At elevations of about 30 m (100 ft), the Citronelle formation of Plio- 

 Pleistocene age emerges. Predominantly sand, it contains thin layers of red 

 clay which may be mottled gray and purple, red, or yellow, depending upon 

 degree of weathering. The Citronelle formation underlies the plateaus and 

 ridges of north and central Baldwin County, and ranges in elevation from 

 about 30 to 90 m (100 to 300 ft). 



The older Ecor Rouge Sand and Mobile Clay, of Miocene age, and older 

 strata support the Citronelle Formation. Varying in thickness from a thin 

 veneer to 60 m (200 ft), the Citronelle Formation is eroded by stream action 

 in many areas to expose the Mobile Clay. As a result of this erosion, the 

 greatest relief in Baldwin County is in areas of Mobile Clay. The clay is 

 white, pink, or purple and contains some sand. Elevation of exposed units of 

 Mobile Clay vary widely from 15 to 90 m (50 to 300 ft). 



Areas underlain by the Citronelle Formation and Ecor Rouge Sand in 

 Baldwin County are fairly well associated with soils of the 

 Malbis-Bama-Lucedale (4) and Cowarts-Notcher-Esto (5) associations. 



The Malbis-Bama-Lucedale association (4) soils are deep, well-drained 

 loamy soils over wide areas of heavily farmed agricultural uplands. About 

 75% of this association is currently used as cropland; the rest as pastures 

 and woodland. Mai bis soils have dark-gray to brown fine sandy loam surface 

 layers with yellowish-brown sandy clay loam subsoils. Bama soils have dark 

 yellowish-brown fine sandy loam topsoil overlying a yellowish-red sandy clay 

 loam subsoil. Lucedale soils have a dark brown to dark reddish-brown loam 

 surface layer and dark-red sandy clay loam subsoil. 



The Cowarts-Notcher-Esto association (5) soils are in upland areas of 

 moderate slope. They are well drained, but not quite as deep as those of the 

 Malbis-Bama-Lucedale association. Although this association has high agricul- 

 tural potential, most of the land is forested. Cowarts soils have a surface 

 layer of grayi sh- brown to very dark gray fine sandy loam with a yellowish- 

 brown sandy clay loam subsoil. Uotcher soils have a dark grayish-brown fine 

 sandy loam surface layer overlying a yellowish-brown clay loam subsoil con- 

 taining iron concretions (concretions are grains or nodules of cemented 

 substances, usually yel lowi sh- brown and gray clay loam and calcium carbonate 

 or iron oxide). Soils of the Esto series have a dark grayish-brown fine 

 sandy loam surface layer with sandy clay subsoil. 



There is a strong correlation between the Cowarts-Troup-Esto (3) and 

 Troup-Pl ummer (7) soil associations and areas where streams have eroded 

 through the Citronelle Formation and Ecor Rouge Sands to expose Mobile Clay. 

 The Cowarts-Troup-Esto association is found on the slopes draining into the 

 Mobile Delta, and the Troup-Pl ummer association is found around several other 

 major streams, particularly tributaries of the Perdido River (Pensacola quad- 

 rangle) . 



Troup soils have a yel lowi sh- brown to dark grayish-brown loamy fine sand 

 overlying a brownish-yellow to red sandy clay loam subsoil. PI ummer soils 

 are poorly drained, with little slope, and have a gray sand topsoil overlying 

 a light gray sandy loam subsoil. Cowarts and Esto soils have been discussed 



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