Whereas most soils in the Piedmont of Georgia have formed from saprolite from felsic gneiss or schist, approximately 10% of the soils have formed from saprolite of mafic/ultramafic rocks. Soils developed from these two contrasting parent materials have differing physical and chemical characteristics, thus making the spatial distribution of these soil types a critical factor when examining the interaction between soil and water. The study site had loamy colluvial upper soil horizons overlying residual soil horizons developed from chlorite schist. The objectives were: 1) evaluate depth and distribution of colluvial parent material over the site, and to evaluate the effect of the lithologic discontinuity on seasonal water tables; and 2) relate frequency and duration of saturation and reduction to redoximorphic features in mafic soils in Georgia. This study found that unique soil characteristics have a definite effect on the movement of water on the site. Landscape attributes and soil characteristics strongly affect the frequency and duration of saturation, and the type and abundance of redoximorphic features in mafic soils of Georgia.
