LOCATION CAHABA AL+AR FL GA LA MS OK SC VAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Hapludults
TYPICAL PEDON: Cahaba sandy loam, on a smooth 0.5 percent slope
in pasture.
(Colors are for moist soil.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam; weak
fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and medium grass roots; few wormcasts; medium acid; gradual smooth boundary. (4
to 8 inches thick)
A/B--5 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam (A);
yellowish red (5YR 4/6) sandy loam (B); weak fine granular
structure; very friable; many fine and medium grass roots;
strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--9 to 18 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam; weak
and moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common
fine and few medium roots; few thin patchy clay films on faces of peds and in pores; medium acid; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
Bt2--18 to 53 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam;
moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine
roots; few thin patchy clay films on faces of some peds; sand
grains are coated and bridged with clay; very strongly acid;
gradual wavy boundary. (16 to 36 inches thick)
C1--53 to 80 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) sandy loam; few medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) mottles; massive; very friable; few fine roots; common fine flakes of mica; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)
C2--80 to 90 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) sandy loam; massive; very friable; many fine flakes of mica; very strongly
acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Wilcox County, Alabama; 5 miles northwest of
Camden on the Lower Coastal Plain Substation. Two hundred yards south of silo and 100 feet east of gravel farm road. NE1/4SW1/4
sec. 29, T. 13 N., R. 7 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from
36 to 60 inches. The soil ranges from medium to very strongly
acid.
The A horizon is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine
sandy loam, or loam. The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 2 through 4.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5
or 6, and chroma of 2 through 4, or hue 7.5YR, value of 5, and
chroma of 6 or 8.
The Bt horizon has hue of 5YR, 2.5YR or 10R, value of 4 or 5 and chroma 6 or 8. It is sandy clay loam, loam, or clay loam. Clay content is 18 to 35 percent, averaging about 25 percent in the control section, and content of silt is 20 to 50 percent. The
BC or CB horizon, where present, is strong brown, yellowish red,
or red. It is sandy loam or fine sandy loam. In some pedons,
this horizon is mottled with shades of yellow and brown.
The C horizon ranges in color from yellowish brown to red and is commonly interbedded or stratified with textures of sand, loamy
sand, and fine sandy loam. It may contain mottles of yellow,
brown, and gray. Few to common flakes of mica may be present in
the lower horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are
Apison,
Cowarts,
Durham,
Emporia,
Euharlee,
Granville,
Hartsells,
Kempsville,
Linker,
Marvyn,
Nauvoo,
Nectar,
Pirum,
Smithdale,
Spadra,
Stringtown,
Suffolk, and
Vaucluse series. Apison, Durham, Granville, Kempsville, Marvyn, Stringtown, and Suffolk soils have a Bt horizon with a hue of
7.5YR or yellower. Cowarts, Emporia, and Vaucluse soils have a horizon within 60 inches of the surface that is slowly permeable. Hartsells, Linker, Nauvoo, and Pirum soils have bedrock within 60 inches of the surface. Smithdale soils have a solum thicker than
60 inches. Spadra soils have a Bt horizon with a chorma of 4 or less.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cahaba soils are on Coastal Plain terraces
along large streams. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. The soil formed in loamy and sandy fluviatile sediments that contained appreciable amounts of silt. The climate is warm and humid with
mean annual temperature of about 65 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation of about 53 inches near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: In addition to the competing
Spadra and
Suffolk soils on similar landforms, these are
Annemaine,
Bassfield,
Craven,
Eunola,
Kalmia,
Latonia,
Maxton,
McQueen,
Myatt,
Rumford,
Tetotum,
Wahee, and
Wickham soils. Annemaine, Craven, and Wahee soils are on slightly lower landforms and have more than 35 percent clay. Bassfield, Latonia, and
Rumford soils are on similar landforms but have less than 18
percent clay. Eunola and Tetotum soils are on slightly lower landforms and have wetness mottles within the upper 24 inches of
the Bt horizon. Kalmia and Maxton soils are on similar landforms
but have a sandy C horizon within 40 inches of the surface.
McQueen soils are on similar landforms but have more than 35
percent clay. Myatt soils are on significantly lower landforms
and are poorly drained. Wickham soils are on similar landforms
but have mixed mineralogy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; medium internal drainage; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Largely cleared and used for the production
of commonly grown crops and pasture. Forested areas are in pines
and mixed hardwoods.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Plain of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. This series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Henry County, Alabama; 1908.