LOCATION PLAINS TX

Established Series
Rev. TCB-WMR-JKA
09/2023

PLAINS SERIES

The Plains series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils. The soils formed in sandy, wind-altered eolian sediments in the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. These soils occur on nearly level to gently sloping plains and interdunes. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 432 mm (17 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).

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 1,079 m (3,540 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 56 cm (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. 25 to 76 cm thick (10 to 30 inches)

E--56 to 104 cm (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. 25 to 100 cm thick (10 to 40 inches)

E/B--104 to 132 cm (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 38 cm thick (0 to 15 inches)

Bt/E--132 to 157 cm (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--157 to 180 cm (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 38 to 76 cm thick (15 to 30 inches))

2C--180 to 203 cm (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 83.

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: (100 to 150 cm (40 to 60 inches).
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (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 aretheCatilla,Desan,Matilo,Navasan,PadinaandPatiloseries. Similar soils include theBrownfield, Notrees, andYoakranseries.
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, Notrees, and Yoakran series: have an argillic horizon within 100 cm (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 sloping plains and interdunes.
Slopes: 0 to 5 percent.
Mean annual temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 63 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 406 to 457 cm (16 to 18 inches).
Frost-free period: 185 to 220 days.
Elevation: 1,052 to 1,311 m (3,450 to 4,300 feet).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 22 to 26.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:These include the similarBrownfield, Notrees,andYoakranseries, and theCircleback,Nutivoli,Patricia,Spantara, and Milsand series.
Brownfield, Notrees, Patricia, and Yoakran soils are on similar landscape positions and have a sandy particle-size class less than 100 cm (40 inches) thick.
Circleback soils are on slightly higher landscape positions and have lamellae.
Nutivoli and Milsand 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 50 cm (20 inches) of the mineral 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 and wildlife habitat. 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 (R077CY034TX) range site in MLRA-77C.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:Southern High Plains of western Texas and eastern New Mexico (MLRA-77C). The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE:Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED:MLRA-77 Soil Survey Update; 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 132 cm (0 to 52 inches). (A, E, E/B horizons)
Cambic horizon: 104 to 132 cm (41 to 52 inches). (E/B horizon)
Argillic horizon: 132 to 180 cm (52 to 71 inches). (Bt/E1, Bt/E2 horizons)
Grossarenic feature: 0 to 132 cm (0 to 52 inches). (A, E, E/B horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: KSSL data available: S2010TX079035, (Cochran County, Texas) S2012TX501009 (Yoakum County, Texas).
Taxonomic version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.