LOCATION TELLICO            TN+AL 
Established Series
Rev. DLN-RLL
04/2001

TELLICO SERIES


The Tellico series consists of deep and very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in residuum from reddish quartzose limestone and calcareous sandstone and shale. The upper part of the profile may be affected by soil creep in steep and very steep areas. These soils are on gently sloping to moderately steep ridge tops and moderately steep to very steep backslopes.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, parasesquic, thermic Typic Rhodudults

TYPICAL PEDON: Tellico loam on a 19 percent slope, forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 4 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine roots throughout; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

Bt1--4 to 11 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and few coarse roots throughout; common distinct discontinuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--11 to 17 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay, red (2.5YR 4/6) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots throughout and few coarse throughout; many distinct continuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt3--17 to 25 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay, red (2.5YR 4/6) dry; strong medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots throughout; many distinct continuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

Bt4--25 to 44 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine and fine roots throughout; common distinct discontinuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 2 percent subrounded sandstone gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt5--44 to 61 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine and fine roots throughout; common distinct discontinuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 2 percent subrounded sandstone gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

BC--61 to 70 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; very strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: McMinn County, Tennessee; east of Englewood 6.9 miles on State Route 39 (0.5 miles north of the junction of State Routes 39 and 310 on State Route 39), and 900 feet east of State Route 39 in a hardwood forest. Mecca Quadrangle; 35 degrees 21 minutes 39.1 seconds North latitude; 84 degrees 25 minutes 13.3 seconds West longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from about 35 to 60 inches. Depth to reddish decalcified sandstone or shale ranges from about 40 to more than 60 inches. Fragments of partly weathered sandstone or shale, or both, range from 0 to about 25 percent in the solum and from 2 to about 80 percent in the C horizon. Reaction in each horizon is very strongly acid to moderately acid, except where limed.

The A horizon has hue of 10R to 5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture of the fine-earth fraction is loam, sandy loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10R to 5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 3 to 6. Dry value is 4 or less. Texture of the fine-earth fraction is clay, sandy clay, clay loam, or sandy clay loam. Content of fine and medium black and brown concretions ranges from none to common.

The BC horizon has hue of 10R to 5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture of the fine-earth fraction is clay loam, sandy clay loam, loam, sandy loam, or clay. Content of fine and medium black and brown concretions ranges from none to common.

When present, the C horizons has hue of 10R to 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. Pockets and layers of material that have value of 2 and chroma of 2 or 3 are common. Texture of the fine-earth fraction is sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam.

When present, the Cr horizon is reddish decalcified soft quartzose limestone or calcareous sandstone and shale.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series currently in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tellico soils are on gently sloping to moderately steep ridges and moderately steep to very steep side slopes in highly dissected hills and ridges. Slopes range from 3 to 70 percent. The soil formed in residuum weathered from reddish quartzose limestone, or calcareous sandstone and shale. In steep and very steep areas the upper portion of the profile may be affected by soil creep. At a site about 15 miles from the type location, mean annual air temperature is 59 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is 50 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alcoa, Neubert, Red Hills (tentative) and Steekee series. Alcoa soils are on adjacent stream terraces and foot slopes and do not have a clay decrease by 20 percent or more within 60 inches of the mineral soil surface. Neubert soils are on adjacent flood plains and formed in alluvium. Red Hills (tentative) soils are on adjcaent side slopes and do not have an argillic horizon and have soft bedrock at 20 to 40 inches. Steekee soils have a discontinuous argillic horizon and are less than 20 inches to soft bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: About two-thirds of the acreage is in forest consisting chiefly of oaks, poplar, beech, and hickory. Cleared areas are used largely for pasture, but some are idle. Many harvested areas have been replanted in pines for pulp wood production.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys in Tennessee, Alabama, and possibly Georgia. The series is of moderate extent, approximately 80,000 acres in Tennessee.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Catoosa County, Georgia; 1939.

REMARKS: The Tellico series was classified in the Red-Yellow Podzolic great soil group. Depth to hard bedrock was changed to very deep based on field notes and reexamination of the type location.

Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this profile are:

Ochric epipedon: 0 to 4 inches, A horizon

Rhodic feature: 0 to 70 inches

Argillic horizon: 4 to 61 inches, Bt horizons

Laboratory data available: Particle size data on the previous type location by the University of Tennessee, 04/70; Data on two additional pedons in Loudon County, TN by the NSSL Lincoln, NE; S58TN-53-3 and S58TN-53-4. Lab data show that the particle-size control section is close to the fine-loamy family. Also have characterization data for the this type location S95TN107-7.

SIR = TN0116


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.