LOCATION TIPTONVILLE TN+AR MO

Established Series
Rev. WTB/RPS
11/2018

TIPTONVILLE SERIES

The Tiptonville series consists of very deep, nearly level, moderately well drained soils. These soils formed in silty alluvium on stream terraces which are old natural levees of the Mississippi River. They also formed in silty colluvium at the foot of the loess bluff. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Oxyaquic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Tiptonville silt loam - cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil.)

Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) when dry; weak medium granular structure; very friable; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)

A--7 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam; brown (10YR 5/3) when dry; weak medium granular structure; very friable; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)

Bt1--12 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; pale brown (10YR 6/3) when dry; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable; few faint clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; numerous root and worm holes; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--21 to 32 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; pale brown (10YR 6/3) when dry; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable; common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) iron concentrations; few faint dark grayish brown clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; many worm and root holes; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of the Bt horizon ranges from 15 to 35 inches)

BC--32 to 45 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; pale brown (10YR 6/3) when dry; weak coarse prismatic structure breaking to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; many medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) iron concentrations and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; many worm or root holes; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)

C--45 to 72 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; massive; friable; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) iron concentrations; common fine manganese concentrations; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Tennessee; from Ridgely 3/4 mile north on Tennessee Highway 78; east on field road 2,000 feet; north of field road 15 feet to type location which is about 600 feet west of hard surface road and about 500 feet south of cemetery.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of solum ranges from 35 to 65 inches. The mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 20 inches in thickness. Reaction in the A and C horizon is moderately acid to neutral and the B horizon is strongly acid to slightly acid.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam.

The B horizon has hue of 10YR, or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. Iron depletions of chroma 2 or less are present within 40 inches of the soil surface. The texture is silt loam, silty clay loam, loam, or clay loam. Pedons that are loam or clay loam have a significant amount of very fine sandy.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. Iron depletions and concentrations are in shades of gray and brown. The texture is silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam and is stratified with a variety of textures below about 60 inches.

COMPETING SERIES: Deepwater is the only other series in this family. Deepwater soils formed in a thin mantle of loess over residuum from shale on uplands. Soils in closely associated families are the Caspiana, Catoosa, Dardanelle, Lula, Mason, Mer Rouge, and Reelfoot soils. Caspiana, Catoosa, Dardanelle, Lula soils do not have iron depletions and are not saturated within 40 inches of the soil surface for a significant period. Catoosa soils also have bedrock within 40 inches of the soil surface and Lula soils have bedrock within 60 inches. Mason soils are not saturated in the upper 40 inches and have a mollic epipedon greater than 20 inches thick. Mer Rouge soils formed in calcarous alluvium and are not saturated in the upper 40 inches. Reelfoot soils are wetter and have iron depletions of chroma 2 or less within 16 inches of the soil surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tiptonville soils formed in silty alluvium on stream terraces which are old natural levees of the Mississippi River. These soils occupy some of the higher better drained sites on these ridges. They also formed in silty colluvium at the foot of the loess bluff. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. At the type location average precipitation is about 49 inches and mean annual temperature is about 60 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Tiptonville soils are associated with the competing Reelfoot series and the Commerce and Robinsonville series. Robinsonville and Commerce soils formed in recent sediments and do not have an argillic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; moderate and slow runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cotton, corn, soybeans, small grains, and alfalfa are crops commonly grown on these soils. These soils are among the preferred sites for farmsteads and urban developments. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Tiptonville soils are on old natural levees of the Mississippi River in the northern part of the thermic region. They are in the western edge of Tennessee in addition to the eastern edge of Arkansas and Missouri. They are of minor extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AUBURN, ALABAMA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, Tennessee; 1974.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other feathers recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 12 inches (Ap and A horizons)
Argillic horizon - 12 to 32 inches (Bt horizon)
Aquic conditions - Iron depletions start at 21 inches

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.