LOCATION ALTUS              OK+TX
Established Series
Rev. JWF-CRC-RFG-WJG
02/2005

ALTUS SERIES


The Altus series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy and sandy alluvium of Pleistocene age. These nearly level or very gently sloping soils are on treads of high stream terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 61 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is about 24 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Altus fine sandy loam, on a 1 percent slope, in a cultivated field that has been reseeded to native grasses. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap1--0 to 9 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3), moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; very friable, slightly hard; common fine and common very fine roots; 1 percent well rounded quartz gravels; noneffervescent; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons ranges from 5 to 25 inches)

Ap2--9 to 17 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2), moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium granular; very friable, slightly hard; common fine and common very fine roots; common fine and common medium pores; 1 percent well rounded quartz gravels; noneffervescent; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Bt1--17 to 27 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3), moist; strong very coarse and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable, moderately hard; common fine and common very fine roots; many fine and common medium pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 1 percent well rounded quartz gravels; noneffervescent; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons ranges from 20 to 70 inches)

Bt2--27 to 39 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4), moist; strong very coarse and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm, hard; common fine and common very fine roots; common fine and common medium pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 1 percent well rounded quartz gravels; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt3--39 to 56 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; strong very coarse and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm, hard; few fine and few very fine roots; common fine and common medium pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 1 percent well rounded quartz gravels; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt4--56 to 74 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; strong very coarse and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable, moderately hard; few fine and few very fine roots; common fine and common medium pores; common distinct clay films on vertical faces of peds; 3 percent well rounded quartz gravels; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt5--74 to 82 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; strong very coarse and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable, moderately hard; few fine and few very fine roots; common fine pores; few faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; 3 percent well rounded quartz gravels; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Btk--82 to 95 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable, moderately hard; few fine and few very fine roots; common fine pores; few faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; 2 percent medium masses of calcium carbonate; 1 percent well rounded quartz gravels; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline. (0 to 32 inches thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Harmon County, Oklahoma; from the intersection of US Highway 62 and OK State Highway 30 in Hollis, OK, about 6 miles north and 2.46 miles east; located about 1250 feet south in a cultivated field that has been reseeded to native grasses; 1250 feet south and 2450 feet east of the northwest corner of Section 6, Township 3 N., Range 25 W.; Latitude: 34 degrees, 45 minutes, 55.60 seconds N; Longitude: 99 degrees, 52 minutes, 7.30 seconds W. Shrewder, Oklahoma topographic quadrangle; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 18 to 32 percent
Sand content: 30 to 70 percent
Coarse Fragments: 0 to 3 percent
CEC/clay ratio: more than 0.6

Soil Moisture: A typic-ustic soil moisture regime.
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 20 to 40 inches
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 30 to more than 80 inches
Some pedons have a few redox features below 30 inches
Some pedons have Permian redbed sediments below 60 inches

A Horizon

Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 (2 or 3 moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loamy fine sand
Coarse fragments: 0 to 2 percent rounded gravel
Effervescence: Noneffervescent
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral (pH 6.1 to7.3)

AB or BA Horizon (where present)

Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 (2 or 3 moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Coarse fragments: 0 to 2 percent rounded gravel
Effervescence: Noneffervescent
Reaction: Slightly acid to slightly alkaline (pH 6.1 to7.8)

Upper Bt Horizon

Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 (2 or 3 moist)
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 18 to 32 percent
Coarse fragments: 0 to 3 percent rounded gravel
Effervescence: Noneffervescent
Reaction: Slightly acid to slightly alkaline (pH 6.1 to 7.8)

Lower Bt and/or Btk Horizon

Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 (2 or 3 moist)
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, loam, or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 32 percent
Coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent rounded gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: none to common - films, masses, or threads
EC (dS/m): 0 to 2
Gypsum: 0 to 1 percent
SAR: 0 to 4
Effervescence: Noneffervescent to strongly effervescent
Reaction: Neutral to moderately alkaline (pH 6.6 to 8.4)

BC or BCk Horizon

Hue: 2.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 (3 to 6 moist)
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, loam, or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 37 percent
Coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent rounded gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: none to common - films, masses, or threads
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
Gypsum: 0 to 2 percent
SAR: 0 to 4
Effervescence: Noneffervescent to strongly effervescent
Reaction: Neutral to moderately alkaline (pH 6.6 to 8.4)

C Horizon

Hue: 2.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 (3 to 6 moist)
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: variable and ranges from loamy sand to clay
Clay content: 5 to 50 percent
Coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent rounded gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
Gypsum: 0 to 2 percent
SAR: 0 to 4
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent
Reaction: Moderately alkaline (pH 7.9 to 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cuero, Hackey, Smithville, Texroy, Tipton, and Uvas series.
Cuero series: These soils formed in residual material derived from sandstone in a warmer and moister climate
Hackey and Uvas series: These soils occur in a drier climate.
Smithville series: These soils occur on lower terraces in a warmer and moister climate.
Texroy series: These soils have carbonate within 30 inches of the surface and occur in a drier climate.
Tipton series: These soils occur on lower, younger terraces of Holocene or late Pleistocene age.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy and sandy alluvium
Landform: treads of older stream terraces of Pleistocene age
Slope: 0 to 3 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 59 to 64 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation range: 22 to 28 inches
Frost-free period: 200 to 230 days
Elevation: 1000 to 2100 feet
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 32 to 44

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Abilene, Devol, Grandfield, Grandmore, McKnight, Miles, and Springer series.
Abilene series: These soils have more than 35 percent clay content in the textural control section and occur in slightly lower adjacent positions.
Devol and Springer series: These soils have an ochric epipedon, less than 18 percent clay content in the textural control section, and occur on higher lying convex ridges.
Grandfield, Grandmore, McKnight, and Miles series: These soils have an ochric epipedon and occur on slightly higher lying convex areas.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes and low on 1 to 3 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly cultivated to cotton, sorghums, alfalfa, and small grains. The native vegetation is mid and tall grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Rolling Red Plains of western Oklahoma and northwestern Texas; LRR H; MLRA 78B and 78C; Moderate extent

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, Oklahoma; 1959.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon: 0 to 27 inches. (Ap and Bt1 horizons)

Argillic horizon: 17 to 95 inches. (Bt and Btk horizons)

Additional Comments: These soils were included in the Abilene series in some early published surveys.

The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is supported by laboratory data number S03ok-057-004 from Harmon county, Oklahoma.

Range Site: Oklahoma - Sandy Prairie (078XY073OK)
Texas Sandy Loam Prairie PE 25-36 (078BY088TX)
Sandy Loam Prairie PE 31-44 (078CY110TX)
Loamy Sand Prairie PE 25-36 (078BY082TX)

Soil Interpretation Record Number: OK0036

Taxonomic version: Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data sampled as Altus # S03ok-057-004


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.