LOCATION CROWLEY LA+TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Typic Albaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Crowley silt loam--on a broad, nearly level area in cropland at an elevation of 32 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many very fine and fine and few coarse roots; few fine rounded black (10YR 2/1) and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) iron-manganese concretions; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in lining pores; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 13 inches thick)
Eg--7 to 14 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; few fine and medium rounded black (10YR 2/1)and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) iron-manganese concretions; common, fine, distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of oxidized iron lining pores; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)
Btgl--14 to 25 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; few fine rounded black (10YR 2/1) and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) iron-manganese concretions; many medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; many dark gray (10YR 4/1) ped coatings; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.
Btg2--25 to 33 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; many fine, medium, and coarse rounded black (10YR 2/1) and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) iron-manganese concretions; many fine and medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/6) and common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; many dark gray (10YR 4/1) ped coatings; common dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam krotovina about 1/2 inch wide; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.
Btg3--33 to 40 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; many fine, medium, and coarse rounded black (10YR 2/1) and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) iron-manganese concretions; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Btg4--40 to 50 inches; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; many fine, medium, and coarse rounded black (10YR 2/1) and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) iron-manganese concretions; many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Btg horizons range from 35 to 60 inches)
Btssg--50 to 57 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; few distinct slickensides about 5 to 10 centimeters long that are at angles of 20 to 60 degrees; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; few coarse irregular black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese masses; many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bssg--57 to 69 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) silty clay; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few distinct slickensides about 5 to 10 centimeters long that are at angles of 20 to 60 degrees; few coarse irregular black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese masses; many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches)
Bkssg--69 to 81 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay; many coarse prominent reddish brown (5YR 5/4) mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common very fine tubular pores; many distinct slickensides greater than 10 centimeters long that are at angles of 20 to 60 degrees; common medium irregular black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese masses; many medium and coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; common coarse concretions of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Acadia Parish, Louisiana; 1.8 miles east-southeast of Iota, about 0.7 mile east of Highway 1120; 3850 feet east and 75 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 3, T. 9 S., R. 1 W.; USGS Iota, La., topographic quadrangle; lat. 30 degrees 18 minutes 15 seconds N. and long. 92 degrees 27 minutes 40 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Combined thickness of the A and E horizons typically range from 12 to 25 inches. The solum is more than 80 inches thick. Exchangeable sodium increases with depth and ranges from 5 to 15 percent of the exchange capacity in the lower part of the solum. Vertical streaks (krotovinas) of silt loam, have value similar to or lower than the matrix, are common throughout the B horizons.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. Where the value is 3, the A horizon is less than 6 inches thick. Texture is silt loam. Redox concentrations in the form of masses in shades of red and brown range from few to common and are located in pore linings. Iron-manganese in the form of concretions in shades of brown and black range from none to few. Typically, reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The Eg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is silt loam. Typically reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid. Redox concentration in the form of masses in shades of brown range from few to common and are located in pore linings. Iron-manganese in the form of concretions in shades of brown and black range from none to few.
The Btg horizons have hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. In the Btg1 horizon, redox concentrations in the form of masses, in sizes of fine to medium, contrast of distinct or prominent, in shades of red range from common to many. In some pedons, prominent redox concentrations are throughout the Btg horizon. Iron- manganese in the form of concretions, in sizes of very fine to coarse, in shades of brown and black range from few to many. Some surfaces of peds are very dark gray or dark gray. Texture is silty clay, clay loam, or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Btssg horizon, present in some pedons, have hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Very fine to coarse, distinct or prominent iron-manganese concentrations in the form of concretions, in shades of brown and black, range from few to many. Some surfaces of peds are very dark gray or dark gray. Texture is silty clay, clay loam, or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
The Bg, Bssg, and Bkssg horizons, where present, have hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Redox concentrations in the form of masses, in shades of red or brown range from common to many. Iron-manganese in the form of concretions in shades of brown and black and in sizes of very fine to coarse range from few to many. Texture is typically silty clay loam, clay loam, or silty clay, but is loam below 60 inches, or in the lower part of the BCg, in some pedons. Calcium carbonate concretions range from none to common. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline. Some pedons below a depth of 60 inches have hue of 2.5YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7 and chroma of 1 to 8.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Dewitt, Kemah, and Meikle series in the same family and the Acadiana, Bivans, Kaplan, Kinder, Mamou, Paisley, Patoutville and Wyick series. Dewitt soils are poorly drained and in slightly cooler areas. Kemah soils have more sand and less than 50 percent silt in the particle-size control section. Meikle soils have sola less than 40 inches thick. Bivans, Paisley, and Wyick soils have a higher sand content throughout. Also, Bivans soils have ironstone and limestone in the solum. Paisley soils are poorly drained. Wyick soils have secondary forms of calcium carbonate at a depth of 28 to 36 inches and have a mean annual precipitation of 30 to 40 inches. Acadiana soils do not have an abrupt textural change. Kaplan soils have mixed mineralogy and do not have an albic horizon or an abrupt textural change from the A to the B horizon. Kinder soils have a glossic horizon and have siliceous mineralogy. Mamou soils have colors with chroma or 3 or more in the E horizon, are fine-silty, and have siliceous mineralogy. Patoutville soils do not have an abrupt textural change from the A or E to the B horizon, are fine-silty, have mixed mineralogy, and formed in loess.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Crowley soils, on broad nearly level coastal prairies, formed in clayey sediments on fluviatile terraces of Pleistocene age. They are nearly level to gently sloping with slope gradients mainly 0 to 1 percent but ranging to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is 55 to 64 inches. Mean annual temperature is 67 to 70 degrees F. Frost free days range from 235 to 300. Elevation ranges from 5 to 80 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Acadiana, Basile, Kaplan, Kinder, Leton, Mamou, Midland, Morey, Mowata, Patoutville, and Vidrine series. The Acadiana, Mamou, and Vidrine soils have chroma of 3 or more in the upper part of the B horizon. Acadiana and Mamou soils are on side slopes along drainageways. Vidrine soils occur on circular mounds. The Basile, Leton, Mowata, and Kinder soils are in lower positions on the landscape, are poorly drained, and have a glossic horizon. Basile soils are on floodplains of major drainageways. Kaplan soils are in similar positions as the Crowley soils, do not have an albic horizon, and do not have an abrupt textural change. Midland soils are in lower positions, have a finer textured A horizon, and do not have an albic horizon. Morey soils have a mollic epipedon and are in lower positions on the landscape. Patoutville soils are in higher positions, are fine-silty, and formed in loess sediments.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Crowley soils are somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is high on 0 to 1 percent slopes and very high on 1 to 3 percent slopes. Permeability is very slow. The soils are saturated above the clayey subsoil at a depth of 0.5 to 1.5 feet from December to April in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Native vegetation was tall prairie grasses. Most of the soils are now cultivated and used for rice and soybeans, rotated with pasture and crayfish aquaculture. Grain sorghum, wheat, corn, sweet potatoes, and cotton are also grown to a minor extent.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas coastal prairies (MLRA 150A). The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Acadia Parish, Louisiana; 1903.
REMARKS: This is a benchmark soil in Louisiana.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 14 inches (Ap and Eg horizons).
Albic horizon--7 to 14 inches (Eg horizon).
Argillic horizon--14 to 57 inches (Btgl, Btg2, Btg3, Btg4, and Btssg horizons).
Abrupt textural change--at 14 inches (between Eg & Btgl horizons).
Aquic moisture regime
ADDITIONAL DATA: National Soil Survey Laboratory data from typifying pedon in Acadia Parish, LA (S95LA-001-4).
TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Ninth Edition, 2003.