LOCATION WALHALLA SCEstablished Series
The Walhalla series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in residuum from granite, gneiss, or schist. Slopes range from 2 to 60 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, parasesquic, mesic Typic Hapludults
TYPICAL PEDON: Walhalla fine sandy loam--forested
(Colors are for moist soil.)
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine roots and few medium roots; few pebbles of quartz; few fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--5 to 10 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/8) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots and few medium roots; few pebbles of quartz; few fine flakes of mica; common faint clay films on faces of some peds; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--10 to 35 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; sticky, plastic; few fine and medium roots; few fine flakes of mica; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt3--35 to 46 inches; red (2.5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, sticky, plastic; few fine roots; common fine flakes of mica; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 28 to 55 inches.)
BC--46 to 53 inches; red (2.5YR 5/8); fine sandy loam; few fine distinct reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) mottles; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine flakes of mica; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
C--53 to 65 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/8) loamy sand; common medium distinct reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) mottles; massive; very friable; nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine flakes of mica; few rock fragments of dark brown weathered gneiss or schist; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Oconee County, Sumter National Forest Area, South Carolina, 4.6 miles northwest of Stumphouse Ranger Station and 1.6 miles southwest of Whetstone from junction of South Carolina Secondary Highways 193 and 196. Go 1.6 miles southwest of Whetstone on South Carolina Secondary Highway 196; east on unnumbered dirt road to small storage shed for explosives; 90 feet to trail; 900 feet at 124 degrees; 70 feet at 140 degrees.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the argillic horizon is 28 to 55 inches. Solum thickness is less than 60 inches. Depth to hard bedrock is more than 60 inches. The soil is very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout, unless limed. Content of rock fragments, ranges from 0 to 65 percent in the A and E horizons, and 0 to 35 percent in the Bt and C horizons. Flakes of mica range from none to common throughout the profile.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. Some pedons have A horizons 1 inch thick or less with value of 2. The A horizon is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam in the fine-earth fraction.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam in the fine-earth fraction.
The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 6 or 8. The upper few inches of this horizon may include hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. It is loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam in the fine-earth fraction. Mottles in shades of brown or yellow are in some pedons.
The BC horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 6 to 8. Mottles in shades of brown or yellow are in some pedons. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam in the fine-earth fraction.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 6 to 8. Mottles in shades of brown or yellow are in some pedons. Black or brown rock fragments are in some pedons. It is sandy loam, loam, or loamy sand in the fine-earth fraction with as much as 90 percent soft saprolite.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the Brevard and Evard series in the same family and the Braddock, Chester, Clymer, Colts Neck, Edgemont, Edneytown, Eubanks, Fairfax, Fannin, Glenelg, Hayesville, Jefferson, Rayne, and Tate series in similar families. Brevard soils have thicker sola. Evard soils have a thinner argillic horizon. Braddock and Hayesville soils are in clayey families. Chester, Clymer, Colts Neck, Edgemont, Edneytown, Eubanks, Fairfax, Glenelg, Rayne and Tate soils have mixed mineralogy. Fannin soils have micaceous mineralogy. Jefferson soils have siliceous mineralogy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Walhalla soils are on narrow ridgetops and side slopes adjacent to drainageways in the southern Appalachian Mountains at elevations of about 900 to 3,000 feet. Slopes are dominantly 7 to 25 percent, but range from 2 to 60 percent. Precipitation ranges from 60 to 80 inches per year. The average soil temperature ranges from 52 to 59 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing Brevard, Edneytown, Evard, and Hayesville series, these are the Ashe, Cleveland, Porters, Rabun, Saluda, Toccoa, and Transylvania series. Ashe, Cleveland, Toccoa, and Transylvania soils do not have an argillic horizon. Porters and Saluda soils have mixed mineralogy. Rabun soils are in a clayey family.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, surface runoff is rapid, permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Forest to oak, white pine, and shortleaf pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Carolina and North Carolina, and possibly Tennessee, and Georgia. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Oconee County, South Carolina; 1982.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Evard series. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to 5 inches (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 5 to 46 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons)