LOCATION ANAHUAC TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, hyperthermic Oxyaquic Glossudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Anahuac very fine sandy loam--cropland (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and very fine pores; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
A--7 to 14 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; few fine roots; few fine and very fine pores; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 20 inches.)
E--14 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 18 inches thick.)
E/Bt--18 to 22 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam (E); 15 to 20 percent fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam (Bt); weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) iron concentrations; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--22 to 33 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; common fine and few medium pores; common distinct gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on surface of peds; common fine prominent red (10R 4/8) iron concentrations; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--33 to 41 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common distinct gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on surface of peds; common fine prominent dark red (10R 4/6) and few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron concentrations; many pressure faces; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt subhorizons is 10 to 30 inches.)
Btg--41 to 54 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; few fine and medium pores; common distinct (10YR 5/1) gray clay films on surface of peds; common fine prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and common fine prominent red (10R 4/6) iron concentrations; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 40 inches thick)
Bt/E1--54 to 63 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam (Bt); moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine and medium angular blocky; hard, firm; few fine roots; few fine and medium pores; few faint light gray (10YR 7/1) clay films on surface of peds; common fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), common fine and medium prominent red (10R 4/8), and common fine distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) iron concentrations; 15 to 20 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) very fine sandy loam (E) clay depletions; moderately acid; diffuse smooth boundary.
Bt/E2--63 to 80 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak moderate subangular blocky; hard, firm; few fine roots; few fine and medium pores; many fine and medium prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) and common fine prominent reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) iron concentrations; 20 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) very fine sandy loam (E) clay depletions; few fine and medium iron-manganese stains on surface of peds; slightly acid. (combined thickness of the Bt/E horizon is 20 to 35 inches)
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Texas; from the intersection of Interstate Highway 10 and U.S. Highway 90 in Beaumont; 12.2 miles west on U.S. Highway 90; 1.0 mile north on North China Road; 0.6 mile west on paved county road; 0.3 mile north on farm road; 50 feet east in field. (Latitude 30N, 04, 01; Longitude 94W, 20, 53)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 80 inches. Base saturation is less than 50 percent in some subhorizon below the mollic epipedon and typically ranges from 20 to 45 percent. Weighted average clay content of the particle size control section ranges from 35 to 50 percent. The lower part of the E and the E/Bt horizon is saturated for 2 weeks to 30 or more days following periods of heavy rainfall, mainly during winter and early spring. These soils do not have aquic conditions in most years. Depth to the argillic horizon ranges from 18 to 38 inches.
The thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 20 inches. Color is hue of 10YR, value of 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture is silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 or 4. Iron concentrations range from few to common in shades of brown, yellow, or red. Texture is silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The glossic horizon or E/Bt horizon, present in most pedons, has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma 2 to 6. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Bt and Btg horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Iron concentrations range from few to common in shades of red, brown, or yellow. Texture is silty clay or clay and ranges to clay loam in the lower part. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The lower glossic horizon or Bt/E horizon has color with hue 10YR or 2.5Y, value 5 to 7, and chroma 1 to 6. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. The E part has color with hue 10YR, value 5 to 7, and chroma 1 to 3. Some pedons have matrix colors mixed in shades of gray, brown, or yellow. Redoximorphic features range from few to many in shades of red, brown, yellow, gray, or olive. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
Some pedons have a BC horizon below 70 inches. Color, texture, and reaction range is the same as the Bt/E horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Similar soils are Orcadia, Spindletop, Texla, and Gist series. Orcadia and Spindletop soils have smectitic mineralogy. In addition, Spindletop soils are Mollisols. Texla soils have a fine-silty particle-size control section. Gist soils have a coarse-silty particle-size control section. Texla and Gist soils are in the thermic temperature regime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Anahuac soils are on slightly convex, nearly level to very gently sloping uplands. This soil formed in loamy and clayey alluvial sediments on meander belt ridges of the Beaumont Formation of Pleistocene age. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent, but is dominantly less than 1 percent. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 70 to 72 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 60 inches. Frost free days range from 250 to 270. Elevation ranges from 5 to 40 feet. Thornthwaite P-E index is 68 to 80.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Spindletop soils and Aris, Beaumont, China, Labelle, League, Leton, and Morey soils. Spindletop soils are on slightly lower positions on mounds in association with Aris soils. Aris soils are Aqualfs. Beaumont, China, and League soils are clayey throughout and are on nearby slightly lower positions. Morey soils have A horizons less than 18 inches thick, a fine-silty particle size class, and are on similar to slightly lower positions. Labelle soils are Mollisols and are slightly lower in the landscape. Leton soils are Aqualfs with a fine-silty particle-size control section in relic channel scar depressions slightly lower in the landscape.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Anahuac soils are moderately well drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is low on slopes of less than 1 percent and medium on 1 to 2 percent slopes. These soils have a extremely thin to very thin perched water table above the argillic horizon for a period of 2 weeks to 30 days or more in most years mainly from November to March. An apparent water table occurs at a depth of 4 to 6 feet from November to April in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for pasture and hayland. A few areas are used for cropland and horticultural crops. The principal crops grown on these soils are sorghums, soybeans, and rice. Pastures are bahiagrass or improved bermudagrass. Native vegetation is tall prairie grass, mainly species of andropogons, paspalums, switchgrass and indiangrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Prairie (MLRA 150A) of Texas and possibly Louisiana. These soils are mainly east of the Trinity River. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chambers County, Texas; 1969.
REMARKS: Classification changed and type location moved to Jefferson County 1995 where complete characterization data is available. Study of this series in Liberty, Chambers, and Jefferson Counties indicates this soil is a Oxyaquic Glossudalfs rather than Udollic Albaqualfs. Soil moisture study at type location indicates this soil is in Oxyaquic subgroup. Soils mapped with the Anahuac series that are on mounded positions will be included with the Spindletop series, which has smectitic mineralogy.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 14 inches (Ap and A horizon). This soil has a mollic epipedon, but will not qualify for a Mollisol because the base saturation above the argillic horizon is less than 50 percent.
Glossic horizon - 18 to 22 inches and 54 to 80 inches (E/Bt and Bt/E horizons).
Argillic horizon - 22 to 80 inches (Bt and Bt/E horizons).
Oxyaquic feature - These soils are saturated less than 6 inches thick above the argillic horizon for 1 week to 20 or more days in most years. In some years these soils have aquic conditions within 20 inches of the surface.
Mixed mineralogy - data on 2 pedons indicates clay to be vermiculite-montmorillonite that contains chlorite interlayer, plus a moderate amount of kaolinite.
SOIL INTERPRETATION RECORD NUMBER: TX0685.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data - Chambers County, Texas, 68L1336-68L1340; Jefferson County, Texas, S90TX-245-020.