LOCATION CORDELL OKEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, active, thermic Lithic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Cordell silty clay loam in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) silty clay loam, dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; 1 percent by volume fragments of siltstone less than 1 inch diameter; strongly effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--6 to 10 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium granular structure; hard, friable; common fine roots; 5 percent by volume fragments of siltstone less than 1 inch diameter; strongly effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bw2--10 to 14 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) very gravelly silty clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium granular structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; 75 percent by volume fragments of siltstone 1/4 to 1 inch diameter; films of secondary carbonates; strongly effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
R--14 to 17 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) hard siltstone, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; strongly effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Washita County, Oklahoma; about 11 miles north and 5 miles west of Cordell; 800 feet east and 100 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 2, T. 11 N., R. 18 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to bedrock range from 10 to 20 inches. The solum is slightly or moderately alkaline.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 4, 5, or 6. It is silty clay loam, clay loam or silt loam with clay content ranging from 15 to 30 percent. The volume of coarse fragments of siltstone less than 3 inches in diameter ranges from 0 to 10 percent.
The Bw1 horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 4, 5, or 6. The texture is silty clay loam, silt loam, gravelly silty clay loam, or gravelly silt loam. The clay content ranges from 15 to 30 percent. The volume of coarse fragments of siltstone less than 3 inches in diameter ranges from 0 to 30 percent.
The Bw2 horizon, where present, has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 4, 5, or 6. The texture is very gravelly silty clay loam or very gravelly silt loam. The clay content ranges from 15 to 30 percent. The volume of coarse fragments of siltstone less than 3 inches in diameter ranges from 50 to 75 percent.
The R layer is hard siltstone that has hue of 2.5YR or 10R, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 or 6. Reaction is slightly or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cordell soils are on very gently sloping to moderately steep upland ridgecrests of the Central Rolling Red Plains (MLRA 78C). Slopes range from 1 to 30 percent. They formed in material weathered from hard, calcareous siltstone of Permian age. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 32 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 57 degrees to 63 degrees F. Thornthwaite annual P-E indices range from 33 to 44. Frost free days range from 185 to 225.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dill, Obaro, Quinlan, St. Paul, and Woodward series. Quinlan soils are on slightly higher ridgecrests. Dill, Obaro, and Woodward soils have sola that range from 20 to 40 inches thick. Dill soils are on slightly higher ridgecrests and sideslopes. Obaro and Woodward soils are on slightly lower sideslopes. St. Paul soils have an argillic horizon and sola more than 60 inches thick and are on slightly lower broad flats.
Drainage and Permeability: Cordell soils are somewhat excessively drained. Runoff is medium or rapid and permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for grazing beef cattle. Native vegetation is mid and short grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Rolling Red Plains (MLRA 78C) of western Oklahoma and possibly in adjacent areas of Texas and Kansas; moderately extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Custer County, Oklahoma; 1973.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: Series OK0012
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon- the zone from the soil surface to a depth of 6 inches. (the A horizon)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 6 inches to a depth of 14 inches (the Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
Lithic contact at 14 inches (R horizon).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Sample No. 75-OK-75-5 by Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.