United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Southeast Coastal Plain and Caribbean Soil Survey Region #15 Go to Accessibility Information
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Red Bay Series

The Red Bay series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loamy sediments. These soils are on broad ridgetops in the uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. These soils are fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Kandiudults.

Red Bay soils are commonly associated on the landscape with Dothan, Fuquay, and Orangeburg soils. These associated soils are in landscape positions similar to those of the Red Bay soils. Dothan soils have a brownish kandic horizon that has significant accumulations of plinthite in the lower part. Fuquay soils have a thick sandy epipedon. Orangeburg soils do not have a dark red kandic horizon.

Typical pedon of Red Bay sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes; about 1 mile southeast of Oswichee, 1,500 feet east and 300 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 23, T. 15 N., R. 30 E.

  • Ap—0 to 9 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine and medium roots; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
  • Bt1—9 to 29 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine and medium roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Bt2—29 to 45 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common faint clay films of faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
  • Bt3—45 to 65 inches; dark red (10R 3/6) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common faint clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid.

The solum is more than 60 inches thick. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the upper part of the solum and is very strongly acid or strongly acid in the lower part.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 to 4.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10R or 2.5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 4 to 6. The texture is sandy loam or sandy clay loam.


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