LOCATION BOSQUE TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Cumulic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bosque loam--in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
A1--5 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; many pores and wormcasts; common threads and films of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
A2--20 to 38 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/3) moist; weak subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; common threads and films of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)
Bw--38 to 50 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm; few fine faint dark yellowish brown streaks and spots; common threads and films of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 55 inches thick)
Akb--50 to 60 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm; few fine faint brown mottles and streaks; many threads and films of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Erath County, Texas; from the intersection of Texas Highway 108 and Farm Road 8 in the north edge of Stephenville, Texas; 6.4 miles west-northwest of Farm Road 8; 0.3 mile east on a county road and 30 yards south of road in cultivated field.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The texture of the control section is loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam, with clay content ranging from 20 to 35 percent. Some pedons have thin, discontinuous fine sandy loam or silt loam strata. Siliceous or limestone pebbles range from none to about 10 percent by volume in some horizons. Most pedons have films and threads of calcium carbonate throughout the control section. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline and calcareous. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 66 to 72 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 or 3. The mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to about 60 inches thick. Texture is loam, clay loam or sandy clay loam.
The Bw horizon is absent in some pedons. Where present, it has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4, with or without brownish streaks or mottles. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam.
The Akb, Ab horizons, and Bwb horizon, where present, are typically below the 10- to 40- inch control section and are absent in some pedons. Texture is mainly clay or clay loam, but ranges to sandy clay loam, with color as described in the A horizon. Some pedons have brownish Bw or C horizons that range from fine sandy loam to clay.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Bippus (TX), Gageby (TX), Gowen (TX), Kaski (KS), and Whitesboro (TX) series. Similar soils are the Bergstrom, Frio, Oakalla, and Venus series. Bippus and Gageby soils are drier for longer periods of time and receive less than 28 inches of annual rainfall. Gowen, Kaski, and Whitesboro soils are noncalcareous. In addition, Kaski soils have mean annual soil temperature ranging from 59 to 66 degrees F. Bergstrom soils have fine-silty control sections. Frio soils have fine textured control sections. Oakalla soils have carbonatic mineralogy. Venus soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick and are on uplands.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bosque soils occur along nearly level flood plains of streams in central Texas. They have formed in calcareous alluvial sediments. The mean annual temperature ranges from 64 to 70 degrees F. and mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 40 inches. Frost free days range from 220 to 275 days and elevation ranges from 20 to 1,400 feet. The Thornthwaite annual P-E indices from 42 to 64.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the competing Frio, Gowen, and Venus series. Also associated are Bunyan and Lewisville series. Bunyan soils lack mollic epipedons. Lewisville soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick and contain more than 35 percent clay in the 10- to 40- inch control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is negligible. The soil floods at 1 to 10 year intervals, except where protected by dikes or dams.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are being farmed to sorghums, small grains, and pecan orchards. Some areas are used for bermudagrass pastures. Native trees are elm, hackberry, pecan, live oak, and cottonwood. Grasses include big and little bluestem, indiangrass, switchgrass, and sideoats grama.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This soil occurs mainly in the North Central Prairies, Grand Prairie and Cross Timbers areas of north-central Texas. It is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Erath County, Texas; 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 38 inches. (A horizons)
Cambic horizon - 38 to 50 inches. (Bw horizon)
Other features - are calcareous to the surface and have an irregular decrease in organic matter through the solum.