MLRA 129: Sand Mountain B.F. Hajek and J. Dane Auburn University
Landuse This major land resource area (MLRA 129) is about 71% woodland, 8% cropland, and 16% pastureland. About 4% is used for coal mining, urban development, or other purposes (Table 1). About 83 to 88% of the woodland is privately owned, 10 to 15% industry owned, and about 2% federally owned. Timber production is mostly in the southern half of the area. Poultry production is the major farm enterprise. Corn, cotton, and vegetables are the major cash crops. Controlling erosion on soils that are cropped is the primary concern of management. Pastures are grazed mainly by beef cattle and are important disposal areas for poultry wastes.
Elevation and Topography Elevation ranges from 100 to 400 m, but a few mountaintops are as high as 500 m. The area is deeply dissected and consists mainly of a series of rather narrow valleys, steep escarpments, and broad plateaus that are underlain by sandstone and shale. Valley floors are commonly about 100 m below adjacent plateau summits.
Climate Average annual precipitation - 1,300 to 1,400 mm. Precipitation is somewhat unevenly distributed. The maximum is in midwinter, decreasing gradually from spring to autumn and increasing slightly in midsummer. The average annual temperature is 16 to 17°C. Average freeze-free period is mainly 200 to 210 days but ranges to 240 days in some valleys.
Water In most years, precipitation is adequate for crops and pastures. Droughts are short and infrequent. Streams, springs, and ponds provide water for livestock. Deep wells provide an adequate supply of water for most domestic and municipal uses. Most streams flow intermittently and are often dry in summer and in autumn except after rainstorms. A few large reservoirs are in the area.
Soils The dominant soils are Hapludults, Dystrochrepts, Paleudults, and Fragiudults. STATSGO soils are depicted in Fig. 1. They have an udic moisture regime, a thermic temperature regime, and siliceous and mixed mineralogy. They are over sandstone and shale and are mostly moderately fine textured to fine textured. Moderately deep, nearly level to steep Hapludults (Nauvoo, Hartsells, Albertville, and Townley series) are on broad plateaus, ridge tops, mountaintops, or upper side slopes. Deep Paleudults (Nella and Allen series) and Fragiudults (Wynnville series) are on some of the more level upland and sideslope sites. Shallow, gravelly and very gravelly, nearly level to steep Dystrochrepts (Montevallo and Hector series) are on narrow upper valley slopes and ridge tops. Areas of rock outcrop are common on these sites. Soils commonly found in adjacent MLRAs (133A) are associated with Sand Mountain soils at contacts (Smithdale, Pikeville) Table 2. Official series descriptions of the Montevallo, Townley, Wynnville, Nauvoo, Hartsells, and Gorgas series are included. Official series descriptions for all established series are available on the Iowa State University Statlab home page (www.statlab.iastate.edu/ cgi-bin/osd/osdname.cgi).
Hydrologic Characteristics of Soils in MLRA 129 Table 3 gives selected soil characteristics of Sand Mountain soils that relate to water and solute transport. Additional data can be obtained from a soils database provided with EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate) model.
Literature Cited Chemical, Mineralogical, and Engineering Properties of Alabama and Mississippi Black Belt Soils. Southern Coop. Series No. 130.
Land Resource Regions and Major Resource Areas of the United States. Ag. Handbook 296 STATSGO, in SMIS (Southern Management Information System), Texas A&M, Temple, Texas 76502.
Staff. 1995. NRI 1992 National Resources Inventory. USDA-NRCS, Fort Worth, Texas 76115-0567. (Four CDs).