LOCATION SMITHDALE               MS+AL AR KY LA MO OK TN TX

Established Series
Rev. KEM: RBH; GRB
12/2014

SMITHDALE SERIES


The Smithdale series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils on ridge tops and hill slopes in dissected uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain (MLRA 133A) and in the Western Coastal Plain (133B). They formed in thick beds of loamy marine sediments. Near the type location the average annual temperature is 63 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is about 57 inches. Slopes range from 1 to 60 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Typic Hapludults

TYPICAL PEDON: Smithdale fine sandy loam, in a forested area on a steep slope (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).

A--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many very fine and fine roots, common medium to very coarse roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)

E--2 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many very fine roots, common medium to coarse roots; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)

Bt1--11 to 39 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine to coarse roots, common fine roots; many faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; about 2 percent, by volume reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) ironstone nodules; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.

Bt2--39 to 50 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine, medium and coarse roots; many faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; common distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) irregular pockets of sand grains; about 2 percent, by volume reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) ironstone nodules; few fine quartz pebbles; few distinct platy weakly cemented mica flakes; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon ranges from 48 to 55 inches)

BC1--50 to 63 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine roots; common faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; common fine distinct pockets of yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) irregular pockets of sand grains; common fine distinct platy weakly cemented mica flakes; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.

BC2--63 to 83 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; sand grains bridged and coated with clay and oxides; few medium distinct pockets of yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) irregular pockets of sand grains; common fine distinct platy weakly cemented mica flakes; very strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Wayne County, Mississippi. Approximately 7.0 miles northeast Waynesboro; 1390 feet north and 1960 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 6; T. 9 N., R. 6 W.; USGS Shubuta Topographic Quadrangle. Lat 31 degrees 46 minutes 25.5 seconds N.; Long. 88 degrees 37 minutes 53.7 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 60 to more than 100 inches. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout, except where the surface has been limed.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 to 6. Texture is loamy fine sand, loamy sand, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam.

The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam.

Some pedons have a BA or BE horizon with hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. The range in texture is the same as the E horizon.

The upper part of Bt horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 6 or 8. Some pedons have a thin upper Bt horizon with a hue of 7.5YR and the same range of value and chroma. This horizon is typically 10 inches thick, or less. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam.

The lower part of the Bt horizon has the same range in color as the upper part. Some pedons have few to many mottles in shades of red and brown. Pockets of sand in shades of brown and yellow range from none to many. Some pedons have chert, quartz or ironstone pebbles that constitute as much as 10 percent of the volume. Texture is sandy loam, loam or sandy clay loam.

The BC or CB horizon, where present, has the same range in color as the upper part of the Bt horizon. Mottles in shades of red, yellow and brown range from none to common. Pockets of sand grains range from none to common. Presence of mica flakes range from none to common. Some pedons have chert, quartz or ironstone pebbles that constitute as much as 10 percent of the volume. Texture is loamy sand or sandy loam.

The C horizon, where present, ranges from 2.5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 4 to 8. Mottles in shades of red, yellow and brown range from none to many. In some pedons there is no dominant color and it is mottled in shades of red, brown or yellow. Pockets of sand grains range from none to common. Presence of mica flakes range from none to common. Some pedons have chert, quartz or ironstone pebbles that constitute as much as 10 percent of the volume. Texture is sand or loamy sand.

COMPETING SERIES: These are Cahaba, Emporia, Fruitdale, Hartsells and Kempsville in the same family and the Cowarts, Olla, Stringtown and Suffolk soils in closely related families. Cahaba soils are on terrace positions that are subject to rare flooding and have a solum thickness of less than 60 inches. Emporia soils have a seasonal high water table at a 36 to 54-inch depth. Fruitdale soils have yellower subsoils and have a seasonal high water table less than 72 inches from the surface. Hartsells soils are in the Southern Appalachians Ridges and Valleys MLRA (128) and Sand Mountain MLRA (129) and are moderately deep to sandstone bedrock. Kempsville soils have yellower subsoils. Cowarts soils have a kandic horizon. Olla, Stringtown, and Suffolk soils have yellower subsoils.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Smithdale soils are on hill slopes and ridge tops in dissected uplands of the Southern and Western Coastal Plains. Slopes range from 1 to 60 percent, but are dominantly from 2 to 40 percent. They formed in thick beds of loamy marine or fluvial deposits of upper Cretaceous to early Quaternary periods. The climate is humid subtropical. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 63 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation is about 52 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bama, Boykin, Lucy, Luverne, McLaurin, Ora, Providence, Ruston, Saffell, Sweatman, Troup and Wadley series. Bama and Ruston soils are on higher and broader positions. In addition, Bama soils do not have a significant decrease in clay within 60 inches and Ruston soils have a bisequum. Boykin, Lucy and Troup and Wadley soils are on lower hill slope positions. In addition, Boykin and Lucy soils have sandy surface and subsurface layers 20 to 40 inches thick while Troup and Wadley Soils sandy surface and subsurface layers 40 to 80 inches thick. Luverne and Sweatman soils are on lower foot slope positions and have clayey control sections. McLaurin soils are on slightly higher broad positions and have coarse-loamy control sections. The moderately well drained Ora and Providence soils are on higher positions and have fragipans. Saffell soils are on similar positions but are gravelly throughout the profile.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Smithdale soils are used for woodland, principally loblolly, longleaf, and shortleaf pines. Cleared areas are used mainly for growing pasture and a few areas are cropped to corn, cotton, soybeans, and small grains.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Coastal Plain of Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Amite County, Mississippi; 1971.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 11 inches. (Ap and E horizons).

Argillic horizon - the zone from 11 to 80 inches. (Bt1, Bt2 and BC horizons).

Smithdale soils were formerly included in the Cahaba and Ruston series.

The seasonal high water table is below 72 inches from the surface.

Smithdale soils are in MLRAs 133A and 133B.

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 and the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.