LOCATION ROMNEY MDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Aeric Endoaquults
TYPICAL PEDON: Romney silt loam, on a smooth 1 percent slope, in a mixed hardwood forest. (Colors are for moist soil.)
A--0 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam; weak medium granular structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 11 inches thick)
E--4 to 8 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam; moderate medium granular structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bt--8 to 16 inches; 40 percent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4), 30 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), and 30 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few light gray (10YR 7/1) iron depletions and few strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; positive reaction to alpha, alpha-dipyridyl; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 16 inches thick)
Btg--16 to 48 inches; 40 percent gray (10YR 6/1), 40 percent light gray (10YR 7/1), and 20 percent gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and few distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (20 to 40 inches thick)
BCg--48 to 60 inches; mixed light gray (10YR 7/1, 2.5Y 7/2, N 7/0) silt loam; weak subangular blocky structure; friable; common prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) and few prominent strong brown (7.5Y5/8) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid. clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
2Cg--60 to 70 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy loam; massive; friable; common prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) and few prominent strong brown (7.5Y5/8) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Harford County, Maryland; Aberdeen Area of Aberdeen Proving Grounds, east of Phillips Field; 0.3 miles northeast of intersection of Michaelsville Road and Aviation Arms Road, northwest side of Michaelsville Rd. in woods. (Perryman, NE quadrangle)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum thickness: 30 to 60 inches or more
Depth to Bedrock: Greater than 60 inches
Depth to Lithologic Discontinuity: 40 to more than 60 inches
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 12 to 24 inches, December to March
Rock Fragments: 0 to 5 percent, by volume throughout the profile
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid to strongly acid throughout the profile, unless limed
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
Ap or A horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, chroma of 2 to 5
Texture--silt loam or loam
E horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2
Texture--silt loam or loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, or red
Eg or BEg horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 10YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 1 or 2
Texture: silt loam or loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, or red and iron depletions in shades of olive or gray
BE or BA horizon (if they occur):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 3 or 4
Texture--silt loam or loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, or red and iron depletions in shades of olive or gray
Bt horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, or red and iron depletions in shades of olive or gray
Btg horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5GY, value 4 to 7, chroma 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 8
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, or red and iron depletions in shades of olive or gray
BCg horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2 , or is neutral with value of 4 to 8
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, or red and iron depletions in shades of olive or gray
2BCg horizons:
Color--hue of 10YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 8
Texture--loam or sandy loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, or red and iron depletions in shades of olive or gray
2Cg horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y,value of 4 to 7, and chroma 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 4 to 8
Texture--stratified sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, or loam
COMPETING SERIES: None
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Coastal Plain uplands
Landform: Broad flats and shallow depressions
Elevation: 5 to 125 feet
Parent Material: Silty eolian deposits underlain by loamy marine and fluvial sediments
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 52 to 58 degrees F.
Mean Annual Precipitation: 42 to 48 inches
Frost Free Period: 190 to 210 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Nassawango soils-well drained with a seasonal water table at a depth of 42 to 72 inches, on higher landforms
Mattapex soils--moderately well drained with a seasonal high water table at a depth of 18 to 36 inches, on slightly higher landforms
Othello soils--poorly drained with a seasonal high water table at a depth of 0 to 12 inches and 18 to 27 percent clay in the particle-size control section, on lower lying landforms
Elkton soils--poorly drained with a seasonal high water table at a depth of 0 to 12 inches and 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section, on lower lying landforms
MAJOR USES: Largely cultivated and used for growing corn, soybeans, and pasture.
VEGETATION: In forested areas, common trees include sweet gum, yellow poplar, willow oak, red maple, and American holly.
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal Plain of Maryland
EXTENT: Moderate
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Harford County, Maryland, 1998.
REMARKS: Romney soils were previously included with Mattapex, Othello, and Elkton soils. They are distinguished by being somewhat poorly drained.
Diagnostic horizons and other diagnostic soil characteristics recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from the soil surface to a depth of 8 inches (A horizon)
Albic horizon--the zone from 4 to 8 inches (E horizon)
Argillic horizon--the zone from 8 to 60 inches below the surface (Bt, Btg, and BCg horizons)
Aquic conditions--the zone from 8 inches to a depth of 80 inches is periodically saturated (endosaturation).
SERIES INTERPRETATION RECORD(S): This series was developed after the termination of the NRCS-SOI-5 form.