Characterization Laboratory, Auburn AL, Soil Characterization Lab., IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. and the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.