LOCATION WILLOWEMOC NY

Established Series
Rev. JWW-STS-SEA
04/2015

WILLOWEMOC SERIES

The Willowemoc series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in till derived from sandstone, siltstone, and shale. They are nearly level to moderately steep soils on plains and hillsides on uplands. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high above the fragipan and low or moderately low in the fragipan and substratum. Slope ranges from 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual temperature is 7 degrees C (45 degrees F) and mean annual precipitation is 1120 mm (44 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, semiactive, frigid Typic Fragiudepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Willowemoc channery silt loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, in a wooded area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 in); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) channery silt loam, light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; common medium roots and many fine roots; 25 percent rock fragments, including 3 percent greater than 75 mm (3 in) in diameter; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 15 cm [1 to 6 in thick)

Bw1--15 to 46 cm (6 to 18 in); reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) channery silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky and weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; 30 percent rock fragments, including 3 percent greater than 75 mm (3 in) in diameter; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--46 to 56 cm (18 to 22 in); reddish brown (2.5YR 5/4) channery loam; weak medium platy structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; few medium distinct yellowish red (5YR5/8), moist, iron concentrations and common medium distinct pinkish gray (5YR 6/2), moist, and light reddish brown (5YR 6/3), moist, iron depletions; 30 percent rock fragments, including 4 percent greater than 75 mm (3 in) in diameter; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bw horizons is 15 to 53 cm [6 to 21 in].)

Bx--56 to 183 cm (22 to 72 in); reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) channery loam with pockets of fine sandy loam and silt loam; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parts to weak fine subangular blocky structure; prism faces of reddish brown (5YR 5/3) with yellowish red (5YR 5/8) rinds; firm and brittle; common medium vesicular and few fine and medium tubular pores with common distinct clay films lining pores; few coarse distinct light reddish brown (5YR 6/3), moist, iron depletions and few coarse distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6), moist, iron concentrations; 30 percent rock fragments; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Delaware County, New York, Town of Meredith, 900 yards south of the intersection of Elk Creek and Miller Hill Roads, elevation 2080 feet. USGS Delhi, NY topographic quadrangle, Latitude 42 degrees, 22 minutes, 39.29 seconds N. and Longitude 74 degrees, 53 minutes, 12.57 seconds W. NAD83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 89 to 190 cm (35 to 75 in). Depth to bedrock is greater than 152 cm (60 in). The depth to the fragipan ranges from 43 to 66 cm (17 to 26 in). Rock fragment content ranges from 5 to 40 percent by volume in the A and Bw horizons and from 15 to 50 percent in the Bx and C horizons. Unless limed, reaction is extremely acid to moderately acid in the solum and strongly acid to moderately acid in the C horizon. Redoximorphic features occur below 30 cm (12 in).

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 to 4 and chroma of 1 to 3. Dry color value is 6 or more. It is silt loam to fine sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. Structure is weak to strong granular. Consistence is friable or very friable. O or E horizons are present in some pedons. Where present, the Ap can range up to 30 cm (12 in) thick.

The Bw horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam in the fine earth fraction. Structure is weak or moderate, granular, blocky, or prismatic.

The Bx horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or loam in the fine earth fraction. Prism face colors range from weak red (2.5YR 5/2) to pale brown (10YR 6/3). Structure is prismatic with ped interiors parting to platy or blocky structure or they are massive. Consistence is firm to extremely firm, although a subhorizon of the Bx may be firm. Gray or brown redoximorphic features may be present.

Some pedons have a BC horizon.

The C or Cd horizon, where present, has color and texture similar to the Bx horizon, but lacks very coarse prismatic structure and is relatively more friable.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Lewbath and Lewbeach soils in the same family. Lewbath and Lewbeach soils do not have redoximorphic features in the Bw horizon above 30 cm (12 in).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Willowemoc soils are nearly level to moderately steep soils on glaciated uplands. Slope ranges from 0 to 35 percent. The soils developed in firm, acid till high in sandstone with a smaller component of red shale. The climate is humid and is cool in summer and cold in winter. Annual air temperature ranges from 4 to 9 degrees C (39 to 48 degrees F). Annual precipitation ranges from 825 to 1790 mm (32 to 70 in) and the frost free days range from 110 to 155 days. Elevation ranges from 425 to 1100 m (1394 to 3608 ft) above sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the well drained Lewbeach soils, the somewhat poorly drained Onteora soils, and the poorly drained Norchip soils that are associated in a drainage sequence with Willowemoc. The moderately deep Mongaup and Vly soils are on nearby hilltops. The very deep, well drained Elka soils do not have fragipans and are on steeper or higher nearby hillsides.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high above the fragipan and low or moderately low in the fragipan and substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cleared areas are used for corn, hay, or pasture. Many areas are forested or are idle. Native trees include sugar maple, red maple, beech, ash, birch, and hemlock.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Higher elevations of MLRA 140, where the soil temperature regime is frigid. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sullivan County, New York, 1984.

REMARKS: Willowemoc was proposed as the frigid equivalent of the Wellsboro series.

Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in the typical pedon include:
1. Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 in) (A horizon).
2. Cambic horizon - from 15 to 56 cm (6 to 22 in) (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
3. Fragipan - from 56 to 183 cm (22 to 72 in) (Bx horizon).
4. Udic soil moisture regime (humid, temperate climate).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.