LOCATION PLAINS TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, siliceous, active, thermic Grossarenic Paleustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Plains fine sand, on east-facing, nearly level plain, 1 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of about 3,540 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 22 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sand, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose; common very fine and fine roots; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
E--22 to 41 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sand, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose; few very fine and fine roots; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 40 inches thick)
E/B--41 to 52 inches; 80 percent light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand and 20 percent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; few fine roots; few very fine and fine pores; neutral; gradual irregular boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Bt/E1--52 to 62 inches; 90 percent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) sandy clay loam and 10 percent pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) loamy fine sand; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; few fine roots; few very fine and fine pores; common clay films bridging sand grains; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt/E2--62 to 71 inches; 60 percent pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) sandy clay loam and 40 percent very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy fine sand; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine pores; common clay films bridging sand grains (Bt); slightly acid; diffuse wavy boundary. (combined Bt/E horizons are 15 to 30 inches thick)
2C--71 to 80 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Terry County, Texas; From the intersection of Farm Road 1780 and Farm Road 2196 23 miles south of Whiteface; 2 miles east on Farm Road 2196; 1 mile north on county road; 3 miles north on ranch road; 350 feet west in rangeland; Latitude: 33 degrees, 19 minutes, 11 seconds N; Longitude: 102 degrees, 34 minutes, 30 seconds W; North of Tokio, 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: 59 to 64 degrees F.
Depth to argillic: 40 to 60 inches.
Solum thickness: more than 80 inches.
Particle-size control section: 10 to 25 percent silicate clay.
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: fine sand
Effervescence: none
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sand
Effervescence: none
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
E/B horizons: (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loamy fine sand (E), fine sandy loam (B)
Effervescence: none
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Note: Mottles in shades of reddish yellow or brownish yellow range from common to none.
Bt/E horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam (Bt)
Effervescence: none
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
2C horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5YR
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 6 to 8 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sand, loamy fine sand
Effervescence: none
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Note: Mottles in shades of reddish yellow or brownish yellow range from common to none.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Catilla,
Desan,
Matilo,
Navasan,
Padina and
Patilo series. Similar soils include the
Brownfield and
Yoakran series.
Catilla series: has plinthite in the argillic horizon.
Desan, Padina, and Patilo series: are moist for longer periods in the soil moisture control section.
Matilo series: has a paralithic contact within 80 inches of the soil surface.
Navasan series: has a water table between 3 and 5 feet of the soil surface.
Brownfield series: has hues of 5YR or redder and is fine-loamy.
Yoakran series: has an argillic horizon within 40 inches of the soil surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: sandy, wind-altered eolian sediments of the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene Age.
Landform: nearly level to gently undulating plains.
Slopes: 0 to 5 percent.
Mean annual temperature: 57 to 62 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 16 to 18 inches.
Frost-free period: 180 to 210 days.
Elevation: 3,450 to 3,900 feet.
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 22 to 26.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the similar
Brownfield and
Yoakran series, and the
Circleback,
Nutivoli,
Patricia,
Spantara, and Yikes series.
Brownfield and Patricia soils are on similar landscape positions and have fine-loamy control sections.
Circleback soils are on slightly higher landscape positions and have lamellae.
Nutivoli and Yikes soils are on eolian dunes and do not have argillic horizons.
Yoakran soils are on similar landscape positions and have argillic horizons within 40 inches of the soil surface.
Spantara soils are on similar landscapes and have argillic horizons within 20 inches of the soil surface.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Moderately rapid permeability. Surface runoff is negligible on slopes less than 3 percent and very low on 3 to 5 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for rangeland. Climax vegetation is tall and mid grasses, with sand bluestem, little bluestem, giant sandreed, and switchgrass dominating. Sand paspalum, sideoats grama, hairy grama and perennial threeawn are the main mid and short grasses. Sand sagebrush, shinoak, and skunkbush are the main shrubs. This is a fragile site and is subject to severe wind erosion if not protected by cover. This soil has been correlated to the Sand Hills (077CY034TX) range site in MLRA-77.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains of western Texas and eastern New Mexico (sub-MLRA-77C). The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES PROPOSED: MLRA-77 Soil Survey; Terry County, Texas; 1995.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Brownfield and Tivoli series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 52 inches. (A, E, E/B horizons)
Cambic horizon: 41 to 52 inches. (E/B horizon)
Argillic horizon: 52 to 71 inches. (Bt/E1, Bt/E2 horizons)
Grossarenic feature: 0 to 52 inches. (A, E, E/B horizons)
Soil interpretations record: TX1301
Taxonomic version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998.