LOCATION GRADY GA+AL FL SCEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Paleaquults
TYPICAL PEDON: Grady sandy loam--forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; few fine distinct light gray (10YR 7/2) areas of iron depletions; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
BE--5 to 11 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy clay loam; pockets of common medium distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots and few medium roots; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Btg1--11 to 28 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; common fine pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 30 inches thick)
Btg2--28 to 62 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Miller County, Georgia; 1.6 miles west of the Baker-Miller County line on Georgia Highway No. 91; 25 feet south of highway.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 60 to more than 80 inches. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to extremely acid throughout.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, with value of 2 to 4 and chroma of 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 2 to 4. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or clay loam.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or clay loam.
The BE horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 6. Texture is sandy clay loam or clay loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2; or it is neutral with value of 4 to 7. Redox features in shades of brown, yellow, and gray range from few to many. In some pedons, below a depth of about 30 inches, the Bt horizon is reticulately mottled in shades of gray, brown, and red. It is clay or sandy clay. The average clay content of the upper 20 inches of the Bt horizon is 45 to 65 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the Coxville series of the same family and the Bayboro, Bladen, Byars, Cantey, Dunbar, Leaf, Rains, and Rembert series of the same families. Bayboro and Byars soils have an umbric epipedon; in addition, Bayboro soils have mixed mineralogy. Bladen, Cantey, and Leaf soils have an abrupt textural change between the A and B horizons. Coxville soils have 35 to 45 percent clay in the upper B horizon. Dunbar soils have dominant chroma of 3 or more within 30 inches of the soil surface. Rains soils have less than 35 percent clay in the B horizons. Rembert soils have a loamy sand C horizon within 60 inches of the soil surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils formed in clayey marine sediments. Typically, they are in depressions but are also along drains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. The climate is warm and humid; the mean annual precipitation is about 45 to 60 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 60 to 70 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the competing Coxville, Dunbar, and Rains series and the Irvington, Leefield, Lynchburg, Pelham, and Tifton series. Irvington, Leefield, and Tifton soils have plinthite in the argillic horizon and are on higher adjacent positions. Lynchburg soils are better drained and are on slightly higher positions. Pelham soils have thick sandy A and E horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow runoff to ponded; slow permeability. The water table is at or near the surface for 6 to 8 months of the year.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in woodland, but a few areas have been cleared, drained, and are used mostly for pasture. Native vegetation includes cypress, blackgum, live oak, and water oak. The undergrowth is water tolerant sedges and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The series is of large extent with about 26,000 acres in Miller County, Georgia.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grady County, Georgia; 1908.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to approximately 5 inches (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 5 to 62 inches (BE, Btg1, and Btg2 horizons)