LOCATION PYRITIES NY+CT

Established Series
Rev. SCC-FLG
04/2013

PYRITIES SERIES

The Pyrities series consists of very deep, well drained soils on uplands. They formed in loamy, calcareous till. Slope ranges from 0 to 45 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the solum and moderately low to high in the substratum. Mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F. and mean annual precipitation is about 38 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Dystric Eutrudepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Pyrities fine sandy loam, on a 4 percent convex south-facing slope in a field of alfalfa. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise indicated.)

Ap -- 0 to 8 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; 10 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick.)

Bw1 -- 8 to 14 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular and vesicular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.

Bw2 -- 14 to 23 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine, medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and very fine roots; many very fine and common fine vesicular and tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.

Bw3 -- 23 to 30 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; very friable; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; common medium vesicular and tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 13 to 35 inches.)

BC -- 30 to 40 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly fine sandy loam; moderate medium platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; 20 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick.)

C1 -- 40 to 44 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly fine sandy loam; massive parting to medium plate-like divisions along depositional planes; firm; common very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; 20 percent gravel; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

C2 -- 44 to 70 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) gravelly fine sandy loam; massive parting to medium plates along depositional planes; firm; 30 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: St. Lawrence County, New York; town of Canton, near hamlet of Langdon Corners, 3.2 miles east of New York Rt. 11, 200 feet south of New York Rt. 68. USGS Pierrepont, NY topographic quadrangle; Latitude 44 degrees, 34 minutes, 30 seconds N. and Longitude 75 degrees, 05 minutes and 30 seconds W. NAD 1927.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 25 to 50 inches. Bedrock is deeper than 60 inches. The depth of free carbonates ranges from 40 to 80 inches. Rock fragments range from 5 to 35 percent by volume in the A and B horizons and from 5 to 50 percent in the C horizon.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 through 4, and chroma of 1 through 3. It is commonly fine sandy loam and less commonly is silt loam or loam. Structure is weak or moderate, granular or subangular blocky. Consistence is friable or very friable. Reaction ranges from moderately acid through neutral. A horizons are up to 5 inches thick.

Some pedons have an E horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma 1 through 3. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam. Structure is weak or moderate, granular or subangular blocky. Consistence is friable or very friable. Reaction ranges from moderately acid through neutral.

The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 3 through 5, and chroma of 3 through 6. It is commonly fine sandy loam and less commonly sandy loam or loam. Structure is weak or moderate subangular blocky. Consistence is friable or very friable. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through slightly alkaline.

The BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 3 through 6. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam. Structure is weak or moderate, platy or subangular blocky. Consistence is friable. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through slightly alkaline.

The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam. Some pedons have thin layers of loamy sand. Structure is massive, or massive with plate-like divisions. Consistence is friable or firm. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: Nehasne soils are in the same family. They are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pyrities soils are on the convex tops of ridges and hills in glaciated uplands. Slopes are commonly 3 to 15 percent, but the complete range is 0 to 45 percent. The soils formed in loamy till dominated by dolomitic limestone, sandstone, calcareous shale, and limestone materials. The mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 45 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 34 to 50 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kalurah, Malone, Muskellunge, Nehasne, Swanton, and Waddington soils. The Kalurah soils are on lower topographic positions than Pyrities soils and have low chroma mottles above 24 inches. Malone, Muskellunge, and Swanton soils have aquic moisture regimes and are on lower backslopes, footslopes, and toe slopes. Nehasne soils are on nearby bedrock controlled terraces where the till regolith is 20 to 40 inches deep over bedrock. Waddington soils are on similar topographic positions as the Pyrities soils, but have sandy-skeletal family textures.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the solum and moderately low to high in the substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas have been cleared and are cultivated or used for pasture. Common trees in wooded areas are sugar maple, American beech, white oak, and red oak.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Connecticut, the St. Lawrence Valley of Northern New York and the Champlain Valley of Northern New York and possibly Vermont. MLRAs 142, 143, and 144B. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts

SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Lawrence County, New York, 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
a. Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 8 inches (Ap horizon).
b. Cambic horizon - the zone from 8 to 30 inches (Bw horizon).
c. Dystric Eutrudepts feature - base saturation of 60 percent or more in some layer between depths of 10 and 30 inches or have carbonates within the soil, but they do not have carbonates above a depth of 40 inches.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.