LOCATION PATRICIA           TX+NM

Established Series
Rev. CLG-TCB-JKA
06/1999

PATRICIA SERIES

The Patricia series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in sandy eolian sediments in the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. These soils occur on very gently sloping to gently sloping plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 18 inches and the mean annual temperature is 63 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Paleustalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Patricia loamy fine sand, on southwest-facing, convex, 3 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 3,230 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 5 inches, yellowish red (5YR 5/8) loamy fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; loose, loose; many very fine and fine roots; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

A2--5 to 12 inches, yellowish red (5YR 5/8) loamy fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; common very fine and fine roots; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)

Bt1--12 to 27 inches, red (2.5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam, dark red (2.5YR 3/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 25 inches thick)

Bt2--27 to 40 inches, red (2.5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/8) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (20 to 50 inches thick)

Bt3--40 to 78 inches, red (2.5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam, red (5YR 4/8) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; common very fine and fine root channels; common fine pores; common prominent clay films; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)

Btk--78 to 87 inches, red (5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam, red (5YR 4/8) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; few very fine root channels; common fine pores; common distinct clay films; about 40 percent calcium carbonate in the form of masses, films, and concretions; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Terry County, Texas; From the intersection of Texas Highway 137 and Farm Road 1076, approximately 6 miles southeast of Brownfield, 2 miles east on Farm Road 1076 to Union School, 3.2 miles north on unpaved county road, then 200 feet west in cultivated field; Latitude: 33 degrees, 07 minutes, 26.13 seconds N; Longitude: 102 degrees, 12 minutes, 21.77 seconds W; Union School, Texas USGS quad; NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 180 but less than 205 days, cumulative, in normal years. July through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through June.
Mean annual soil temperature: 57 to 72 degrees F.
Depth to secondary carbonates: 40 to 80 inches.
Depth to calcic horizon: 60 to 80 inches.
Solum thickness: more than 80 inches.
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent silicate clay.

A horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: loamy fine sand, fine sand, fine sandy loam
Effervescence: none to very slight
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline

Bt horizons:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Effervescence: very slight to slight
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Btk horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: ranges from 2 to 50 percent
Effervescence: strong to violent
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Amarillo series. Similar soils include Brownfield, Delwin, Grandfield, Spantara, and Tokio series.
Amarillo series: have a calcic horizon between 40 and 60 inches.
Brownfield series: has a sandy particle-size class extending from the mineral soil surface to the top of an argillic horizon that is 20 to 40 inches thick.
Delwin and Grandfield series: are dry for shorter periods of time.
Spantara series: has a coarse-loamy particle-size class.
Tokio series: has a calcic horizon from 20 to 40 inches from the soil surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: sandy eolian sediments of the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age.
Landform: very gently sloping to gently sloping plains.
Slopes: less than 2 percent but range to 5 percent.
Mean annual soil temperature: 57 to 72 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 15 to 20 inches.
Frost-free period: 180 to 220 days.
Elevation: 2,300 to 4,100 feet.
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 23 to 32.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Amarillo series, and the Arvana, Brownfield, Midessa, Portales, Posey and Tokio series.
Amarillo and Brownfield soils are on similar landscape positions.
Arvana soils are slightly on lower landscape positions and have a petrocalcic horizon within a depth of 20 to 40 inches.
Midessa and Portales soils are on slightly lower landscape positions and lack argillic horizons.
Posey soils are on similar landscape positions, are calcareous throughout, and have a calcic horizon within 30 inches of the soil surface.
Tokio soils are on slightly lower landscape positions and have a calcic horizon within 20 to 40 inches of the soil surface.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Moderate permeability. Surface 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.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for cropland but also used as native rangeland. Principal crops grown are cotton and grain sorghum. Climax vegetation is tall and mid grasses, with tall grasses tending to dominate. This site is dominated by little and sand bluestem along with taller dropseed species. The remainder is mid and short grasses such as sideoats grama, sand dropseed, hooded windmillgrass, sand lovegrass, sand paspalum, fall witchgrass, hairy grama, needle and thread, and perennial threeawn. Sand sage, shinoak, and skunkbush are also present. This soil has been correlated to the Sandy (077CY035TX) range site in MLRA-77.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern part of the High Plains of Texas and New Mexico (sub-MLRA-77C). The soil is of moderate extent.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lynn County, Texas; 1966.

REMARKS: The Patricia series was formerly included in the Brownfield series as a thin surface phase.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon: 0 to 12 inches. (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: 12 to 78 inches. (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons)
Calcic horizon: 78 to 87 inches. (Btk horizon)
Note: The loamy textures generally are where deep plowing has mixed some of the underlying sandy clay loam with the overlying fine sand. The lower portion of the epipedon is designated as an E horizon in some pedons.

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Laboratory Data available: S95TX-445-047 (Terry County, Texas); S95TX-305-022, S95TX-305-147 (Lynn County, Texas); ( Beltsville Laboratory Data available for 2 pedons; Sample Numbers 531016-531022 and 53977-53984.

Soil interpretations record: TX0115

Taxonomy version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.