LOCATION FALFURRIAS TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, hyperthermic Typic Ustipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Falfurrias fine sand, on a southwest facing, convex, 3 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 20 m (67 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 8 cm (0 to 3 in), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose; common fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
A2--8 to 41 cm (3 to 16 in), brown (10YR 5/3) fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose; common fine roots; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary.
A3--41 to 97 cm (16 to 38 in), light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose; common fine to coarse roots; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 15 to 102 cm [6 to 40 in])
C1--97 to 145 cm (38 to 57 in), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; single grain; loose; few fine black iron-manganese stains; few very fine roots; strongly acid; diffuse smooth boundary. (25 to 102 cm [10 to 40 in] thick)
C2--145 to 203 cm (57 to 80 in), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; single grain; loose; few fine brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Brooks County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S. Highway 281 and Farm Road 755 in Rachal; 4.05 miles north on U.S. Hwy 281 to ranch gate of the Encino Division of the King Ranch; 7.5 miles east on ranch road; 4.7 miles northeast on ranch road; 100 feet west of road in rangeland. Sarita SW, TX USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 27 degrees, 00 minutes, 09.7 seconds N.; Longitude: 97 degrees, 59 minutes, 09.8 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An Ustic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 but less than 180 cumulative days in normal years. November through April are the driest months, with a second low rainfall period in July and August, while September is the wettest.
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: Trace to 5 percent
Sand content: 91 to 99 percent
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sand or sand
Clay content: 5 percent or less
Base saturation: 58 to 100 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sand or sand
Clay content: 5 percent or less
Redox concentrations: amount- 0 to 2 percent, size- fine, contrast- distinct, and with sharp boundaries.
Base saturation: 62 to 100 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Arenisco (TX),
Atiras (TX), and
Medanito (TX) series. Similar soils include the
Arenosa (TX),
Darden (TX),
Estella (TX),
Galveston (TX),
Sarita (TX),
Tivoli (OK), and the
Tonkawa (TX) series.
Arenisco soils: have a fluctuating water table within 203 cm (80 in) of the surface.
Atiras soils: have a buried soil within 102 to 203 cm (40 to 80 in) from the surface.
Medanito soils: have a buried soil within 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in) from the surface.
Arenosa, Darden, Tivoli, and Tonkawa soils: have a thermic temperature regime. In addition, Arenosa, Darden, and Tonkawa soils have less than 5 percent weatherable minerals in the soil control section.
Galveston soils: have an udic moisture regime.
Sarita and Estella soils: have an argillic horizon within 203 cm (80 in).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Sandy eolian deposits of Holocene age
Landform: vegetated sand dunes of the Sandsheet Prairie
Slope: 0 to 15 percent
Mean annual air temperature: 22 to 23 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 635 to 711 mm (25 to 28 in)
Frost-free period: 300 to 331 days
Elevation: 6 to 31 m (20 to 100 ft)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 21 to 44
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Atiras,
Estella,
Medanito, and
Sarita soils and also
Cayo,
Comitas,
Nueces,
Padrones, and
Topo series.
Atiras, Estella, and Sarita soils: are on lower positions.
Cayo and Topo soils: are calcareous throughout and are on lower positions.
Comitas and Nueces soils: have an argillic horizon from 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in) of the surface and are on lower positions.
Medanito and Padrones soils: have a natric horizon and are on lower positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained. Rapid permeability. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 5 percent slopes, very low on 5 to 20 percent slopes, and low on slopes greater than 20 percent.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation consists mostly of mid and tall grasses such as seacoast bluestem, switchgrass, gulfdune paspalum and threeawns. Woody vegetation include live oak and mesquite trees. The ecological site is Sand Hills 22-35 PZ (R083EY707TX)
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sandsheet Prairie, Texas; LRR I, MLRA 83E; the series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jim Hogg County, Texas; 1970.
REMARKS: This is a Benchmark Series.
This soil was formerly included in the Tivoli series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: 25 to 102 cm (10 to 40 in)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 97 cm (0 to 38 in) (A horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data from type location S77TX-047-004. Additional data also available from NSSL S77TX-047-001 and S78TX-047-001, and TAMU data S87TX-261-004.
TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006.