LOCATION KAMAN TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Oxyaquic Hapluderts
TYPICAL PEDON: Kaman clay--rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 5 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, many fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
A2--5 to 24 inches; black (10YR 2/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, many shiny pressure faces; common fine roots; few fine black concretions; few uncoated quartz grains between peds; neutral; diffuse wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
Bss1--24 to 39 inches; black (10YR 2/1) clay, very dark gray, (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, few fine roots; many pressure faces; common medium and large slickensides; few uncoated quartz grains between peds; few fine black concretions; mildly alkaline; diffuse wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)
Bss2--39 to 52 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; few fine faint yellowish brown redox concentrations; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, few fine roots; common medium and large slickensides; few uncoated quartz grains between peds; few fine black concretions; mildly alkaline; diffuse wavy boundary. (12 to 25 inches thick)
Bw--52 to 70 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; few fine faint yellowish brown redox concentrations; weak coarse angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm; few fine calcium carbonate; few fine black concretions; mildly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Harris County, Texas; from intersection of Farm Road 2100 and U.S. Highway 90 at Crosby; 3.3 miles south on Farm Road 2100; 0.6 mile west on Highland Shores Road; 200 feet north in range.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 80 inches. The weighted average clay content of the particle-size control section ranges from 45 to 60 percent. When dry, cracks 1/2 to more than 1 inch wide extend from the surface to a deepth of more than 12 inches. Slickensides and wedge-shaped peds begin at a depth of 18 to 30 inches. Undisturbed areas have gilgai microrelief with microknolls about 2 to 6 inches above the microdepressions. Distance from the center of the microknoll to the center of the microdepression ranges from 4 to about 15 feet.
The A and Bss1 horizons have colors in shades of gray or black with hue of N/O or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or less. Horizons with mollic colors are 24 to 48 inches thick in more than half the pedon. The texture is silty clay, or clay. The reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline.
The lower Bss and Bw horizons have colors mainly in shades of gray with hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 2. Redox concentrations in shades of yellow and red range from few to many. The texture is silty clay or clay. The reaction ranges from moderately acid to moderately alkaline in the Bkss horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Vamont and Zilaboy series in the same family and the similar Beaumont, Gladewater, Harris, Kaufman, and Texark series. Vamont soils are on uplands and are not subject to common stream flooding. Beaumont and Gladewater soils have color values of 4 or greater within 12 inches of the surface, and in addition, Gladewater soils lack intersecting slickensides. Harris soils lack intersecting slickensides, have mollic epipedon less than 24 inches thick and are slightly to strongly saline. Kaufman and Texark soils have very-fine textured control sections. Zilaboy soils are moderately well drained contain many bright mottles.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kaman soils are on nearly level flood plains of streams draining Coastal Plain and Coast Prairie soils. Slopes are mainly less than 1 percent. The soil formed in recent alluvium 30 to 40 inches warm season precipitation, and the mean annual temperature is 68 to 70 degrees F. The Thornthwaite P-E index is 62 to 82.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Beaumont, Gladewater, Harris, and Lake Charles soils and the Kian, Nahatche and Pluck soils. Beaumont and Lake Charles soils are on nearby uplands. All other competing soils are on flood plains. Kian, Nahatche and Pluck soils have loamy control sections.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; very slow internal drainage and runoff; very slow permeability. The soil is saturated within 40 inches of the soil surface most years, but is thought not to develop aquic conditions.
USE AND VEGETATION: Forest and pasture. Forest consists of cypress, sweetgum, elm, and water oaks. Cleared areas are used for pastures of dallisgrass, bermudagrass, and fescuegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Gulf Coast Prairies and Flatwoods of Texas and Louisiana, mainly east of the Brazos River. The series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Harris County, Texas; 1973.
REMARKS: Kaman soils have a high shrink-swell potential and are wet for long periods of time. Formerly classified as Typic Pelluderts. 1/94
Diagnostic horizons and feature in this pedon are:
Deep wide cracks open and close more or less irregularly over time according to the weather. They do not remain open for 90 cumulative days in most years.
Color- have chroma of 1.5 or less dominant in the matrix of all subhorizons in more than half of each pedon. A moist color value of 2 or 3 is expected.