LOCATION SONNIER LAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, thermic Aquertic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sonnier clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes--pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, very sticky and very plastic; many fine and medium roots; common fine and medium pores; common fine charcoal fragments throughout; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions and common fine reddish brown (5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation between peds; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--6 to 15 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) clay; strong medium blocky structure; firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine charcoal fragments; common very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coats on faces of peds and in pores; many pressure faces on faces of peds and many wedged shaped aggregates; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thikness of thw A and Bw horizons is 10 to 24 inches thick)
2A--15 to 17 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; common black (10YR 2/1) organic coats on faces of peds and few light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) coatings on ped faces; common medium prominent brown (7.5YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; strongly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
2E1--17 to 21 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; few fine pores; common medium prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6 and 7.5YR 6/8) iron accumulations throughout; strongly alkaline; gradual irregular boundary.
2E2-- 21 to 26 inches; mottled dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; common fine and medium pores; few strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films along root channels and some pores; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron accumulations throughout; strongly alkaline; gradual irregular boundary.
2Bt--26 to 34 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many fine and medium pores; common yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; many medium and coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 and 10YR 5/8) iron accumulations throughout; many medium and coarse gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions in root channels; strongly alkaline; diffuse wavy boundary.
2Bt/E1--34 to 46 inches; 70 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sandy loam (Bt); 30 percent brown (7.5YR 5/3) and very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sandy loam (E); weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium angular blocky; many fine and medium pores; few brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; many medium and coarse yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 and 10YR 5/8) iron accumulations throughout; many medium and coarse gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions throughout; moderately alkaline; diffuse wavy boundary.
2Bt/E2--46 to 66 inches; mottled, 70 percent brown (7.5YR 5/4) (Bt) and 30 percent brown(10YR 5/3) (E) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium pores; few yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; few medium red (2.5YR 4/6) nodules; many coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6 and 7.5YR 5/8) iron accumulations throughout; common medium gray (10YR 5/1) depletions; strongly alkaline; diffuse boundary.
2Bt/E3--66 to 81 inches; 60 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam (Bt); 40 percent light gray (10YR 7/1) loamy fine sand (E); weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse angular blocky; firm; few fine roots; common fine and medium pores; few reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; many medium yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation throughout and many fine strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation throughout and many medium reddish brown (5YR 5/3) iron depletions; neutral; abrupt irregular boundary.
2Bt/E4--81 to 89 inches; 70 percent brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam (Bt); 30 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy fine sand (E); weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few medium pores; few medium red (2.5YR 4/6) plinthite nodules; common black (10YR 2/1) manganese nodules; few strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; strongly alkaline; gradual irregular boundary.
2Bt/E5--89 to 100 inches; 70 percent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) sandy loam (Bt); 30 percent gray (10YR 6/1) sandy clay loam seams (E); weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few medium pores; few reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films on ped faces; few to many strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; few red (2.5YR 4/6) plinthite nodules; many black (10YR 2/1) bodies throughout; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Bossier Parish, Louisiana; about 4.25 miles from the courthouse in Benton, La. on Airline Dr. to Dean Point Rd.; about 3.55 miles east on Dean Point Rd. from the intersection of Airline Dr.; 909 feet south on field road from the end of Dean Point Rd.; 90 feet east of center of field road. 93 degrees 39 minutes 11.5 seconds W. Long.; 32 degrees 37 minutes 39 seconds N. Lat., USGS Benton, La. topographic quadrangle; NAD 1975.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 80 inches. Cracks 1/2 inch to 1 inch wide extend from the surface to a depth of about 10 inches when the soil is dry. Depth to the 2A horizon ranges from 10 to 24 inches. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline in the Ap and Bw horizons, and from moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline in the 2A, 2E, 2Bt and 2Bt/E horizons.
The Ap horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 3 and chroma of 2 or 3. Redox concentrations in shades of yellow or red range from none to few. Texture is clay or silty clay.
The Bw horizon has the same color and texture as the A horizon. Redox concentrations and depletions in shades of yellow, red and gray range from few to common.
The 2A horizon has hue to 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4 and chroma of 1 or 2. Redox concentrations are in shades of yellow and brown. Texture is silty clay loam, clay loam or silty clay.
The 2E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Redox concentrations are in shades of yellow and brown. Texture is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam.
The 2Bt and 2Bt/E horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 8. Redox concentrations and depletions are in shades of red, brown, yellow or gray. The E parts of the 2Bt/E horizon are vertical strippings in the lower part of the solum. They have hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is sandy clay loam, sandy loam, clay loam or fine sandy loam in the Bt parts, and loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or sandy clay loam in the E parts.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Similar soils are the Bowdre, Earle, Latanier, Newellton, Solier and Tunica series. Bowdre, Earle, Newellton and Tunica have a grayer surface layer and do not have a buried argillic horizon. Latanier soils have a reddish clayey mantle 20 to 40 inches thick, and do not have a burried argillic horizon. Solier soils have buried loess below the mantle of clay.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sonnier soils are on nearly level, low terraces of late Pleistocene age that are at present flood plain elevations. Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. These soils are formed in late-Pleistocene age loamy alluvium the is overlain by more recent clayey Red River alluvial sediments. The mean annual temperature ranges from 60 to 70 degrees F. Elevation ranges from 160 to 170 feet above sea level. Frost free days range from 250 to 275.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Buxin, McKamie and Moreland soils. The Buxin and Moreland soils are in swales and lower positions and are clayey throughout. The McKamie soils are on sideslopes of the Red River Valley escarpment, do not have a clayey overwash layer, and have a redder argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Sonnier soils are poorly drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cleared and used for pastureland. Dominant tree species in woodland areas are water oak, nutall oak, honey locust and elm.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Bossier Parish, Louisiana, MLRA 131. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bossier Parish, Louisiana, 2004.
REMARKS: The Sonnier series was included in the Buxin series in the previously published soil survey of Bossier Parish (1962).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 15 inches (Ap & Bw horizons)
Lithologic Discintinuity - at 15 inches (top of 2A horizon)
Albic horizon- 17 to 21 inches (2E1 horizon)
Glossic horizon- 34 to 100 inches (2Bt/E horizons)
Argillic horizon- 26 to 100 inches (2Bt and 2Bt/E horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory chemical analysis on the 24 to 40 inch layer were run at the LSU Ag Center soils lab (S97LA-015-34). Complete characterization data were run by NSSL on another pedon near the type location (S96-LA015-29).