LOCATION CLARKSBURG PA+MD OH WV Established Series Rev. GDM-EAW 01/2000 CLARKSBURG SERIES

The Clarksburg series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in colluvium, glacial till, or residuum from limestone, calcareous and noncalcareous shale, and sandstone. They are on uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. Permeability is slow to moderately slow. Mean annual precipitation is 43 inches, and mean annual temperature is 54 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Fragiudalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Clarksburg silt loam, cropland. (Colors are for moist soil.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine granular structure; friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)

BE--9 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; 5 percent sandstone fragments; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

Bt1--12 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable to firm, slightly sticky, plastic; many continuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 5 percent sandstone fragments; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)

Bt2--23 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm, sticky, plastic; many continuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common black iron and manganese coatings; 5 percent sandstone fragments; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)

Btx--28 to 48 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; many medium distinct gray (10YR 6/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) prism faces; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate thick and medium platy and fine subangular blocky; very firm, slightly sticky, plastic; common distinct clay films on plates; common black iron and manganese coatings; 10 percent sandstone fragments; somewhat brittle; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick) C--48 to 65 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) gravelly silty clay loam; common medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; 20 percent sandstone fragments; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; Hempfield Township, 1/2 mile south of Hannastown on Route T844 and 100 feet west of culvert.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 40 to 70 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 5 feet. Depth to the fragipan ranges from 20 to 36 inches. Rock fragments of sandstone, chert, and limestone, up to 3 inches long, range from 0 to 25 percent in the horizons above the fragipan, from 5 to 30 percent in the fragipan, and from 5 to 80 percent in the C horizon. Unlimed reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid. Illite is the most common clay mineral with appreciable amounts of kaolinite, vermiculite, montmorillonite, and interstratified clays.

The Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. Undisturbed pedons have a thin very dark brown silt loam A horizon underlain by a 2- to 5-inch brown, strong brown, or yellowish brown E horizon.

The BE and Bt horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 4 through 8. Texture of the fine-earth fraction is silty clay loam, silt loam, loam, or clay loam with about 22 to 35 percent clay, 45 to 65 percent silt, and 10 to 30 percent sand. Structure is weak or moderate fine or medium subangular or angular blocky and occasionally prismatic. The depth to mottles with chroma of 2 or less ranges from 20 to 32 inches. Clay films range from thick patchy to thin continuous on ped faces and in pores.

The Bx horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 3 through 6, with gray to strong brown prism faces, reddish brown to yellowish brown ped faces and with gray, yellowish brown or strong brown mottles. Texture ranges from silty clay loam to clay loam. Structure of the Bx horizon is moderate very coarse prismatic parting to thick or medium platy or subangular blocky.

The C horizon ranges from yellowish brown to strong brown with gray or brown mottles. Texture ranges from silt loam to clay. Structure is very coarse prismatic or the horizon is massive.

COMPETING SERIES: The Bartley, Comly, Gatton, Homewood, Jonca, Readington, Wooster, and Viraton soils are in the same family. Bartley, Comly, and Gatton soils have rock fragments dominantly from granitic gneiss, shale, and sandstone and shale, respectively. Homewood and Jonca soils do not have limestone and chert fragments. Readington soils have 5YR and redder hues in the Bt horizon. Wooster soils have higher sand content, 35 to 50 percent, in the horizons below two feet.

The Albrights, Bedford, Buchanan, Ernest, Murrill, Titusville, Turbotville, Watson, and Zaleski are competing soils in other families. The Albrights and Turbotville soils have 2 chroma mottles in the top 10 inches of the argillic horizon. Bedford, Buchanan, Ernest, Titusville, Watson, and Zaleski soils have less than 35 percent base saturation. In addition, Bedford soils have an argillic horizon with less than 15 percent sand coarser than very fine sand and Buchanan soils have more sand and rock fragments throughout the solum. Murrill soils do not have a fragipan.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Clarksburg soils are on nearly level to moderately steep concave slopes with gradients ranging from 0 to 25 percent. The soils developed in a regolith of colluvium, glacial till, or residual material weathered from limestone, calcareous and noncalcareous shale, and sandstone. The climate is temperate and humid. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 50 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 50 to 57 degrees F. The growing season ranges from 140 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The Brooke, Duffield, Edom, Frankstown, Frederick, Guernsey, Hagerstown, Lawrence, Library, Millheim, Washington, and Westmoreland soils are landscape associates. The Brooke, Duffield, Edom, Frankstown, Frederick, Hagerstown, Millheim, Washington, and Westmoreland soils are all well drained and do not have fragipans. Also the Brooke, Edom, Frederick, and Hagerstown soils also have more than 35 percent clay. Guernsey, Lawrence, and Library soils have low chroma mottles in the upper 10 inches of the argillic horizon and, in addition, Guernsey and Library soils do not have fragipans and have more than 35 percent clay.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is slow to rapid and permeability is slow to moderately slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: Approximately 70 percent cleared and used for general farm crops or pasture. Wooded areas are in mixed hardwoods of oaks, hickory, and locust.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio. The series is of large extent; estimated about 250,000 acres.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1942.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a. Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 12 inches (Ap and BA horizons). b. Argillic horizon - the zone from 12 to 28 inches (Bt horizon). c. Fragipan - the zone from 28 to 48 inches (Bx horizon).

Classification only was changed in 11/94, competing series and other changes will be made later. National Cooperative Soil Survey U.S.A.