LOCATION TENSAS LA+MS
Established Series
DFS:WLC; Rev.JDS
11/2018
TENSAS SERIES
The Tensas series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in clayey over loamy alluvium. They are on level to sloping positions on natural levees along the Mississippi River and associated streams. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Chromic Vertic Epiaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Tensas silty clay-in cropland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm, moderately sticky, very plastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; few fine and medium low continuity tubular pores; 1 percent fine distinct irregular greenish gray (5GY 5/1) iron depletions on surfaces along pores; 1 percent medium distinct irregular brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Btg1--4 to 11 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay; strong medium angular blocky structure; firm, very sticky, very plastic; many fine roots between peds; 50 percent distinct pressure faces on vertical faces of peds; 15 percent medium prominent irregular gray (2.5Y 5/1) iron depletions on faces of peds; 25 percent medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Btg2--11 to 19 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay; strong medium angular blocky structure; firm, very sticky, very plastic; many fine roots between peds; few fine low continuity tubular pores; 52 percent distinct gray (2.5Y 5/1) pressure faces on vertical faces of peds; 25 percent medium prominent irregular brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; 1 percent very weakly cemented 2 to 3 mm. charcoal fragments; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Btg horizon is 10 to 33 inches)
2Bg--19 to 30 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few fine roots between peds; few fine low continuity tubular pores; 51 percent distinct gray (2.5Y 5/1) pressure faces on vertical faces of peds; 1 percent fine faint irregular reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) iron-manganese masses on faces of peds; 2 percent medium distinct irregular gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions on faces of peds; 25 percent medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
2Bw--30 to 33 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine roots throughout; few medium moderate continuity irregular pores; 8 percent distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent medium prominent irregular grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions on faces of peds; 15 percent medium prominent irregular strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary.
2Bg'--33 to 42 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine roots throughout; many fine moderate continuity irregular pores; 1 percent fine faint irregular gray (5Y 6/1) iron depletions on surfaces along root channels; 15 percent medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; moderately acid; diffuse smooth boundary.
2Bw'1--42 to 56 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) very fine sandy loam; structureless massive; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; many fine moderate continuity irregular pores; 1 percent fine distinct irregular gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions on surfaces along root channels; 25 percent medium distinct irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; moderately acid; diffuse smooth boundary.
2Bw'2--56 to 70 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; many fine moderate continuity dendritic tubular pores; 1 percent fine faint irregular grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions on surfaces along root channels; 1 percent fine spherical iron-manganese concretions; 15 percent medium distinct irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; slightly acid; diffuse smooth boundary.
2Bg"1--70 to 76 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; many fine moderate continuity dendritic tubular pores; 1 percent fine faint irregular gray (5Y 6/1) iron depletions on surfaces along root channels; 25 percent medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; moderately acid; diffuse smooth boundary.
2Bg"2--76 to 86 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; many fine moderate continuity dendritic tubular pores; 1 percent fine faint irregular gray (5Y 6/1) iron depletions on surfaces along root channels; 25 percent medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; slightly acid; diffuse smooth boundary.
2BCg--86 to 89 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; few fine roots between peds; few fine low continuity dendritic tubular pores; 51 percent discontinuous distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) pressure faces on all faces of peds; 15 percent medium faint irregular light olive gray (5Y 6/2) iron depletions on surfaces along root channels; 25 percent medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Tensas Parish, Louisiana; located from Newellton, La., 9.4 miles south on U.S. Highway 65, then 1.8 miles west on State Highway 568, then 5.22 miles west on State Highway 802 to Mayflower, La., then 1.04 miles west and southwest on Mayflower Road, then 1.66 miles south on field road and 150 feet southwest of road into field; NW1/4,NW1/4,NE1/4 Sec. 24 T. 11 N, R. 10 E; Latitude 31 degrees, 55 minutes, 28.00 seconds N., Longitude 91 degrees, 23 minutes, 58.00 seconds W., Gretna Green, Louisiana USGS 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, NAD-83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum is 30 to more than 80 inches. Depth to the loamy 2Bg horizon is 18 to 36 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is clay, silty clay, or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid through neutral.
The upper part of the Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2. Iron accumulations in shades of brown or yellow are typical. Darker coatings are on surfaces of peds in some pedons. Texture is clay or silty clay. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid through moderately acid.
