LOCATION VIGIA PREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, euic, isohyperthermic Terric Haplosaprists
TYPICAL PEDON: Vigia muck - native pasture and Aquatic Plants. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Oap--o to 14 inches; black (N 2/0) broken face and rubbed colors, about 5 percent fiber; moderate fine granular; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic, many fine roots; low mineral content; strongly acid, clear smooth boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick.)
Oa2--14 to 18 inches; black (N 2/0) 50 percent and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) 50 percent; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic, common fine roots, about 10 percent mineral content; medium acid, abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick.)
C1--18 to 27 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay rust mottles due to root decay; massive; firm, sticky, plastic; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick.)
C2--27 to 39 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay; few fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and common medium distinct light brownish gray mottles; massive; firm, sticky, plastic; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick.)
C3--39 to 60 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) clay, few fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and greenish gray (5BG 6/1) massive; firm, sticky, plastic; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Norte SCD, Puerto Rico, 0.5 miles east of kilometer marker 3.6 on Highway 690.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the mineral layers varies from 14 to 20 inches. Reaction of the profile varies from strongly to slightly acid.
The Oa layers vary in hues of 2.5Y, values of 2 and chromas of 1 or less. They are friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic. Roots vary from many fine to common fine. Fiber content is less than 5 percent.
The C horizons are firm, sticky, plastic and of clay texture. The upper part of the C horizon has hues of 10YR, values of 5 and 6 and chromas of 1 or 2. The lower part of the C horizon has colors in hues of 10YR to 5YR, values and chromas of 4 to 6 with mottles of light brownish gray, bluish gray, yellowish red and brownish yellow.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other know series in the same family. The Bayside, Colos, Corcega, Elvers, Pinones, Reparada, Snohomist, Talante and Wallkill series are similar soils in related families. The Elvers, Pinones, Reparada, Snohomist and Wallkill soils are underlain by histic layers. The Coloso, Corcega and Talante soils lack histic layers throughout the profile.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Vigia soils are nearly level soils on bottomland and depressional areas. Slope varies from 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in the residuum of partially and completely decomposed plant tissue over fine textured coastal plain material. The climate is humid tropical. The average annual rainfall is 60 inches and the annual temperature is 78 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Reparada series and Garrochales and Tiburones series. The Reparada soils are underlain by marl. The Tiburones soils lack mineral layers.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained, slow runoff and slow permeability. Water table varies from 30 to 40 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the acreage is on native grasses and used as pasture.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Humid northern coastal plains of Puerto Rico. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Arecibo Soil Survey Area, Puerto Rico. Vigia is the name of a "barrio" or ward close to where this soil was first recognized.
REMARKS: This soil has perched water table and has bright colors in the lower C horizons, so it qualifies for an Aeric-Histic Subgroup.