LOCATION ARIS TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Typic Glossaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Aris silt loam--pasture
(Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; common fine and few medium roots; common fine and medium vesicular and tubular pores; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron accumulations with clear boundaries on surface of peds and along root and pore channels; 10 percent crawfish krotovina filled with thin, alternating horizontal bands of dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam and silty clay loam; few worm casts; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
E/Btg--6 to 14 inches; 60 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam (E); weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium vesicular and tubular pores; 40 percent grayish brown (10YR 4/1) silty clay loam (Bt) that has common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6 and 7.5YR 5/8) iron accumulations with clear boundaries; 10 percent crawfish krotovina filled with thin, alternating horizontal bands of dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam and silty clay loam; few worm casts; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
Btg/E1--14 to 18 inches; 60 percent dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay (Bt); weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, friable; few very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium vesicular and tubular pores; few thin very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay films on surface of peds; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) iron accumulations with clear boundaries; 40 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam (E) that consists of albic materials 10 to 20 mm wide between peds resulting from aquic conditions; 15 percent crawfish krotovina filled with thin, alternating horizontal bands of dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam and silty clay loam; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Btg/E2--18 to 23 inches; 85 percent dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay (Bt); weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, friable; few very fine and fine roots common fine and medium vesicular and tubular pores; few thin very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay films on faces of peds; common fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron accumulations with clear boundaries; 15 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam (E) that consists of albic materials 10 to 20 mm wide between peds resulting from aquic conditions; few iron-manganese concretions 1 to 3 mm in diameter; 15 percent crawfish krotovina filled with thin, alternating horizontal bands of light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam and silty clay loam; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Btg/E subhorizons is 20 to 40 inches.)
Btg1--23 to 30 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard friable; few very fine and fine roots; few fine vesicular and tubular pores; few thin dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; many fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and red (2.5YR 4/6) iron accumulations with sharp boundaries; few iron-manganese concretions 1 to 3 mm in diameter; 3 percent interfingering of light browinish gray (10YR 6/2) albic materials 5 to 10 mm wide between peds extend through the horizon; 10 percent crawfish krotovina filled with thin, alternating horizontal bands of light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Btg2--30 to 51 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; very hard, firm; few very fine roots; few fine vesicular and tubular pores; few distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on surface of peds; many fine, medium, and coarse prominent yellowish brown (l0YR 5/6) and red (2.5YR 4/6) iron accumulations with sharp boundaries; few pressure faces; few iron-manganese concretions 1 to 3 mm in diameter; 2 percent interfingering of light browinish gray (10YR 6/2) albic materials 5 to 10 mm wide between peds extend through the horizon; 10 percent crayfish krotovina filled with thin, alternating horizontal bands of light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam and silty clay loam; moderately acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
Btg3--51 to 72 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few pressure faces; few thin dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on surface of peds; many fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), many medium and coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and common fine and medium prominent pale brown (10YR 6/3) iron accumulations with clear boundaries; few iron-manganese concretions 1 to 3 mm in diameter; 10 percent crawfish krotovina filled with thin alternating horizontal bands of grayish brown (10YR 6/2) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam and silty clay loam; slightly acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
Btg4--72 to 80 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/1) clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few pressure faces; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on surface of peds; common fine and medium prominent pale brown (10YR 6/3), fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), and medium and coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron accumulations with sharp boundaries; few iron-manganese concretions 1 to 3 mm in diameter; 10 percent crawfish krotovina filled thin alternating horizontal bands of grayish brown (10YR 6/2) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam and silty clay loam; neutral. (combined thickness of the Btg subhorizons is 50 to 65 inches.)