The lower part of the Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2. Some pedons have hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1, or that are neutral with value of 4 or 5. Iron accumulations in shades of brown or yellow are typical. Darker coatings are on surfaces of peds in some pedons. Texture is clay, silty clay, clay loam, or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid through moderately acid.
The 2Bg or 2Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3; or hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2 in the lower parts. Depth to layers with matrix chroma of 3 is 30 inches or more. Surfaces of peds typically have hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1, or they are neutral with value of 4 or 5. Texture ranges from very fine sandy loam through silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from strongly acid through neutral.
The 2BCg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture ranges from very fine sandy loam through silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from strongly acid through slightly alkaline.
The 2Cg horizon, where present, has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture ranges from very fine sandy loam through silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from strongly acid through slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Acadia and
Natalbany series in the same family, and the
Baldwin,
Dundee,
Forestdale,
Galvez,
Lagrue,
Midland,
Openlake and
Tunica series in closely related families. Acadia, Lagrue and Natalbany soils do not have a loamy 2BC horizon within a depth of 40 inches. Baldwin, Forestdale, and Midland soils have a dominantly gray and dark gray subsoil. In addition, Baldwin soils have a hyperthermic soil temperature regime. Dundee and Galvez soils are loamy throughout the subsoil. Openlake and Tunica soils do not have an argillic horizon. In addition, Tunica soils have an abrupt textural change.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tensas soils are on convex slopes with gradients of 0 to about 8 percent. They are on low natural levee positions of the Mississippi River and along narrow ridges in a ridge-swale topography. The soils formed in stratified alluvium of the Mississippi River. The clays are dominated by smectites; the coarser fraction below the discontinuity is mixed mineralogy. The climate is warm and humid with mean annual rainfall of 52 inches and mean annual temperature about 66 degrees F. Average January temperature 49 degrees F., and average July temperature 82 degrees F. at the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the closely related
Dundee series, and the
Alligator,
Goldman, and
Sharkey series. Alligator and Sharkey soils are on lower areas, are very-fine textured throughout, and do not have an argillic horizon. Dundee soils are on higher positions on the natural levees. Goldman soils are adjacent to Tensas soils on similar positions and are coarser textured.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; runoff is high on slopes less than 1 percent, and very high on slopes more than 1 percent; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Areas are used mostly for cropland. Cotton, soybeans, rice, wheat, and corn are the min crops grown. Some areas are in woodland, pasture, and hay crops. Frequently flooded areas are mainly in bottomland hardwood vegetation.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Mississippi Valley Alluvium (MLRA 131) in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. The series is of moderate extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AUBURN, ALABAMA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Tensas Parish, Louisiana; 1970.
REMARKS: Tensas soils were reclassified from an Aeric Ochraqualf to an Aeric Epiaqualf in 2000; and from an Aeric Epiaqualf to a Chromic Vertic Epiaqualf in 2002 based on data from the type location pedon and other sampled pedons in Louisiana. The depth range to the discontinuity was also decreased from 20 to 18 inches to agree with typical pedons from several previously correlated survey areas. The series was updated in 2004 to allow silty clay loam or clay loam in the lower part of the Btg horizon, and value 6 and slightly alkaline reaction in the substratum. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon ------- 0 to 4 inches (Ap horizon)
Argillic horizon ------ 5 to 19 inches (Btg horizons)
Aquic conditions ------ 4 to 9 inches (Btg1 horizon)
Episaturation --------- 0 to 11 inches (A and Btg1 horizons)
Lithologic Discontinuity -- 19 inches (top of the 2Bg horizon)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Full characterization analyses were run on samples from the type location pedon by NSSL, Lincoln, Nebraska (S96LA-107-005). Additional chemical test data are available for the survey area typical pedons and are published in the Soil Survey Reports of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana (S79LA-009-022), Franklin Parish, Louisiana (S80LA-041-017), and Concordia Parish, Louisiana (S82LA-029-003); and fertility test data are available for the survey area typical pedons and are published in the Soil Survey Reports of East Carrol Parish, Louisiana (S83LA-035-007), Richland Parish, Louisiana (S86LA-083-011), and LaSalle Parish, Louisiana (S84LA-059-004).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.