LOCATION REDHILLS MS
Tentative Series
Rev. CH-JVG-AMS
02/2020
REDHILLS SERIES
The Redhills series consists of very deep, well drained soils that occur on anthropogenic landforms. This soil is developing in reconstructed mixed oxidized and unoxidized materials resulting from lignite mining operations. They are composed of randomly oriented remnants of diagnostic horizons of loamy overburden material that was excavated, mounded, and sequentially replaced following surface lignite mining operations. Slopes range from 1 to 20 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1397 millimeters (55 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees C (63 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, spolic, siliceous, superactive, acid, thermic Anthroportic Udorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Redhills fine sandy loam, on a gently sloping, reconstructed south facing slope under grass vegetation at an elevation of 134 meters (440 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).
^Ap--0 to 8 centimeters (0 to 3 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure and weak fine granular structure; friable; many very fine and fine roots and common medium roots throughout; 3 percent nonflat subrounded very weakly cemented 2 to 20 millimeters lignite fragments; slightly alkaline, pH 7.8, pH indicator solutions; abrupt smooth boundary. [3 to 15 centimeters thick (1 to 6 inches)].
^C1--8 to 29 centimeters (3 to 11 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/8) fine sandy loam; massive structure; friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; 5 percent medium prominent irregular pale brown (10YR 6/3), moist, masses of reduced iron, 15 percent coarse distinct irregular strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), moist and 15 percent coarse distinct irregular red (2.5YR 4/6), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries throughout; and 25 percent very coarse prominent irregular pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2), moist, masses of reduced iron with sharp boundaries throughout; 5 percent nonflat subrounded very weakly cemented 2 to 20 millimeters lignite fragments; very strongly acid, pH 4.7, pH indicator solutions; About 25 percent pockets of light gray (10YR 7/2) weathered shale bedrock ranging in size from very fine through extremely coarse; About 10 percent, by volume, fragments of argillic horizons ranging in size from 20 millimeters to 20 centimeters in size; clear wavy boundary.
^C2--29 to 89 centimeters (11 to 35 inches); variegated 30 percent red (2.5YR 4/8), 20 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8), 20 percent light gray (10YR 7/2), 20 percent yellowish red (5YR 5/8) and 10 percent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam; massive structure; friable; few very fine and fine roots throughout; 5 percent nonflat subrounded very weakly cemented 2 to 5 millimeters lignite fragments; very strongly acid, pH 4.9, pH indicator solutions; About 20 percent pockets of light gray (10YR 7/2) weathered shale bedrock ranging in size from very fine through extremely coarse; About 25 percent, by volume, fragments of argillic horizons ranging in size from 20 millimeters to 20 centimeters in size; gradual wavy boundary.
^C3--89 to 165 centimeters (35 to 65 inches); variegated 30 percent red (2.5YR 4/6), 20 percent yellowish red (5YR 5/8), 20 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), 20 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) and 10 percent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam; massive structure; firm; few coarse roots and few very fine roots throughout; 5 percent nonflat subrounded very weakly cemented 2 to 20 millimeters lignite fragments; strongly acid, pH 5.1, pH indicator solutions; About 20 percent pockets of light gray (10YR 7/2) weathered shale bedrock ranging in size from very fine through extremely coarse; About 15 percent, by volume, fragments of argillic horizons ranging in size from 20 millimeters to 20 centimeters in size; gradual wavy boundary.
^C4--165 to 210 centimeters (65 to 83 inches); variegated 40 percent red (2.5YR 5/6), 40 percent light gray (10YR 7/2), 10 percent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) and 10 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; massive structure; firm; 10 percent nonflat subrounded very weakly cemented 2- to 20-millimeters lignite fragments; very strongly acid, pH 4.7, pH indicator solutions; ; About 40 percent pockets of light gray (10YR 7/2) weathered shale bedrock ranging in size from very fine through extremely coarse; About 10 percent, by volume, fragments of argillic horizons ranging in size from 20 millimeters to 20 centimeters in size. [122 to 202 centimeters thick (48 to 80 inches)].
TYPE LOCATION: Choctaw County, Mississippi; North American Coal Corporation Red Hills Mine; about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northwest of Ackerman; located about 540 meters (1772 feet) east and 325 meter (1066 feet) south of the northwest corner of sec. 33, T. 18 N., R. 10 E.; Tomnolen, Mississippi USGS quadrangle; Latitude 33 degrees 23 minutes 3.12 seconds N.; Longitude 89 degrees 15 minutes 22.62 seconds W.; WGS84. UTM 290124.1 meter east, 3696155.4 meter north, zone 16.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil reaction: Reaction ranges from slightly acid to very strongly acid through the profile and neutral or moderately alkaline when the surface has been limed.