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Texas; from the west city limits of Port Authur on Texas Highway 73, 5.8 miles west on Texas Highway 73 to intersection of Country Club Road; 0.3 mile north on Country Club Road; 200 feet east in pasture. (Latitude 29N, 51, 11; Longitude 94W, 08, 03)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 80 inches. Weighted average clay content of the particle-size control section ranges from 35 to 45 percent. The glossic horizon ranges from 10 to 30 inches thick. Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) ranges from 0 to 4 within 40 inches of the surface and 0 to 6 in layers deeper than 40 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. Horizons with value of 3 and chroma of 1 or 2 are less than 6 inches thick. Texture is most commonly silt loam, but the range includes fine sandy loam and loam. Iron accumulations in shades of brown range from none to common. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The E horizon, present in some pedons, has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is most commonly silt loam, but the range includes fine sandy loam and loam. Iron accumulations in shades of brown or yellow range from few to common. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The E part of the E/Btg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 7 and chroma of 1 or 2. The Btg part of the E/Btg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. Iron accumulations in shades of red, yellow, or brown range from common to many. Texture is silty clay loam or clay loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Btg part of the Btg/E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. The E part of the Btg/E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 1 or 2. Iron accumulations in shades of red, yellow or brown range from common to many. Texture is silty clay, silty clay loam or clay loam. Albic materials (E) ranges from 15 to 30 percent. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 7 and chroma of 1 or 2. Iron accumulations in shades of red, yellow or brown range from common to many. Texture is mainly clay but ranges to clay loam or silty clay loam. Interfingering of albic material ranges from 0 to 10 percent. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid. In some pedons reaction is neutral at 60 inches and deeper.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Encrow and Mowata series in the same family and the similar Camptown, Derly, Evadale, Leton, and Mollco series. Encrow soils have SAR of 6 to 13 within 60 inches of the surface. Mowata soils are slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline between 60 and 80 inches. Camptown and Leton soils have a fine-silty particle-size control section. Mollco soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section. Derly and Evadale soils, and also Camptown and Mollco soils, have a thermic temperature regime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Aris soils are on nearly level uplands. Slopes are less than 1 percent. These soils formed in loamy and clayey sediments of the Pleistocene age Beaumont Formation. They occur on broad slightly depressed areas between relict stream meander ridges or mounds. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 62 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 70 to 72 degrees F. Frost free days range from 250 to 280. Elevation ranges from 5 to 40 feet above sea level. The Thornthwaite annual P-E indices ranges from 68 to 80.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the competing Leton soils and Anahuac, Labelle, Levac, and Morey soils. Anahuac soils are on nearby meander scar ridges 2 to 5 feet higher in the landscape and have a loamy surface more than 20 inches thick. Labelle, Levac, and Morey soils do not have a glossic horizon and are slightly higher in the landscape. In addition, Labelle and Morey soils have a mollic epipedon. Leton soils are slightly lower in the landscape in relic channel scar depressions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Aris soils are poorly drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is low. These soils have a perched water table near the surface and some areas pond for periods of 30 days or more in most years, mainly in the winter and spring months. These soils have aquic conditions within 20 inches of the surface in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Aris soils are used mainly for cropland and native pasture. Cropland is dominantly in rice production with a few small areas used for growing cotton, corn, and grain sorghum. Native grasses are mainly indiangrass, little bluestem, big bluestem, switchgrass, Florida paspalum, and crinkleawn. Loblolly pine trees have encroached on a few areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Gulf Coast Prairie (MLRA 150A) of Southeast Texas, mainly east of the Trinity River, and possibly Louisiana. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Harris County, Texas; 1973.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Crowley series. The series type location was moved from Harris County to Jefferson County in 1995. A study of the series in 1994 indicated that 2 to 3 series concepts have been mapped into the Aris series. This revision limits the series to the original concept of the series. New series will be proposed to define the Aris soils mapped on mounded and depressional positions.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 14 inches (A and E/Btg horizons).
Glossic horizon--6 to 23 inches (E/Btg and Btg/E1 and Btg/E2 horizons).
Argillic horizon--14 to 80 inches (Btg/E1, Btg/E2, Btg1, Btg2, Btg3, and Btg4 horizons).
Aquic moisture regime--Dominent chroma of 2 or less and iron accumulations in the matrix of the argillic horizon, seasonal perched high water table, and reducing conditions near the surface for long periods each year.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Listed unpublished data is available for one pedon from the Texas Highway Department 1271L-261, 262, 263, and THD-71-Tex-101-11-1, 2,3. National Soil Survey Laboratory data 71L1310 and S71Tex-101-2, and memo dated April 12, 1972, indicates family texture class is fine but borderline to fine-loamy.
SOIL INTERPRETATION RECORD NUMBER: TX0071; TX1111, Depressional; TX1201, Somewhat Poorly Drained. New series to be developed for TX1111 and TX1201.