Soil Survey of Coosa County, Alabama

Soil Features
Table 20
 gives estimates of various soil features. The estimates are used in land
use planning that involves engineering considerations.
A 
restrictive layer is a nearly continuous layer that has one or more physical,
chemical, or thermal properties that significantly impede the movement of water and
air through the soil or that restrict roots or otherwise provide an unfavorable root
environment. Examples are bedrock, cemented layers, dense layers, and frozen
layers. The table indicates the hardness and thickness of the restrictive layer, both of
which significantly affect the ease of excavation. 
Depth to top is the vertical distance
from the soil surface to the upper boundary of the restrictive layer.
Potential for frost action is the likelihood of upward or lateral expansion of the soil
caused by the formation of segregated ice lenses (frost heave) and the subsequent
collapse of the soil and loss of strength on thawing. Frost action occurs when
moisture moves into the freezing zone of the soil. Temperature, texture, density,
saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), content of organic matter, and depth to the
water table are the most important factors considered in evaluating the potential for
frost action. It is assumed that the soil is not insulated by vegetation or snow and is
not artificially drained. Silty and highly structured, clayey soils that have a high water
table in winter are the most susceptible to frost action. Well drained, very gravelly, or
very sandy soils are the least susceptible. Frost heave and low soil strength during
thawing cause damage to pavements and other rigid structures.
Risk of corrosion pertains to potential soil-induced electrochemical or chemical
action that corrodes or weakens uncoated steel or concrete. The rate of corrosion of
uncoated steel is related to such factors as soil moisture, particle-size distribution,
acidity, and electrical conductivity of the soil. The rate of corrosion of concrete is
based mainly on the sulfate and sodium content, texture, moisture content, and
acidity of the soil. Special site examination and design may be needed if the
combination of factors results in a severe hazard of corrosion. The steel or concrete in
installations that intersect soil boundaries or soil layers is more susceptible to
corrosion than the steel or concrete in installations that are entirely within one kind of
soil or within one soil layer.
For uncoated steel, the risk of corrosion, expressed as 
low, moderate, or high, is
based on soil drainage class, total acidity, electrical resistivity near field capacity, and
electrical conductivity of the saturation extract.
For concrete, the risk of corrosion also is expressed as 
low, moderate, or high. It is
based on soil texture, acidity, and amount of sulfates in the saturation extract.

91
The system of soil classification used by the National Cooperative Soil Survey has
six categories (Soil Survey Staff, 1999 and 2006). Beginning with the broadest, these
categories are the order, suborder, great group, subgroup, family, and series.
Classification is based on soil properties observed in the field or inferred from those
observations or from laboratory measurements. The categories are defined in the
following paragraphs.
ORDER.
Twelve soil orders are recognized. The differences among orders reflect
the dominant soil-forming processes and the degree of soil formation. Each order is
identified by a word ending in 
sol. An example is Ultisol.
SUBORDER.
Each order is divided into suborders primarily on the basis of
properties that influence soil genesis and are important to plant growth or properties
that reflect the most important variables within the orders. The last syllable in the
name of a suborder indicates the order. An example is Udult (
Ud, meaning humid,
plus 
ult, from Ultisol).
GREAT GROUP.
Each suborder is divided into great groups on the basis of close
similarities in kind, arrangement, and degree of development of pedogenic horizons;
soil moisture and temperature regimes; type of saturation; and base status. Each
great group is identified by the name of a suborder and by a prefix that indicates a
property of the soil. An example is Hapludults (
Hapl, meaning minimal horizonation,
plus 
udult, the suborder of the Ultisols that has a udic moisture regime).
SUBGROUP.
Each great group has a typic subgroup. Other subgroups are
intergrades or extragrades. The typic subgroup is the central concept of the great
group; it is not necessarily the most extensive. Intergrades are transitions to other
orders, suborders, or great groups. Extragrades have some properties that are not
representative of the great group but do not indicate transitions to any other
taxonomic class. Each subgroup is identified by one or more adjectives preceding the
name of the great group. The adjective 
Typic identifies the subgroup that typifies the
great group. An example is Typic Hapludults.
FAMILY.
Families are established within a subgroup on the basis of physical and
chemical properties and other characteristics that affect management. Generally, the
properties are those of horizons below plow depth where there is much biological activity.
Among the properties and characteristics considered are particle-size class, mineralogy
class, cation-exchange activity class, soil temperature regime, soil depth, and reaction
class. A family name consists of the name of a subgroup preceded by terms that indicate
soil properties. An example is fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Hapludults.
SERIES.
The series consists of soils within a family that have horizons similar in
color, texture, structure, reaction, consistence, mineral and chemical composition,
and arrangement in the profile.
Table 21
 indicates the order, suborder, great group, subgroup, and family of the soil
series in the survey area.
Soil Series and Their Morphology
In this section, each soil series recognized in the survey area is described.
Characteristics of the soil and the material in which it formed are identified for each
Classification of the Soils

