LOCATION LIVIA TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Typic Natraqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Livia silt loam--on a nearly level coastal plain in rangeland at 6 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure when moist, massive when dry; hard, friable; common fine, very fine and few medium roots; few fine pores; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Btng1--5 to 14 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silty clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak medium and coarse columnar structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky and upper 3 cm of columns is massive and dispersed; very hard, very firm; common fine and few medium roots; few fine and medium pores; few thin clay films on faces of peds; few thin silt coats on faces of some columns in upper part; moderately sodic; very slightly saline; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 21 inches thick)
Btng2--14 to 27 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm; common fine and few medium roots; few fine and medium pores; few intersecting slickensides inclined 10 to 15 degrees from horizontal; few thin clay films on faces of peds; few pitted concretions of calcium carbonate 1 to 5 mm in diameter; moderately sodic; moderately saline; calcareous; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 26 inches thick)
Btng3--27 to 45 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; common fine prominent olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) mottles; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine and medium roots; few fine and medium pores; few intersecting slickensides inclined 10 to 15 degrees from horizontal; few thin clay films on faces of peds; few pitted concretions of calcium carbonate 1 to 5 mm in diameter; moderately sodic; moderately saline; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
Bnz1--45 to 55 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; many medium and coarse prominent gray (10YR 5/1, 6/1) vertically orientated mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine and medium roots; few fine and medium pores; few fine dark concretions; few pitted concretions of calcium carbonate 1 to 5 mm in diameter; common gray (10YR 5/1) stains around former root channels; moderately sodic; moderately saline; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
Bnz2--55 to 64 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry; many medium and coarse prominent gray (10YR 5/1, 6/1) vertically orientated mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine and medium roots; few fine dark concretions; few pitted concretions of calcium carbonate 1 to 2 mm in diameter; common gray (10YR 5/1) stains around former root channels; moderately sodic; moderately saline; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
Bnz3--64 to 75 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry; common coarse prominent gray (10YR 6/1) vertically orientated mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine and medium roots; few pitted concretions of calcium carbonate 1 to 2 mm in diameter; common gray (10YR 6/1) stains around former root channels; moderately sodic; moderately saline; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
BC--75 to 84 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) clay; red (2.5YR 5/6) dry; few fine prominent gray (10YR 6/1) and common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) vertically oriented mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine and medium roots; few fine dark concretions; few pitted concretions of calcium carbonate 1 to 2 mm in diameter; few gray (10YR 6/1) stains around former root channels; moderately sodic; moderately saline; calcareous; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Calhoun County, Texas; from the intersection of Farm Road 172 and Farm Road 159 about 1 mile north-northeast of Olivia, Texas, 0.75 mile south on Farm Road 172 to an intersection of Farm Road 172 and a county shell road, 0.25 mile south, 0.5 mile east on county shell road to a private shell road, 0.25 mile south, 0.5 mile east, 0.75 mile south, and 0.9 mile southeast on private shell road, and 100 feet southwest in rangeland.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 60 to about 80 inches. SAR ranges from 2 to 6 in the A or Ap horizon, 13 to 30 in the upper 16 inches of the Bt horizon, and from 13 to 40 to a depth of 80 inches in the Bt, Bnz, and BC horizons. Soil salinity in the A horizon is less than 2 mmhos/cm. In the upper part of the Bt horizon the salinity range is from 2 to 8 mmhos/cm and below it is from 4 to 16 mmhos/cm. Dark concretions 1 to 7 mm in diameter range from none to a few throughout.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 5, and chroma of 2 or less. Texture is silt loam, loam or fine sandy loam. It is hard or very hard and massive when dry. Some pedons have a few brownish or yellowish mottles. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Btn horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 6, and chroma of 2 or less, and hue of 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2. Texture is clay, silty clay, silty clay loam, or clay loam. Clay content in the Bt horizon ranges from 35 to 50 percent. Some pedons have brownish or yellowish mottles. Calcium carbonate concretions range from none to about 5 percent by volume. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bn horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 6, and hue of 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is silty clay, silty clay loam, or clay loam. Most pedons have brownish, grayish, or yellowish mottles. Calcium carbonate concretions range from none to about 5 percent by volume. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.
The BC or C horizon, when encountered, has colors in shades of brown, yellow, pink, or red. Mottles of these colors and mottles in shades of gray range from none to common. Texture is mainly clay, silty clay, or silty clay loam. Calcium carbonate concretions range from none to a few throughout. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.
Some pedons have a 2C horizon below 60 inches that have colors in shades of red, brown or gray. It is very fine sandy loam, silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Narta series in the same family. Similar soils include the Dietrich, Jarron, Livco Matagorda, Palacios, and Willamar series. Narta soils are somewhat poorly drained and have less available water in the moisture control section due to greater salinity (E.C is higher than 8 in the upper part of the Bt horizon). Dietrich and Willamar soils are fine-loamy and have mixed mineralogy. Jarron and Matagorda soils have mixed mineralogy. Livco soils are on higher, better drained moundy upland areas. Palacios soils have moist color values of 3 or less in the upper 7 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Livia soils are on coastal uplands within 20 miles of the Gulf Coast. Elevations range from 3 to 15 feet. Slope gradients are dominantly less than 1 percent but range to 5 percent near drainageways. Storm surges cover most areas below an elevation of 15 feet once every 10 to 20 years. The soil formed in clayey and loamy sediments of the Pleistocene age Beaumont Formation. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 38 to 48 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 70 to 72 degrees F. The Thornthwaite annual P-E indices ranges from 48 to 62.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Matagorda and Palacios series, as well as the Dacosta, Francitas, Lake Charles, Telferner and Veston series. Dacosta, Lake Charles, Matagorda and Telferner soils are at slightly high elevations. Dacosta and Telferner soils lack natric horizons. Francitas and Palacios soils are at similar elevations. Francitas, Lake Charles and Veston soils lack argillic horizons. Veston soils are at lower elevations.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; low runoff on 0 to 1 percent slopes, medium runoff on 1 to 3 percent slopes and medium on 3 to 5 percent slopes; very slow permeability. Water perches on top of the Natric horizon for 1 to 5 weeks following extened heavy rain.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for cropland and rangeland. About 60 percent is used for cropland, mostly for rice in a rice-unimproved pasture rotation. A few areas are used for corn and grain sorghum. Native grasses are salt tolerant species such as gulf cordgrass, marshhay cordgrass, seashore saltgrass, low panicums, knotroot bristlegrass, and shoregrass. Woody invaders are mostly stunted mesquite, bushy sea-oxeye, and cactus.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Texas middle Gulf Coast Prairies. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Calhoun County, Texas; 1972.
REMARKS: NSSL data: S70TX-29-24, S70TX-29-26; TAMU data: S81TX-57-1; Lab Nos. 1164-1171. (Series site location.)
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 5 inches
Natric horizon - 5 to 45 inches
Aquic moisture regime as evidenced by low chroma matrix throughout the Btg horizons.