Soil Survey of Watauga County, North Carolina
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United States In cooperation with Department of United States Department Agriculture of Agriculture, Forest Soil Survey of Service; United States Natural Department of the Interior, Watauga County, Resources National Park Service; Conservation North Carolina Department Service of Environment and Natural North Carolina Resources; North Carolina Agricultural Research Service; North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service; Watauga County Board of County Commissioners; and Watauga Soil and Water Conservation District 3 How To Use This Soil Survey General Soil Map The general soil map, which is a color map, shows the survey area divided into groups of associated soils called general soil map units. This map is useful in planning the use and management of large areas. Detailed Soil Maps The detailed soil maps can be useful in planning the use and management of small areas. To find information about your area of interest, locate that area on the Index to Map Sheets. Note the number of the map sheet and turn to that sheet. Locate your area of interest on the map sheet. Note the map unit symbols that are in that area. Turn to the Contents, which lists the map units by symbol and name and shows the page where each map unit is described. The Contents shows which table has data on a specific land use for each detailed soil map unit. Also see the Contents for sections of this publication that may address your specific needs. 4 This soil survey is a publication of the National Cooperative Soil Survey, a joint effort of the United States Department of Agriculture and other Federal agencies, State agencies including the Agricultural Experiment Stations, and local agencies. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) has leadership for the Federal part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. Major fieldwork for this soil survey was completed in 1999. Soil names and descriptions were approved in 2001. Unless otherwise indicated, statements in this publication refer to conditions in the survey area in 1999. This survey was made cooperatively by the Natural Resources Conservation Service; the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service; the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources; the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service; the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service; the Watauga County Board of County Commissioners; and the Watauga Soil and Water Conservation District. The survey is part of the technical assistance furnished to the Watauga Soil and Water Conservation District. The Watauga County Board of County Commissioners provided financial assistance for the survey. Soil maps in this survey may be copied without permission. Enlargement of these maps, however, could cause misunderstanding of the detail of mapping. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger scale. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice or TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Cover: This view of snow covered Rich Mountain explains why Watauga County is known as “the high country.” Fraser fir Christmas trees are growing on Saunook soils in the foreground. These trees are a significant source of agricultural income in the county. Additional information about the Nation’s natural resources is available on the Natural Resources Conservation Service home page on the World Wide Web. The address is http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. 5 Contents Cover ....................................................................... 1 BwE—Burton-Wayah complex, windswept, How To Use This Soil Survey ................................. 3 30 to 50 percent slopes, stony ..................... 46 Contents .................................................................. 5 CaC—Cashiers loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, Foreword ................................................................. 9 stony ............................................................ 47 General Nature of the Survey Area ........................... 11 CaD—Cashiers loam, 15 to 30 percent slopes, How This Survey Was Made ................................... 14 stony ............................................................ 49 Survey Procedures .............................................. 15 CaE—Cashiers loam, 30 to 50 percent slopes, General Soil Map Units ........................................ 17 stony ............................................................ 50 Detailed Soil Map Units ....................................... 19 CdE—Chandler fine sandy loam, 30 to 50 AcD—Ashe-Chestnut complex, 15 to 30 percent slopes .............................................. 51 percent slopes, very rocky ............................ 20 ChF—Chestnut-Ashe complex, 50 to 95 AcE—Ashe-Chestnut complex, 30 to 50 percent slopes, very stony ............................ 53 percent slopes, very rocky ............................ 21 CkD—Chestnut-Edneyville complex, 15 to 30 AcF—Ashe-Chestnut complex, 50 to 95 percent slopes, stony ................................... 54 percent slopes, very rocky ............................ 23 CkE—Chestnut-Edneyville complex, 30 to 50 ArF—Ashe-Cleveland-Rock outcrop complex, percent slopes, stony ................................... 56 50 to 95 percent slopes, extremely CmF—Clingman-Craggey-Rock outcrop bouldery ....................................................... 24 complex, windswept, 15 to 95 percent BaC—Balsam very cobbly loam, windswept, slopes, extremely bouldery ........................... 57 8 to 15 percent slopes, extremely CoD—Cowee gravelly fine sandy loam, 15 to 30 bouldery ....................................................... 26 percent slopes, stony ................................... 59 BaD—Balsam very cobbly loam, windswept, CoE—Cowee gravelly fine sandy loam, 30 to 50 15 to 30 percent slopes, extremely percent slopes, stony ................................... 61 bouldery ....................................................... 28 CoF—Cowee gravelly fine sandy loam, 50 to 80 BaE—Balsam very cobbly loam, windswept, percent slopes, stony ................................... 62 30 to 50 percent slopes, extremely CrC—Cullasaja cobbly loam, 8 to 15 percent bouldery ....................................................... 30 slopes, extremely bouldery ........................... 63 BoD—Brownwood fine sandy loam, 15 to 30 CrD—Cullasaja cobbly loam, 15 to 30 percent percent slopes, stony ................................... 31 slopes, extremely bouldery ........................... 65 BoE—Brownwood fine sandy loam, 30 to 50 CrE—Cullasaja cobbly loam, 30 to 50 percent percent slopes, stony ................................... 33 slopes, extremely bouldery ........................... 66 BoF—Brownwood fine sandy loam, 50 to 80 CsC—Cullasaja very cobbly loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, stony ................................... 34 percent slopes, very stony ............................ 68 BrF—Brownwood fine sandy loam, 50 to 95 CsD—Cullasaja very cobbly loam, 15 to 30 percent slopes, very rocky ............................ 35 percent slopes, very stony ............................ 69 BuD—Burton-Craggey-Rock outcrop complex, CsE—Cullasaja very cobbly loam, 30 to 50 windswept, 15 to 30 percent slopes .............. 37 percent slopes, very stony ............................ 71 BuF—Burton-Craggey-Rock outcrop complex, CtC—Cullasaja very cobbly loam, 8 to 15 windswept, 30 to 95 percent slopes .............. 40 percent slopes, extremely bouldery .............. 72 BwC—Burton-Wayah complex, windswept, CtD—Cullasaja very cobbly loam, 15 to 30 8 to 15 percent slopes, stony ....................... 42 percent slopes, extremely bouldery .............. 74 BwD—Burton-Wayah complex, windswept, CtE—Cullasaja very cobbly loam, 30 to 50 15 to 30 percent slopes, stony ..................... 43 percent slopes, extremely bouldery .............. 76 6 CuA—Cullowhee loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes, PuE—Porters loam, 30 to 50 percent slopes, frequently flooded ......................................... 77 stony .......................................................... 107 DAM—Dam ........................................................ 79 PuF—Porters loam, 50 to 95 percent slopes, DeB—Dellwood cobbly sandy loam, 1 to 5 stony .......................................................... 108 percent slopes, occasionally flooded ............ 79 RdA—Reddies loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes, DuF—Ditney-Unicoi complex, 50 to 95 percent frequently flooded ....................................... 110 slopes, very rocky ........................................ 81 RoA—Rosman fine sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent EdC—Edneytown loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, occasionally flooded ........................ 111 slopes .......................................................... 82 SkC—Saunook