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Soil Survey
series. A pedon, a small three-dimensional area of soil, that is typical of the series in
the survey area is described. The detailed description of each soil horizon follows
standards in the “Soil Survey Manual” (Soil Survey Division Staff, 1993) and in the
“Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils” (Schoeneberger and others, 2002).
Many of the technical terms used in the descriptions are defined in “Soil Taxonomy”
(Soil Survey Staff, 1999) and in “Keys to Soil Taxonomy” (Soil Survey Staff, 2006).
Unless otherwise indicated, colors in the descriptions are for moist soil. Following the
pedon description is the range of important characteristics of the soils in the series.
Alcovy Series
Depth class: Very deep
Drainage class: Moderately well drained
 Slowest saturated hydraulic conductivity: Moderately low (about 0.06 in/hr)
Parent material: Valley fill over residuum weathered from felsic crystalline rock
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Toeslopes
Landform position: Smooth and slightly concave slopes
Slope: 2 to 6 percent
Taxonomic class: Fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Oxyaquic Kanhapludults
Commonly Associated Soils
• Cecil and Pacolet soils, which are in the higher ridge positions and are well drained
• Wedowee soils, which are in the higher side slope positions and on ridges and are
well drained
• Soils that are in the lower positions and have low chroma depletions higher in the
profile
Typical Pedon
Alcovy sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes; in Coosa County, Alabama, about 1.5 miles
north of Crewsville; 2,500 feet south and 700 feet west of the northeast corner of
section 22, T. 22 N., R. 19 E.; USGS Rockford topographic quadrangle; lat. 32
degrees 58 minutes N. and long. 86 degrees 08 minutes 58 seconds W.
Ap—0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very
friable; many fine, medium, and coarse roots: about 10 percent quartz gravel;
strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt1—6 to 21 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; moderate medium
subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium roots; few distinct
clay films on faces of peds; about 5 percent ironstone gravel; very strongly acid;
clear smooth boundary.
Bt2—21 to 28 inches; about 60 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and about 40
percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam; coarse moderate subangular
blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium roots; few distinct clay films on
faces of peds; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt3—28 to 36 inches; about 60 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and about 40
percent very pale brown (10YR 8/4) clay loam; coarse moderate subangular
blocky structure; compact in place; few fine roots; few distinct clay films on faces
of peds; few fine mica flakes; strongly acid; irregular wavy boundary.
Btx—36 to 55 inches; about 50 percent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8) and about 30 percent
red (2.5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; strong fine platy structure; very firm; compact
and brittle in 40 percent of mass; common prominent clay films on faces of peds;
light gray (5Y 7/1) iron depletions; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Coosa County, Alabama
93
C—55 to 80 inches; about 40 percent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8), about 30 percent light
gray (5Y 7/1), and about 30 percent red (2.5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; massive;
firm; strongly acid.
Range in Characteristics
Thickness of the solum: 40 to 60 inches
Depth to bedrock: More than 6.0 feet
Content of mica flakes: Few or common
Content and size of rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent in the A and Bt horizons; quartz
and ironstone fragments
Reaction: Very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout, except where lime has been
applied
A or Ap horizon:
Color—hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 or 4
Texture—loamy sand or sandy loam
Bt horizon:
Color—hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 to 8
Texture—sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Redoximorphic features—masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, brown, and
yellow
Btx horizon:
Color—hue of 10YR, value of 5, and chroma of 6 or 8; or variegated in shades of
red, olive yellow, and light gray
Texture—sandy loam or sandy clay loam
C or Cd horizon:
Color—2.5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 8; or variegated in
similar colors
Texture—sandy loam, sandy clay loam, sandy clay, clay loam, or clay
Allen Series
Depth class: Very deep
Drainage class: Well drained
Slowest saturated hydraulic conductivity: Moderately high (about 0.57 in/hr)
Parent material: Alluvium, colluvium, or residuum weathered from sandstone and
shale
Landscape: Sand Mountain Appalachian Plateau
Landform: Hillslopes and high terraces
Landform position: Footslopes and smooth slopes on terraces
Slope: 2 to 10 percent
Taxonomic class: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Paleudults
Commonly Associated Soils
• Decatur soils, which are in the higher ridge positions and have a clayey control
section weathered from limestone
• Locust soils, which are in the lower terrace and toeslope positions and are
moderately well drained
• Shellbluff soils, which are in the lower flood plain positions and are moderately well
drained
• Townley soils, which are in the higher side slope positions and are moderately deep
to shale bedrock

