LOCATION BACLIFF TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Aquic Hapluderts
TYPICAL PEDON: Bacliff clay--rangeland.
(Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 9 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and plastic; many fine roots; common fine brown organic stains; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Ag--9 to 35 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay, gray (10YR 6/1) dry; strong coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate fine angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and plastic; few fine roots; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron concentrations; few brown organic stains; common pressure surfaces; few distinct slickensides in lower part; few dark concretions 2 to 5 mm across; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)
Bssg1--35 to 48 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) clay, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; strong coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate fine angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and plastic; few fine roots; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron concentrations; common pressure surfaces; few distinct slickensides; few dark concretions 2-5 mm across; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 35 inches thick)
Bssg2--48 to 63 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) clay, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; strong coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and plastic; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron concentrations; few distinct slickensides; few pitted concretions of calcium carbonate 2-10 mm across; few dark concretions; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Galveston County, Texas; from the intersection of Texas Highway 146 and Farm Road 517 about 5 miles east of Dickinson; 0.2 mile west on Farm Road 517; 250 feet north in rangeland.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 60 inches. The soil is clay or silty clay throughout. The 10- to 40-inch control section contains 45 to 60 percent clay. The reaction in the control section is moderately acid to moderately alkaline. When dry, cracks 1 to 2 inches wide extend from the surface into the Bssg horizon, but cracks remain open for less than 90 cumulative days. Slickensides begin at depths ranging from 10 to 30 inches. The lower boundary of the A horizon is cyclical, having a spacing of 6 to 12 feet and amplitude of 10 to 30 inches. Undisturbed areas have gilgai micro-relief with micro-high 6 to 15 inches higher than the micro-low. Distance from the center of the micro-high to center of the micro-low ranges from 6 to 15 feet.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or N, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 or less. Some pedons have a moist value of less than 3.5, but the layer is less than 12 inches thick in more than 60 percent of the pedon. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline. Thickness of the A horizon varies with the micro-relief, ranging from 6 inches in the micro-high to as much as 45 inches in the micro-low.
The Bssg1 horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or N, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or less. Iron concentrations range from few to many shades of yellow and brown. The reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline.
The Bssg2 horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or N, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 or less. Iron concentrations in shades of yellow and brown range from few to a mixed matrix of gray, yellow, and brown. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. Typically there are pitted concretions of calcium carbonate in the lower part.
Some pedons have a C horizon below 60 inches that are yellow and brown in hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y. Also, some pedons have 2C horizons that are loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam in shades of red and brown in hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR. These layers contain few fine flakes of mica in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Similar soil are the Beaumont, Harris, Lake Charles, and Vamont series. Beaumont soils are more acid in the control section and receive more rainfall and have a P-E index more than 68. Harris soils have a mollic epipedon, are very poorly drained, and are saline throughout. Lake Charles soils have color value less than 3.5 to depths more than 12 inches in more than 60 percent of the pedon. Vamont soils have dominant chroma of more than 1.5 in the upper horizon and are more acid throughout.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bacliff soils are on broad level to slightly depressional uplands. The slope is generally less than 0.5 percent but ranges to 1 percent. The soil formed in alkaline marine clays of the Beaumont Formation of Pleistocene age. Mean annual precipitation is in the 35 to 45 inch rainfall belt although local areas average as high as 52 inches. The mean annual temperature is 69 to 72 degrees F. The Thornthwaite P-E index is 56 to 68.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the competing Lake Charles and Vamont series and the Dacosta, Edna, and Verland series. Dacosta, Edna, and Verland soils have loamy surface layers. All of these soils are on slightly higher landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; runoff is negligible; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for growing rice and pasture. Native grasses are mainly species of andropogon, paspalum, and panicum. Various species of trees have encroached in a few areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Gulf Coast Prairies of Texas (MLRA 150A), mainly west of the San Jacinto River. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Galveston County, Texas; 1985.
REMARKS: Bacliff soils were formerly included with the Beaumont series. More than 19,000 acres of this soil was mapped as a taxadjunct of the Beaumont series in Brazoria County, TX. Classification changed from Entic Pelluderts to Aquic Hapluderts 11/2000 based on typifying pedon description. Further study and characterization data of the series is needed to verify hydrology and classification.
Diagnostic features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 35 inches (A and Ag horizon).
Slickensides - 35 to 63 inches (Bssg horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: none
TAXONOMIC VERSION: Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition,1999.