LOCATION SOLIER LAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Aeric Epiaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Solier clay on a 0.5 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; common fine and very fine roots; common slickensides; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bg--6 to 14 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay; common medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; common fine and very fine roots; distinct nearly continuous reddish brown clay films on vertical surfaces of peds; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--14 to 19 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay; common medium distinct gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; few fine roots; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
2Eg--19 to 25 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) silt loam; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common medium and large old root channels filled with clay; slightly alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
2Btg/E--25 to 42 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) silty clay loam; many medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; continuous thin clay films on surfaces of peds; few old root channels filled with clay; vertical intrusions of light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam (Albic material) 1 to 3 inches wide extend to a depth of 40 inches; few fine black and brown concretions; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
2Btg1--42 to 60 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) silty clay loam; many fine and medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; discontinuous thin clay films on surfaces of peds; common fine black and brown concretions; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
2Btg2--60 to 77 inches; variegated gray (10YR 6/1), yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), and pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few thin patchy clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine black and brown concretions; common black stains; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (15 to 35 inches thick)
2C--77 to 84 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; many medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; common fine faint gray iron depletions; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few black stains; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana; from Effie, Louisiana, 5.3 miles north on Coles Island Road, then 3.7 miles east; 60 feet south and 60 feet west of the NE corner, sec. 32, T.4 N., R.4 E.; Latitude 31 degrees, 17 minutes, 8 seconds N., Longitude 92 degrees, 4 minutes, 34 seconds W., Powell Point USGS 7.5 minute Quadrangle, Louisiana, NAD-83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 50 to 80 inches or more. Depth to the discontinuity ranges from 12 to 24 inches.
The Ap horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is clay or silty clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Bg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is clay or silty clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. Texture is clay or silty clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The 2Eg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 2Btg/E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. Redoximorphic concentrations in shades of brown range from few to many. Texture is silty clay loam or silt loam in the Btg parts, and silt loam in the E parts. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 2Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. Redoximorphic concentrations in shades of brown range from few to many. Texture is silty clay loam or silt loam. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 2BCg and 2C horizons are variegated in shades of brown and gray. Texture is silt loam, silty clay loam, or silty clay. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Acy, Essen, and Frozard series in the same family. The Bowdre, Earle, Hebert, Kurk, McGehee, Latanier, Newellton, Sonnier and Tunica series are in closely related families. Acy, Essen, Hebert, and Frozard soils are loamy throughout and do not have a discontinuity. Kurk soils are loamy throughout. McGehee soils are loamy throughout the upper part of the solum. Bowdre and Sonnier soils have a mollic epipedon. Latanier soils are vertisols and do not have an argillic horizon. Bowdre, Earle, Newellton, and Tunica soils have grayer hue in the clayey layers above the discontinuity and do not have an argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Solier soils are on nearly level, low terraces of late Pleistocene age on the Red River alluvial plain that are at flood plain elevations. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. These soils formed in loess or silty alluvium overlain by clayey alluvium. The mean annual temperature is 66 degrees F, and the mean annual rainfall is about 61 inches near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Calhoun, Deerford, and Moreland series. Calhoun soils are on slightly higher positions and are loamy throughout. Deerford soils are on slightly higher ridges, are loamy throughout, and have a natric horizon. Moreland soils are on slightly lower positions and are clayey throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Solier soils are poorly drained. Runoff is high and permeability is very slow. The soil is saturated within 1.5 feet of the surface December through April. These soils are subject to occasional flooding unless protected.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Solier soils are cleared and used for cropland or pastureland. Soybeans are the main crop grown. Dominant tree species in woodland areas are overcup oak, Nuttall oak, honey locust, and elm.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Louisiana. The soils of this series are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana; 1980.
REMARKS: The series classification was updated from a clayey over fine-silty Aeric Haplaquept to a clayey over fine-silty Aeric Epiaquept in 2001. It was changed again to a fine-silty Aeric Epiaqualf in 2002. The former classification was based on the overlying cambic horizon that was separated from the underlying argillic horizon by an albic horizon. Current taxonomy stipulates that the classification must recognize the argillic horizon however, unless it is overlain by a layer of new material at least 3 inches thick that fails criteria for all diagnostic horizons.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the type location pedon include:
Ochric epipedon---------------0 to 6 inches (Ap horizon)
Cambic horizon----------------6 to 19 inches (Bg and Bw horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity------19 inches (top of the 2Eg horizon)
Albic horizon-----------------19 to 25 inches (2E horizon)
Intrusions of albic material--25 to 42 inches (2Btg/E horizon)
Argillic horizon--------------25 to 77 inches (2Btg/E and Btg horizons)