Soil Survey of Lincoln County, West Virginia - Soil Data Mart - US ...

Soil Survey of Lincoln County, West Virginia
Available water capacity: Moderate
Depth to a seasonal high water table: Shelocta—more than 72 inches; Beech—18 to
36 inches
Flooding: None
Shrink-swell potential: Low
Hazard of erosion: Severe
Slope class: Moderately steep
Stoniness: 2 percent of the surface covered by stones
Rockiness: None
Natural fertility: Medium
Reaction: In unlimed areas, extremely acid to strongly acid throughout the Shelocta
soil and very strongly acid to moderately acid throughout the Beech soil
Organic matter content in the surface layer: Moderate
Surface runoff: Medium
Depth to bedrock: More than 60 inches
Inclusions
Limiting inclusions:
Soils with slopes of more than 25 percent
Soils that are severely eroded
Areas of disturbed soils
Areas where stones cover more than 3 percent of the soil surface
Use and Management
Uses: Most areas of these soils are used as hayland or pasture. A few areas are
used as woodland.
Cropland
Suitability: Poorly suited
Management considerations:
Water erosion is a severe hazard in unprotected areas.
Seedbed preparation and harvesting may be difficult because of the surface stones.
The seasonal wetness may delay tillage and planting in the spring.
A system of conservation tillage, contour farming, winter cover crops, and crop
residue management help to control erosion and to maintain fertility and tilth.
In some places diversions help to prevent overwash from adjacent upland side
slopes.
Removing the surface stones reduces wear on equipment.
Keeping drainageways in permanent vegetative cover reduces the erosive action of
running water.
Installing subsurface drains helps to overcome the wetness if a suitable outlet is
available.
Pasture and Hayland
Suitability: Suited
Management considerations:
Erosion is a severe hazard if the sod is removed by overgrazing.
The operation of conventional equipment used in clipping and applying fertilizer is
difficult because of the slope and the surface stones.
Grazing when the soil is too wet causes surface compaction and poor tilth and
damages the sod.
Proper stocking rates, pasture rotation, timely deferment of grazing, and restricted
use during wet periods help to keep the pasture in good condition.
Grazing should be delayed in the spring until the soil is firm.
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