LOCATION WAUCHULA FL

Established Series
Rev. AGH; GRB
11/2018

WAUCHULA SERIES

The Wauchula series consists of very deep, very poorly or poorly drained, moderately slow or slowly permeable soils on flatwoods on the lower coastal plains. They formed in sandy and loamy marine sediments. Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 72 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 55 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy over loamy, siliceous, active, hyperthermic Ultic Alaquods

TYPICAL PEDON: Wauchula fine sand--on a broad flat with 0 to 1 percent slope. (Colors are for moist soil.)

Ap--0 to 6 inches; black (10YR 2/1) fine sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)

Eg--6 to 12 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) fine sand; single grain; loose; common fine and medium roots; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)

Bh1--12 to 16 inches; black (5YR 2/1) fine sand; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; extremely acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bh2--16 to 22 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; few vertical lenses and pockets of gray (10YR 5/1) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) organic matter depletions; extremely acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bh horizons range from 4 to 18 inches.)

BW--22 to 34 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; few fine and medium roots; common medium distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) organic matter accumulations and stains along root channels; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)

Btg--34 to 44 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) fine sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; sand grains are coated and bridged with clay; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 40 inches thick)

Cg--44 to 80 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand; single grain; loose; very friable; very strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Putnam County, Florida; approximately 3,200 feet east of the intersection of S.R. 207 and Cracker Swamp Road and in a cleared subdivision lot; Land Grant 49, T.9 S., R. 27 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the Btg horizon ranges from 25 to 36 inches. Reaction is ranges from strongly acid to extremely acid throughout.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 2 or less; or it is neutral with value of 2 to 4. This horizon has a salt and pepper appearance where undisturbed. Texture is fine sand or sand.

The Eg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 2 or less, or it is neutral with value of 5 to 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of yellow, brown, or red range from none to common. Texture is fine sand or sand.

The Bh horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 or 3; and chroma of 3 or less. Vertical lenses or pockets of depletions in shades of gray and brown range from none to common. Sand grains are coated with organic matter. Texture is fine sand, sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.

The BW horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. Accumulations of organic matter in shades of red and brown range from few to common. Texture is fine sand or sand.

The E' horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 4. Texture is fine sand or sand.

The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5GY, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 or less; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 7. Redoximorphic accumulations in shades of brown, yellow, and red range from none to many. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam.

The BCg horizon, where present, has the same range of colors as the Btg horizon. Texture is loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. Pockets or intrusions of coarser textured material range from none to common.

The Cg horizon, where present, has the same range of colors as the Btg horizon.
Texture ranges from loamy fine sand to sand or it is a mix of sandy loam and loamy sand below a depth of 60 inches.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no known series in the same family. Elred soils are in a closely related family. The poorly drained Elred soils are on similar positions but are in the semiactive family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wauchula soils are on flats, depressions, and lower slopes on the lower Coastal Plain. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. They formed in sandy over loamy marine deposits. The climate is humid subtropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 60 inches and the average annual temperature ranges from 70 to 74 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Basinger, EauGallie, Immokalee, Monteocha, Myakka, Oldsmar, Ona, Placid, Pomello, Pomona, Pompano, and St. Johns series. Basinger soils are on similar positions, have weakly expressed spodic horizons, and are sandy throughout. EauGallie, Monteocha, Oldsmar, and Pomona soils have argillic horizons below a depth of 36 inches. In addition, EauGallie soils are on similar positions, Monteocha soils are very poorly drained, are on similar to lower positions, and have an umbric epipedon, Oldsmar soils have spodic horizons 30 to 50 inches below the surface, and Pomona soils are on slightly higher positions. Immokalee and Pomello soils have spodic horizons 30 to 50 inches below the surface and lack argillic horizons. In addition, Immokalee soils are on similar positions and Pomello soils are somewhat poorly to moderately well drained and are on higher positions. Myakka, Ona, and St. Johns soils do not have argillic horizons below the spodic horizon. In addition, Myakka soils are on similar positions, the poorly drained Ona soils are on similar to higher positions and have spodic horizons immediately below the surface horizon, and St. Johns soils have an umbric epipedon. The very poorly drained Placid and Pompano soils are on similar to lower positions and are sandy throughout. In addition, Placid soils have an umbric epipedon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly or very poorly drained; moderately slow or slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Many areas of this soil have been cleared and are used for tame pasture or range. Some areas are used for citrus and vegetable crops where water control is adequate. The natural vegetation consists of longleaf pine, slash pine, sawpalmetto, with an understory of inkberry, fetter, southern bayberry, and pineland threeawn.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Peninsular Florida. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, Florida; 1970.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches (Ap, Eg).

Albic horizon - the zone from 6 to 12 inches (Eg).

Spodic horizon - the zone from 12 to 22 inches (Bh1, Bh2).

Cambic horizon - the zone from 22 to 34 inches (BW).

Argillic horizon - the zone from 34 to 44 inches (Btg).

The type location was moved to its present location since of the 6 sampled profiles, only one had Bt horizons below 37 inches and it was at a depth of 38 inches.

Water table is at depths of 6 to 18 inches for 1 to 4 months during most years. It is at depths of about 10 to 40 inches for periods as long as about 6 months, but during the driest season it recedes to depths of more than 40 inches. Depressional areas are covered with standing water for periods of 6 to 9 months or more in most years.

Characterization sample: Sampled as S54-22-(1-8) IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.