LOCATION GAGEBY TXEstablished Series
The Gageby series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy alluvium. These soils are on nearly level to very gently sloping floodplains. Slopes are from 0 to 3 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Cumulic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Gageby clay loam--cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)
A--7 to 24 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky; slightly plastic; common wormcasts; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (14 to 34 inches thick)
Bwl--24 to 42 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate fine granular and subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common wormcasts; discontinuous thin strata of silty, clayey, and sandy sediment; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
Bw2--42 to 59 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate fine granular and subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky, and slightly plastic; common wormcasts; discontinuous thin strata of silty, clayey, and sandy sediment; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
BCk--59 to 80 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few films and threads of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Taylor County, Texas; from the intersection of Farm Road 707 and Farm Road 89 southwest of Abilene, 1.25 miles south on Farm Road 89, 0.8 mile west on county road, and 250 feet north in a cultivated field.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is greater than 80 inches. The mollic epipedon is 20 to 40 inches thick. Depth to free carbonates ranges from 0 to 25 inches. Texture of the 10 to 40 inch control section is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam with clay content of 18 to 35 percent and more than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand. The amount of coarse fragments ranges from 0 to about 5 percent. Stratification varies in the control section from thin lens of contrasting textures of loam, fine sandy loam, clay, silt loam, or loamy sands to differences in color.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. The upper 15 inches is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Surface textures are loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam.
The Bw and Bk horizons have hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. Films and threads of carbonates range from none to common.
The BC or BCk horizons varies in the amount of visible calcium carbonate present from less than 5 percent to 15 percent. Textures range from loamy sand to silty clay loam. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 40 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bippus (TX), Bosque (TX), Gowen (TX), Kaski (KS), and Whitesboro (TX) series. Similar soils are the Clearfork, Frio, Oakalla, Port, and Spur series. Bippus soils are dry in the soil moisture control section for longer periods. Bosque soils are moist in the soil moisture control section for longer periods and do not have carbonates within 40 inches. Gowen soils are noncalcareous n the upper 50 inches. Kaski soils have mean annual temperatures less than 64 degrees F. Whitesboro soils are moderately well drained and have redoximorphic features due to wetness within 40 inches. Clearfork soils are in a fine-silty family, and Frio soils are in a fine family. Port soils have fine-silty control sections. Spur soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nearly level to gently sloping flood plains of streams, outwash fans, and valley floors. Slopes are usually 0 to 1 percent, but range up to 3 percent. The soils formed in loamy alluvium and colluvium. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 30 inches and mean annual air temperature ranges from 60 to 65 degrees F. Frost free days range from 210 to 230 days and elevation ranges from 1,050 to 2,150 feet. Thornthwaite annual P-E indices of 32 to 44.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar Spur series and the Colorado, Guadalupe, Lincoln, Sweetwater, Yahola, and Yomont series. Colorado soils do not have a mollic epipedon. Guadalupe, Lincoln, Yahola, and Yomont soils lack mollic epipedons. In addition, Guadalupe and Yahola soils have coarse-loamy control section; Lincoln soils have a sandy control section; and Yomont soils have a coarse-silty control section. Sweetwater soils have dark gray A horizons, are poorly drained, and are sandy in the lower part of the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is negligible on slopes less than 1 percent and very low on 1 to 3 percent slopes. The soils overflow for very brief periods about 1 or 2 times a year to once in 10 years.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for both cultivated crops and rangeland. Principal crops are wheat, sorghums, and cotton; in subirrigated areas, alfalfa. Native grasses are blue grama, buffalograss, sideoats grama, western wheatgrass, and switchgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In eastern Rolling Plains, Rolling Limestone Prairie and North Central Prairie of Texas and southwestern Oklahoma. The series is extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wheeler County, Texas; 1970.
REMARKS: These soils formerly were included in the Spur series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 24 inches. (Ap and A horizons)
Cambic horizon - 24 to 59 inches. (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Cumulic feature - Mollic epipedon thicker than 20 inches and an irregular distribution of organic carbon.