LOCATION KAVETT TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, thermic Lithic Petrocalcic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kavett silty clay--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 9 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; compound moderate and strong very fine subangular blocky and moderate fine granular structure; very hard, firm; many fine roots; few angular fragments of limestone; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
A2--9 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) silty clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; compound moderate very fine and fine subangular and angular blocky structure; very hard, firm; many fine roots; about 5 percent by volume of angular fragments and flat pieces of limestone up to 8 inches across; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bkm--16 to 19 inches; pinkish white (7.5YR 8/2) indurated caliche, fractured into plates 6 to 15 inches across; brown (7.5YR 4/3) silty clay in cracks comprises less than 5 percent of volume; violently effervescent, moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
R--19 to 30 inches; indurated limestone bedrock, coarsely fractured with cemented carbonates plugging the cracks.
TYPE LOCATION: Sutton County, Texas; about 2.22 miles southwest of the Schleicher County line on Ranch Road 864 in pasture at road cut.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 10 to 20 inches and corresponds to the depth to the petrocalcic horizon. The lithic contact occurs at depths of 11 to 20 inches. Coarse fragments of limestone ranges from few up to 25 percent by volume.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, values of 3 through 5 and chroma 2 or 3. Texture ranges from silty clay, clay, clay loam, to silty clay loam or their stony or cobbly counterparts. Clay content ranges from 35 to 50 percent. Structure ranges from moderate to strong and from granular to subangular and angular blocky in very fine to medium sizes. Moist consistence is firm or very firm. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The Bkm horizon ranges from strongly cemented to indurated with or without a laminar cap in the upper 1/4 to 1 inch.
The R layer ranges from indurated limestone bedrock to interbedded limestone, chalks, and marl bedrock.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same family, similar soils are the Cho, Espy, Kimbrough, Mereta, Pitzer, Purves, Queeny, Speck, Stephen, Talpa, Tarrant, and Valera series. Cho, Espy, Kimbrough, Pitzer, Queeny, and Talpa soils contain less than 35 percent clay in the control section. Mereta soils have mixed mineralogy and lack R layers of limestone. Purves, Speck, Stephen, Talpa, and Tarrant soils lack petrocalcic horizons. Speck soils have argillic horizons. Tarrant soils have more than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section. Valera soils have sola more than 20 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kavett soils are on nearly level to gently undulating uplands. Slopes are mainly less than 3 percent, but are as much as 5 percent in places. The soil formed in clayey sediments over limestones and interbedded marls and chalks. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 28 inches; the Thornthwaite P-E indices range from 28 to 44; and the mean annual air temperature ranges from 64 degrees to 70 degrees F. Frost free day range from 220 to 240. Elevation ranges from 1000 to 2500 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Mereta, Talpa, Tarrant, and Valera series, as well as the Nuvalde, Rowena, and Tobosa series. These soils have sola thicker than 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes, very low on 1 to 3 percent slopes, and low on 3 to 5 percent slopes. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly as permanent pasture. Some areas are used for growing small grains. Vegetation in pastures is mainly midgrasses and some liveoak and mesquite.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Texas, mainly on the Edwards Plateau and Rolling Plains. The soil is extensive with over 1 million acres.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sutton County, Texas; 1965.
REMARKS: Kavett soils were formerly classed as shallow phases of the Valera series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 16 inches
Petrocalcic horizon - 16 to 19 inches.
Lithic contact - 19 to more than 30 inches.