Depth to base of soil development: More than 203 centimeters (80 inches)
Thickness of the ochric epipedon: 0 to 8 centimeters (0 to 3 inches)
Depth to masses of oxidized iron: 8 to 210 centimeters (3 to 83 inches)
Depth to iron depletions: 8 to 210 centimeters (3 to 83 inches)
Rock fragment content: 5 to 14 percent
Particle-size control section: 0 to 200 centimeters (0 to 80 inches)
Lower profile contains layers and lenses of lignitic clays, coal, and black shale in varying thicknesses (26 to 203 inches
^Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 5 to 35 percent
Sand content: 30 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 3 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline
^C1 horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 2.5YR, 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 8
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, and clay loam
Clay content: 5 to 35 percent
Sand content: 15 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 5 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid
^C2 horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 2.5YR, 2.5Y, 10YR
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 8
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, and clay loam
Clay content: 5 to 35 percent
Sand content: 15 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 5 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid
^C3 horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 2.5YR, 2.5Y, 10YR
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 8
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, and clay loam
Clay content: 5 to 35 percent
Sand content: 15 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 5 percent
Reaction: strongly acid
^C4 horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 2.5YR, 2.5Y, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 8
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, and clay loam
Clay content: 5 to 35 percent
Sand content: 15 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 5 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid
COMPETING SERIES:
There are no known series in the same family. Similar soils include:
Grayrock,
Marklake, and
Pirkey series. Marklake soils are acid and Pirkey soils have base saturation less than 35 percent throughout the upper meter. Grayrock series are fine-silty. All of these series are in reclaimed areas of surface mine lignite operations in east Texas of the Western Coastal Plain (MLRA 133B).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Fine-loamy mine spoil or earthy fill derived from sedimentary rock
Landscape: Coastal Plain (Anthroscape)
Landform: Hillslopes
Anthropogenic landform: Reclaimed land
Hillslope profile position: Summits, shoulders, backslope, footslope, and toeslope
Geomorphic component: Interfluve, sideslope, head slope, nose slope, side slope, and base slope
Slopes: 0 to 20 percent
Elevation: 125 to 183 meters (410 to 600 feet)
Mean annual temperature: 11 to 23 degrees C (51 to 74 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 1397 millimeters (55 inches)
Frost-free period: 250 to 335 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Chenneby soils - somewhat poorly drained soils on adjacent floodplains of local streams
Oaklimiter soils - well drained soils on adjacent floodplains of local streams
Providence soils - well drained soils that have fragipans and are in the Southern Mississippi
Valley Loess (MLRA 134)
Smithdale soils- well drained soils on upland ridges and hillslopes and have strongly developed argillic horizons with a fine-loamy in the particle-size control section
Sweatman soils - well drained soils on upland ridges and hillslopes and have strongly developed argillic horizons with a fine particle-size control section
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Soil drainage class: well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat): moderately high
Runoff: High on 1 to 5 percent slopes and very high on 5 to 20 percent slopes
Flooding frequency and duration: None
Ponding frequency and duration: None
USE AND VEGETATION:
Most areas of Redhills soils are planted pine trees with lesser acreages of improved pasture of coastal bermudagrass, common bermudagrass, and crimson clover. Some areas are established with native grasses, shrubs, hardwood trees for wildlife habitat, and riparian buffers along reclaimed streams.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Northeastern and Central Mississippi lignite coal mining areas
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): Southern Coastal Plain (133A)
Extent: Minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES PROPOSED: Choctaw County, Mississippi, 2013.
REMARKS:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 25 to 100 centimeters (0 to 79 inches) (^C1, ^C2, ^C3, and ^C4 horizons)
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 8 centimeters. (0 to 3 inches) (^Ap horizon)
Human-transported material: The zone from 0 to 210 centimeters (0 to 83 inches) (^Ap, ^C1, ^C2, ^C3, and ^C4 horizons)
Masses of oxidized iron: The zone from 8 to 210 centimeters (3 to 83 inches) (^C1, ^C2, ^C3, and ^C4 horizons)
Iron depletions: The zone from 8 to 210 centimeters (3 to 83 inches) (^C1, ^C2, ^C3, and ^C4 horizons)
Reclamation following disturbance by mining activities at the Red Hills Mine in Choctaw County, Mississippi has been in progress since 1999. Additional reclamation disturbances by mining activities at the Liberty Mine in Kemper County, Mississippi will begin in 2015.
Soil classified according the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Laboratory data for the Official Soil Series Description (OSD) is available on the National Soil Survey website at: https://ncsslabdatamart.sc.egov.usda.gov/querypage.aspx
OSD User Site ID: S2016MS019001
OSD User Pedon ID: S2016MS019001
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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.