LOCATION BARRADA            TX

Established Series
ACT-JLS-CLN
12/2007

BARRADA SERIES

The Barrada series consists of very deep, very poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in saline, clayey over loamy alluvial and storm washover sediments of Holocene age. These nearly level soils are on wind tidal flats and in enclosed depressions. Slopes are less than 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 813 mm (32 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 22.8 degrees C (73 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, calcareous, hyperthermic Typic Halaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Barrada clay-barren flat. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Az--0 to 10 cm (0 to 4 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; massive; very hard, very firm; very sticky and very plastic; strongly saline; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary (thickness of the A horizon is 5 to 13 cm [2 to 5 in].)

BCz1--10 to 64 cm (4 to 25 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium and coarse subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine and medium distinct dark gray (5Y 4/1) iron depletions and common fine and medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; few firm clay balls; strongly saline; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline; diffuse smooth boundary.

BCz2--64 to 132 cm (25 to 52 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to medium and coarse subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; many coarse prominent dark gray (5Y 4/1) iron depletions; few very firm clay balls; few pockets of sand; strongly saline; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (combined thickness of the BCz horizons is 38 to 76 cm [15 to 30 in].)

2BC--132 to 160 cm (52 to 63 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; massive; hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; many coarse prominent dark gray (10YR 4/1) iron depletions, and many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; strongly saline; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Cameron County, Texas; From the intersection of Texas Highway 4 (Boca Chica Hwy) and Farm Road 511 northeast of Brownsville Airport; 7.6 miles east on Texas Highway 4; 4.5 miles north on ranch road; 0.2 mile east on barren flat.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An aquic soil moisture regime. The soil is saturated to the surface for periods of 4 to 6 months and is never dry at depths below about 31 cm (12 in) in most years.
The n value of the soil below about 51 cm (20 in) ranges from about 0.58 to 0.80.

Particle-size Control Section: (weighted average)
Clay: 45 to 60 percent.
Shell fragments: 0 to 10 percent by volume
Depth to loamy materials: 91 to more than 102 cm (36 to more than 50 in).

Az horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5G, or 5GY
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: sandy clay, silty clay, or clay
EC (dS/m): 30 to more than 100
SAR: 30 to more than 100
Reaction: strongly alkaline

BCz1 horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5G, or 5GY
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: sandy clay, silty clay, or clay
EC (dS/m): 30 to more than 100
SAR: 30 to more than 100
Reaction: strongly alkaline

2BC horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5G, or 5GY
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: Stratified sandy clay loam, silty clay, or clay
EC (dS/m): 30 to more than 100
SAR: 30 to more than 100
Reaction: strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils are the Arrada (TX), Burkemont (OR), Equis (NV), Saucel (TX), Topo (TX), and Yarborough (TX) series.
Arrada: have a fine-loamy particle-size control section
Burkemont: have a fine particle-size control section, smectitic clay mineralogy, calcareous, and mesic temperature regime
Equis: fine particle-size control section, carbonatic, and mesic temperature regime
Saucel: coarse-loamy particle-size control section
Topo: coarse-loamy particle-size control section, calcareous, and hyperthermic temperature regime
Yarborough: coarse-loamy particle-size control section, siliceous, calcareous, and hyperthermic temperature regime

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent Material: clayey over loamy alluvium and storm washover sediments of Holocene age.
Landscape: level coastal area flats less than 1.5 m (5 ft) above sea level.
Landform: wind tidal flat and enclosed depressions
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 22.2 to 23.4 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation range: 64 to 102 cm (25 to 40 in)
Precipitation pattern: November through April are the driest months with a second dry period in July. September is the wettest month.
Frost-free period: 300 to 340 days
Elevation: sea level to about 1.5 m (5 ft)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 29 to 34.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Arrada, Lalinda, Lomalta, Point Isabel, and Sejita series.
Arrada: have a fine-loamy particle-size family and are in similar landscapes.
Lalinda: have an ustic moisture regime and are in dune positions on slightly higher landscapes.
Lomalta: are on slightly higher landscapes and have intersecting slickensides.
Point Isabel: are on slightly higher landscapes, are better drained, are less saline, and are on vegetated dunes.
Sejita: are on slightly higher landscapes and are in the fine-silty family.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is negligible. Gulf storms and very high tides flood most areas causing ponding for brief periods. Very frequent flooding in areas next to bays with occasional ponding. Permanent water table fluctuates from the surface to depths of 91 cm (36 in).

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for wildlife habitat and recreation. Flora and fauna of marine origin persist for a few weeks after inundation until salinity becomes toxic. Soils are mostly barren. The ecological site is Tidal Flat, PE 31-44 (R150BY716TX).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Saline Prairies (MLRA 150B in LRR T) of the southern Texas coast. This soil is of moderate extent.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cameron County, Texas; 1970.

REMARKS: This is a Benchmark Series.
Classification change from Aquollic Salorthids to Typic Aquisalids based on application of the 6th edition of Soil Taxonomy 1998. Classification change from Typic Aquisalids to Typic Halaquepts based on 10th edition of Soil Taxonomy 2007.
These soils were formerly classified as a miscellaneous land type, tidal flats or mud flats.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon: the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 10 cm (4 in) (Az horizon)
Salic horizon: From the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 160 cm (63 in) (Az, BC, 2BC horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: the zone from 132 to 160 cm (52 to 63 in) (2BC horizon)

ADDITIONAL DATA: None

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.