LOCATION WHARTON PA+KY MD NY OH WV

Established Series
AWD-WRK-ART
10/2001

WHARTON SERIES

The Wharton series consists of deep and very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in residuum from interbedded clay shale, siltstone, and fine-grained sandstone. They are on uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 35 percent. Permeability is slow or moderately slow. Mean annual precipitation is 42 inches. Mean annual temperature is about 51 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Hapludults

TYPICAL PEDON: Wharton silt loam-cultivated on a 3 to 8 percent east facing slope. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate fine and medium granular structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 1 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick.)

Bt1--9 to 16 inches, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; moderate fine subangular and angular blocky structure; friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common, faint clay films on some faces of peds and lining some pores; 1 percent rock fragments; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--16 to 22 inches, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam to silty clay loam; moderate medium angular blocky structure; friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; 1 percent rock fragments; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--22 to 31 inches, brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) prism faces; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; friable becoming firm in the lower part, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; continuous prominent clay films on the faces of peds and in pores; many medium prominent gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron and manganese accumulation; 2 percent rock fragments; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt is 20 to 42 inches.)

BC--31 to 46 inches, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate coarse prismatice structure parting to weak coarse angular blocky; firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; common coarse prominent gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions; common coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron and manganese accumulation; continuous prominent gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions on prism faces; 10 percent rock fragments; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick.)

C--46 to 69 inches, brown (10YR 5/3) channery silty clay loam; very weak coarse prismatic structure; very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common medium distinct gray (N 6/0) iron depletions; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; few gray (10YR 6/1) prism coatings; 20 percent rock fragments; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick.)

Cr--69 to 70 inches, brown (10YR 5/3) rippable shale.

TYPE LOCATION:Butler County, Pennsylvania, ParkerTownship; approximately 1.5 miles south of Eldorado, Pennsylvania; about 210 feet west of the intersection of T632 and T725, then 285 feet south parallel to T632. Hilliards, PA USGS Topographic quadrangle. Lat. 41 degrees, 4 minutes, 14 seconds N., and Long. 79 degrees, 45 minutes, and 8 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 30 to 60 inches or more. Depth to bedrock is 40 to 72 inches or more. Rock fragments range from 0 to 20 percent in the A, E, BE, and Bt horizons, 5 to 50 percent in the BC horizon, and 20 to 90 percent in the C horizon. The soil is strongly acid through extremely acid throughout, unless limed.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 0 through 3. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam in the fine earth.

The E horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 4. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam in the fine earth fraction.

The Bt and BC horizons have hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 8. In some pedons, faces of prisms and peds have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. Redoximorphic features are in shades of gray, brown, yellow, and olive. B horizons have both high and low chroma redoximorphic features within the upper 24 inches of the argillic horizon. Textures are silt loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam in the fine earth and some pedons have subhorizons of loam, silty clay, or clay. The upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon has an average clay content of 25 to 35 percent.

The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. C horizon have both high and low chroma redoximorphic features. Textures are silt loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay in the fine earth.

The Cr horizon is typically shale or siltstone bedrock but in some places it is interbedded with and fine grained sandstone.

COMPETING SERIES: The Adelphia, Cotaco, Holmdell, Kensington, Trackler, and Woodstown series are in the same family. The Adelphia and Holmdel soils contain glauconite in the series control section. Cotaco soils have snady clay loam Bt horizons or less than 75 percent of the fine earth passing the No.2 sieve. Kensington and Trackler soils have a 2Bt horizon. Woodstown soils formed from sandy marine and old alluvial sediments. The Bigpool(T), Blairton, Cotaco, and Fenwick series are in related families and could become competitors as their classification is updated. Bigpool soils have thicker sola and contain rounded gravels. Blairton and Fenwick soils have bedrock at depth of 20 to 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wharton soils are nearly level to steep soils on uplands. Slope ranges from 0 to 35 percent. The soils formed in residuum weathered from interbedded clay shale, siltstone, and fine grained sandstone. Climate is humid and temperate with mean annual precipitation of 35 to 50 inches; average annual temperture is 47 to 56 degrees Fahrenheit, and the growing season is 120 to 180 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:Armagh, Berks, Blairton, Brinkerton, Cavode, Ernest, Gilpin, and Weikert soils are on nearby landscapes. Armagh and Cavode soils have more clay and are poorly drained and somewhat poorly drained, respectively. Berks, Blairton, and Gilpin soils have bedrock within depths of 20 to 40 inches and are well drained except Blairton soils which are moderately well drained. Brinkerton and Ernest soils have fragipans. Weikert soils have bedrock at 10 to 20 inches below the surface.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is medium to rapid and permeability is slow or moderately slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: Nearly level to sloping soils are largely cleared and used for general farming and pasture. Moderately steep and steep soils are generally in mixed hardwoods.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, and West Virginia. The series is of large extent. MLRA's 124, 125, 126, 127, and 128.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1943.

REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this pedon include:
a. Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 9
inches (Ap horizon).
b. Argillic horizon - The zone from 9 to about 31 inches (Bt horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Pennsylvania characterization sample number PA-017-016 was used as a basis for placing this series in the active CEC activity class.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.