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Soil Survey
Typical Pedon
Allen gravelly sandy loam, 2 to 10 percent slopes, moderately eroded; in Coosa
County, Alabama, about 2.0 miles north of Mt. Olive; 600 feet south and 1,800 feet
west of the northeast corner of section 2, T. 24 N., R. 19 E.; USGS Hollins
topographic quadrangle; lat. 33 degrees 06 minutes 15 seconds N. and long. 86
degrees 08 minutes 25 seconds W.
Ap—0 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam; weak fine granular
structure; very friable; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; about 15 percent
ironstone gravel; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt1—3 to 7 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) gravelly sandy clay loam; weak fine
subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium roots; few distinct
clay films on faces of peds; about 15 percent ironstone gravel; very strongly acid;
clear smooth boundary.
Bt2—7 to 18 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) sandy clay loam; weak moderate subangular
blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium roots; few distinct clay films on
faces of peds; about 10 percent ironstone gravel; strongly acid; clear smooth
boundary.
Bt3—18 to 36 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) sandy clay loam; common medium distinct
strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure;
firm; common fine roots; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; about 10 percent
chert gravel; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt4—36 to 80 inches; about 40 percent strong brown (7.5Y 5/8), about 30 percent
yellowish red (5YR 4/6), and about 30 percent red (2.5YR 4/8) gravelly clay loam;
moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common prominent clay
films on faces of peds; about 25 percent chert gravel; strongly acid.
Range in Characteristics
Thickness of the solum: More than 60 inches
Depth to bedrock: More than 6.0 feet
Content of mica flakes: Few fine to medium
Content and size of rock fragments: 10 to 25 percent throughout; ironstone, chert,
and sandstone gravel
Reaction: Very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout, except where lime has
been applied
A or Ap horizon:
Color—hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 or 4
Texture—loamy sand or sandy loam
Bt horizon (upper part):
Color—hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 6 or 8
Texture—loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Bt horizon (lower part):
Color—hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 6 or 8; or
variegated in shades of red and brown
Texture—loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Mottles—in shade of brown, yellow, and red
Altavista Series
Depth class: Very deep
Drainage class: Moderately well drained
Slowest saturated hydraulic conductivity: Moderately high (about 0.57 in/hr)

Coosa County, Alabama
95
Parent material: Loamy alluvium
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Stream terraces
Landform position: Smooth slopes at the heads of drains
Slope: 2 to 6 percent
Taxonomic class: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, thermic Aquic Hapludults
Commonly Associated Soils
• The somewhat poorly drained Cartecay and Chewacla soils in the lower flood plain
positions
• The well drained Toccoa soils, which are in the higher levee positions and are
sandy
Typical Pedon
Altavista fine sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes, rarely flooded; in Coosa County,
Alabama, about 2.5 miles east of Goodwater; 2,400 feet north and 600 feet west of
the southeast corner of section 24, T. 24 N., R. 20 E.; USGS Goodwater topographic
quadrangle; lat. 33 degrees 03 minutes 10 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 00
minutes 37 seconds W.
Oe—0 to 2 inches; partially decomposed forest litter.
Ap—2 to 7 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular
structure; very friable; common fine and medium roots; moderately acid; clear
wavy boundary.
Bt1—7 to 11 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam; weak medium
subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; moderately
acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2—11 to 27 inches; olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) clay loam; moderate medium subangular
blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; common faint clay films on
faces of peds; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) iron depletions; common distinct
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6, 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; strongly acid; gradual
wavy boundary.
Bt3—27 to 40 inches; olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) clay loam; moderate medium subangular
blocky structure; friable; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; light
brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and
brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron; strongly acid; gradual wavy
boundary.
BC—40 to 52 inches; olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) sandy clay loam; weak fine subangular
blocky structure; friable; common distinct light gray (2.5Y 7/2) iron depletions; very
strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
C—52 to 80 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) stratified sandy loam and sandy clay loam;
massive; friable; common distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) masses of oxidized iron;
very strongly acid.
Range in Characteristics
Thickness of the solum: 30 to more than 60 inches
Depth to contrasting soil material: More than 60 inches
Depth to bedrock: More than 60 inches
Content and size of rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent; mostly gravel
Reaction: Very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout, except where lime has
been applied
Ap or A horizon:
Color—hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4
Texture—sandy loam or fine sandy loam

