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

Soil Survey of Lincoln County, West Virginia
Formation of the Soils
The origin and development of the soils in Lincoln County are explained in this
section. The five major factors of soil formation are identified, and their influence on
the soils in the county is described. Also, the morphology of the soils is related to
horizon nomenclature and the processes of horizon development.
Factors of Soil Formation
The soils in Lincoln County formed as a result of the interaction between the five
major factors of soil formation—parent material, time, topography, living organisms,
and climate. Each factor modifies the effect of the others. The relative influence of
each factor varies from place to place, and in some places one factor can dominate
the formation of a soil. Parent material, topography, and time have resulted in the
major differences among the soils in the county. Climate and living organisms have
generally influenced soil formation uniformly throughout the survey area.
Parent Material
Parent material is the unconsolidated geologic material from which the soils
formed. The nature of the parent material influences the physical and chemical
properties of the soil as well as the rate at which soil formation takes place. The soils
in Lincoln County formed in four types of parent material—residuum, colluvium,
recent alluvium, and a mixture of soil and geologic material.
The soils formed in residuum are mostly on ridgetops. This residuum is derived
mainly from sedimentary rocks of the Pennsylvanian period, mainly sandstone,
siltstone, and shale that have intermittent coal seams. Thin beds of limestone are
included in some places. Examples of soils that formed in residuum include those in
the Gilpin and Matewan series.
The soils formed in colluvial material are on hillsides and footslopes. The colluvium
was deposited by water and gravity over long periods of time and covers nearly the
lower third of the hillsides in the county. It generally is sandy or loamy and includes
varying amounts of coarse fragments. It ranges in thickness from about 40 inches on
the upper part of the hillside to more than 60 inches on the lower part and on head
slopes in coves. In some places, particularly on toeslopes, colluvial material is 30 feet
or more thick. Examples of soils that formed in colluvium are those in the Cloverlick
and Highsplint series.
The soils formed in recent alluvial material are on low flood plains and on stream
terraces. The recent or local alluvial deposits consist of material that has been
washed from uplands and deposited by streams. The Grigsby soils in the southern
part of the county formed in recent alluvial material.
Fiveblock, Kaymine, and Cedarcreek soils formed in soil material and fragments of
bedrock that were mixed together during mining operations. The mixing of this
material in varying proportions can exhibit marked heterogeneity of soils over short
distances in regard to parent material, strata, texture, reaction, color, and content and
size of fragments.
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