LOCATION WELAKA FL
Established Series
Rev.HFH/GWH
11/2018
WELAKA SERIES
The Welaka series consists of well drained soils that are 80 or more inches thick. Welaka soils formed in sandy aeolian and shelly marine deposits. They are on coastal ridges of Peninsular Florida. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hyperthermic, uncoated Spodic Quartzipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Welaka sand from a sand pine scrub area on a ridge.
A--0 to 3 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sand; single grained; loose; many medium and coarse roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
E--3 to 18 inches; light gray (10YR7/1) sand; single grained; loose; many medium and coarse roots; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick).
Bw1--18 to 28 inches, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sand; common coarse faint very pale brown (10YR 7/3) mottles; single grained; loose; common medium and coarse roots; sand grains coated with iron oxide; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary.
Bw2--28 to 43 inches, yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sand; few fine faint very pale brown (10YR 7/3), few medium and coarse distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6), and few fine prominent red (10R 5/8) mottles; mottles increase with depth; single grained; loose; few fine and coarse roots; sand grains coated with iron oxide; medium acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw3--43 to 55 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) sand; few fine distinct red (2.5YR 5/6) few medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8), and common medium and coarse very pale brown (10YR 8/3) mottles; single grained; loose; few fine roots; sand grains coated with iron oxide; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Bw horizons extends to a depth of 40 to 72 inches)
2C1--55 to 59 inches; white (10YR 8/2) very gravelly sand; few coarse prominent yellow (10YR 7/6) mottles; massive; few medium roots; fragments are 40 percent by volume of 2 to 10 mm shells; effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear broken boundary.
2C2--59 to 80 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sand; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; massive; fragments are 15 percent by volume of 2 to 10 mm shells; effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Brevard County, Florida; on S. Patrick Drive 1.5 miles S. of its junction with S.R. 3 and 100 feet east of drive; SE1/4SW1/4 sec. 24, T. 27 S., R. 37 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 40 to 80 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is sand or fine sand. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to medium acid.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 to 8 and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture and reaction ranges are the same as in the A horizon.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 6 to 8. Texture is sand or fine sand. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid. Color is due to iron oxide coatings on sand grains.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is gravelly sand, gravelly fine sand, very gravelly sand, or very gravelly fine sand. Reaction ranges from mildly alkaline to moderately alkaline. Fragments are 2 to 10 mm shells and range from 15 to 60 percent by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Orsino and
Paola series in the same family and the
Canaveral,
Palm Beach, and
St. Lucie series in similar families. Orsino, Paola and St. Lucie soils lack shell fragments within 80 inches of the surface. Canaveral and Palm Beach soils have shell fragments within 40 inches of the surface. In addition, Canaveral, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie soils lack Bw horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Welaka soils are on coastal ridges of Peninsular Florida; commonly immediately behind dunes. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. Precipitation averages 55 inches and air temperature averages 73 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Canaveral,
Palm Beach, and
Orsino soils and the
Pomello and
Pompano soils. Pomello and Pompano soils are poorly drained and in low landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very rapid permeability. A water table is at 40 to 60 inches for less than 30 days.
USE AND VEGETATION: Welaka soils are used for urban development and for wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is sand pine, dwarf live oak, scrub oak, rosemary, sawpalmetto, and pineland threeawn.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Peninsular Florida. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Brevard County, Florida; 1970.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.