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Soil Survey
BE horizon (where present):
Color—hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 4 to 8
Texture—sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Bt horizon:
Color—hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 8
Texture—sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Redoximorphic features (where present)—iron depletions in shades of yellow,
brown, and gray and masses of oxidized iron in shades of yellow, brown, and
red
C horizon:
Color—variegated in shades of yellow, red, brown, and gray
Texture—variable; commonly stratified sandy loam to sandy clay
Badin Series
Depth class: Moderately deep
Drainage class: Well drained
Slowest saturated hydraulic conductivity: Moderately low (about 0.06 in/hr)
Parent material: Residuum weathered from phyllite and sericite schist
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Ridges and hillslopes
Landform position: Summits and shoulders
Slope: 2 to 10 percent
Taxonomic class: Fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Hapludults
Commonly Associated Soils
• The fine-loamy Fruithurst soils, which are in positions similar to those of the Badin
soils and are moderately deep
• Tallapoosa soils, which are in the higher positions on shoulders and are shallow to
bedrock
• Tatum soils, which are in similar positions to those of the Badin soils and are deep
to bedrock
Typical Pedon
Badin loam, in an area of Badin-Tatum-Tallapoosa complex, 2 to 6 percent slopes,
moderately eroded; in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, about 0.9 mile northeast of
Goldville; 1,600 feet north and 200 feet east of the southwest corner of section 5, T.
24 N., R. 23 E.; USGS New Site topographic quadrangle; lat. 33 degrees 05 minutes
39 seconds N. and long. 85 degrees 46 minutes 36 seconds W.
Ap—0 to 5 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) loam; moderate medium granular
structure; friable; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; strongly acid; clear wavy
boundary.
Bt1—5 to 14 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky
structure; common fine and medium roots; common clay films on faces of peds;
strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2—14 to 20 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky
structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; common medium distinct clay
films on faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt/C—20 to 28 inches; red (2.5YR 4/8) clay loam (Bt part); weak coarse subangular
blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common very fine flakes of mica;
discontinuous, diagonally oriented strata of weathered phyllite that crushes to
loam (C part); firm; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary.

Coosa County, Alabama
97
Cr—28 to 80 inches; highly weathered phyllite; platy rock structure, tilted diagonally.
Range in Characteristics
Thickness of the solum: 20 to 40 inches
Depth to bedrock: 20 to 40 inches
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent in the solum
Reaction: Very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout, except where lime has been
applied
Ap horizon:
Color—hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 8
Texture—loam
BA or BE horizon (where present):
Color—hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 8
Texture—loam or silt loam
Bt horizon:
Color—hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8
Texture—silty clay, silty clay loam, clay loam, or clay
C horizon (where present):
Color—variegated in shades of yellow, brown, and red
Texture—silty clay loam or silt loam
Cr layer:
Type of bedrock—weathered sericite schist or phyllite
Bethlehem Series
Depth class: Moderately deep
Drainage class: Well drained
Slowest saturated hydraulic conductivity: Moderately high (about 0.57 in/hr)
Parent material: Residuum weathered from mica schist
Landscape: Piedmont
Landform: Ridges and hillslopes
Landform position: Summits, backslopes, and shoulders
Slope: 6 to 15 percent
Taxonomic class: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludults
Commonly Associated Soils
• Madison soils, which are in positions similar to those of the Bethlehem soils and are
very deep to bedrock
• Grover soils, which are in the higher ridge positions and have micaceous
mineralogy
• Louisa soils, which are in shoulder positions and are shallow to bedrock
Typical Pedon
Bethlehem gravelly sandy loam, in an area of Bethlehem-Madison complex, 6 to 15
percent slopes, moderately eroded; in Coosa County, Alabama, about 2.0 miles
southeast of Mt. Olive; 1,800 feet south and 800 feet west of the northeast corner of
section 13, T. 24 N., R. 19 E.; USGS Goodwater topographic quadrangle; lat. 33
degrees 04 minutes 30 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 07 minutes 30 seconds W.
Ap—0 to 4 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam; weak medium granular
structure; very friable; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; few fine mica flakes;
about 20 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.

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Soil Survey
Bt1—4 to 12 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure;
firm; common fine and medium roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds;
common mica flakes; about 5 percent gravel; very strongly acid; gradual wavy
boundary.
Bt2—12 to 24 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky
structure; firm; few fine and medium roots; common distinct clay films on faces of
peds; common fine mica flakes; about 10 percent gravel; strongly acid; irregular
wavy boundary.
Bt/Cr—24 to 30 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky
structure; firm; few fine roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds;
common fine mica flakes (Bt part); moderately fractured, weathered mica schist
(Cr part); gradual wavy boundary.
Cr—30 to 80 inches; moderately fractured, weathered mica schist.