LOCATION VACHERIE LA+TN
Established Series
Rev. WLC-RED-BES
02/2018
VACHERIE SERIES
The Vacherie series consists of deep, somewhat poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in silty and clayey alluvium. These soils are on nearly level to very gently sloping flood plains of the Mississippi River. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty over clayey, mixed over smectitic, superactive, nonacid, thermic Aeric Fluvaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Vacherie silt loam, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap1--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine granular and weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine roots; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Ap2--6 to 12 inches; dark gray (N 4/0) silt loam; common coarse distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; moderate coarse platy structure; very firm; common fine roots and partially decomposed sugarcane residue; dark yellowish brown stains on horizontal faces of peds; thin patchy grayish brown silt coatings on surface of some peds; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bg--12 to 20 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine pores; few wormcasts; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 22 inches thick)
2Agb--20 to 30 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, common medium distinct dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
2Bgb--30 to 60 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay, common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; sticky and plastic; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: St. James Parish, Louisiana; 5 1/2 miles west-southwest of Vacherie, Pikes Peak Plantation; 450 feet north-northwest of cane derrick; 20 feet south of second head land south of railroad, middle of third cut west of main farm road; Spanish Land Grant, sec. 39, T. 11 E., R. 12 S.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the clayey 2Ab or 2Bgb ranges from 15 to 36 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2 or it is neutral with chroma of 4 or 5. Texture is silt loam, very fine sandy loam, or fine sandy loam. It is medium acid through moderately alkaline.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2 or it is mottled in shades of gray or brown. At least 1 subhorizon has dominant chroma of 2. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
The 2Agb, where present and the 2Bgb horizons have the same color range as the A horizon. They are clay or silty clay. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Soils in similar families include the
Bruin,
Commerce,
Convent,
Mhoon, and
Sharkey series. All of these lack contrasting texture above 40 inches and all but Sharkey soils lack clayey horizons between 15 and 36 inches. Mhoon and Sharkey soils have dominant chroma of 1 in all horizons between the base of the A horizon and 30 inches, and Sharkey soils are clayey throughout the 10 to 40 inch section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vacherie soils are on nearly level to very gently sloping flood plains of 0 to 3 percent slopes. They have formed from recent silty Mississippi River alluvium deposited over alluvial clays. Most areas are protected by levees. The climate is humid subtropical. Mean annual temperature is about 68.3 degrees F, and annual rainfall is about 64 inches near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Bruin,
Commerce,
Convent,
Mhoon, and
Sharkey series.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Largely in cropland. Cotton, corn, soybeans, and sugarcane are the principal crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Throughout the lower Mississippi flood plain in Louisiana and possibly in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The series is of moderate extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AUBURN, ALABAMA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ascension Parish, Louisiana, 1972.
REMARKS: This soil has previously been mapped as a variant of the Commerce series in Louisiana. (Commerce silt loam, clay substratum).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches.
Irregular carbon distribution - the zone from 12 to 60 inches.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.