LOCATION VELOW TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplustolls
TypicalPedon: Velow clay loam, on a convex 3 percent slope, in
rangeland.
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam,
very dark grayysh brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular
blocky and granular structure; hard, friable; common fine roots;
common fine pores; few wormcasts; mildly alkaline; gradual wavy
boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
B21t--16 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam,
dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular
blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; few fine pores;
moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 22 inches
thick)
B22ca--30 to 45 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay
loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular
blocky structure; few fine roots; common fine pores; common films
and threads of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline; calcareous;
clear smooth boundary. (10 to 28 inches thick)
B3ca--45 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam,
dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular
blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine
pores, common films, threads, and soft masses of calcium
carbonate; few limestone fragments less than 1 inch across;
moderately alkaline; calcareous. (10 to 30 inches thick)
TypeLocation: Palo Pinto County, Texas; from the intersection of
Texas Highway 16 and Farm Road 2372 in Strawn; 1.4 miles west on
Farm Road 2372; 50 feet north from fence in rangeland.
RangeinCharacteristics: The solum is 40 to more than 60 inches
thick. Depth to secondary carbonates ranges from 20 to 36 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, and 2.5Y, value of 3 through
5, chroma of 2 or 3. It is clay loam or loam. Reaction is
neutral or mildly alkaline. The B horizon has hue of 10YR and
2.5Y, value of 5 through 7, chroma of 2 through 6. Texture is
loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam and silicate clay content
ranges from 18 to 30 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral
through moderately alkaline and noncalcareous in the upper part to
moderately alkaline and calcareous in the lower part.
Concretions, soft masses and threads of calcium carbonate range
from few to common in the Bca horizons. Calcium carbonate
equivalent ranges from 15 to 50 percent, with less than 40 percent
in the control section. The C horizon when encountered is
brownish, calcareous loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam. Some
pedons have gravelly layers below a depth of 60 inches.
CompetingSeries: There are no other soils in the same family.
Other similar soils include the Austin, Paloduro, and Stephen
series. Austin soils have more than 40 percent calcium carbonate
equivalent. Paloduro soils are dry in the moisture control
sections for longer periods. Stephen soils are less than 20
inches deep and clayey.
GeographicGEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Velow soils are along gently sloping colluvial footslopes and shallow valleys. The soil formed in local
calcareous alluvium. Mean annual temperature ranges from 64
degrees to 79 degrees F.; average annual precipitation ranges from
25 to 30 inches; and Thornthwaite annual P-E index ranges from 38
to 44.
GeographicallyAssociatedSoils: These are the Blanket, Bosque,
Owens, and Set series. Blanket soils have a fine-loamy argillic
horizon and occupy positions similar to the Velow soils. Bosque
soils have mollic epipedons more than 20 inches thick and are
below on flood plains. Owens and Set soils have clayey surface
layers and are above on hillsides and escarpments.
DrainageandPermeability: Velow soils are well drained. Runoff is
medium and permeability is moderate.
UseandVegetation: Used mainly for rangeland, but a few areas are
cropped to small grain and forage sorghum. Native vegetation is
little bluestem, sideoats grama, indiangrass, switchgrass, Texas
wintergrass, western ragweed, curley-cup gumweed, Engelmann-daisy,
and maximillian sunflower. Liveoak trees are common, along with
invading mesquite.
DistributionandExtent: North-central and central Texas. The
series is moderate in extent.
SeriesProposed: Palo Pinto County, Texas; 1977.
REMARKS: This soil has formerly been mapped as Lewisville or
Venus.