LOCATION WEESATCHE               TX

Established Series
MLG-JLS-GWH
02/2018

WEESATCHE SERIES


The Weesatche series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in calcareous loamy residuum weathered from sandstone of Pliocene age. These soils are on nearly level to gently sloping summits, backslopes, and footslopes of interfluves. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 711 mm (28 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 22.2 degrees C (72 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Typic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Weesatche sandy clay loam in rangeland; elevation is 95 meters (310 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)

A--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) sandy clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky and granular structure; slightly hard, friable; common fine roots; common fine pores; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (13 to 41 cm 5 to 16 in] thick)

Bt1--20 to 43 cm (8 to 17 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; very hard, firm; common fine roots; few distinct clay films on surface of peds; 5 percent fine siliceous pebbles; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--43 to 76 cm (17 to 30 in); reddish brown (5YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; few fine roots between peds; common medium distinct red (2.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; common prominent clay films on surface of peds and in pores; 10 percent fine siliceous pebbles; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 30 to 81 cm [12 to 32 in])

Bk1--76 to 97 cm (30 to 38 in); reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm; few fine roots; few medium distinct red (2.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; 10 percent masses and concretions of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Bk2--97 to 127 cm (38 to 50 in); pink (7.5YR 7/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable; 25 percent masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bk horizon is 41 to 127 cm [16 to 50 in])

BCk--127 to 203cm (50 to 80 in); very pale brown (10YR 8/2) loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; few thinly stratified fragments of weakly cemented sandstone in the lower part; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: DeWitt County, Texas; from the intersection of Texas Highway 72 and 119 in Yorktown, which is about 23 miles southwest of Cuero; 4.8 miles south on Texas Highway 119; 3 miles south and 2.4 miles southwest on a county road; 20 feet northwest of right-of-way in rangeland. Runge SE, Texas USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 28 degrees, 51 minutes, 55.6 seconds N; Longitude: 97 degrees, 32 minutes, 16.8 seconds W.; (NAD 83).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: A typic-ustic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 days but less than 180 cumulative days in normal years. June through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through May.
Mean annual soil temperature: 22 to 23 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Depth to argillic: 15 to 76 cm (6 to 30 in)
Depth to calcic: 64 to 203 cm (25 to 80 in)
Depth to secondary carbonates: 51 to 203 cm (20 to 80 in)
Coarse fragments: 0 to 15 percent siliceous gravels
Particle-size control section (weighted average): clay content: 20 to 32 percent

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Bt horizon
(upper Bt horizons)
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 2 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: sandy clay loam, sandy clay or clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 38 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-none to common, shades-brown, yellow, or red
Effervescence: noneffervescent or very slight in lower horizons
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

Bt horizon
(lower Bt Horizons)
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-none to common, shades-brown, yellow, or red
Effervescence: noneffervescent or very slight in lower horizons
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

Bk or Btk (where present) horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 8
Texture: sandy clay loam, silt loam, loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 65 percent
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

BCk horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 65 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These include the Alet (TX), Colmena (TX), Orelia (TX), Pernitas (TX), Pharr (TX), and Runge (TX) series.
Alet, Colmena, and Orelia soils: do not have a calcic horizon
Pernitas and Pharr soils: are calcareous throughout
Runge soils: have a calcic horizon below 76 cm (30 in)

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent Material: calcareous loamy residuum weathered from sandstone
Landscape: inland dissected coastal plains
Landform: footslopes and toeslopes of interfluves or hillslopes
Slope: 0 to 5 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 660 to 914 (26 to 36 in)
Mean annual temperature: 21 to 24 degrees C (70 to 74 degrees F)
Frost free period: 275 to 320 days
Elevation: 30 to 244 meters (100 to 800 feet)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 31 to 44

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Papalote, Pernitas Runge, and Sarnosa series.
Runge soils: are on sidelsope positions of paleoterraces, and have a calcic horizon below 102 cm (40 in)
Pernitas soils are on summit and shoulder positions on paleoterraces, and are calcareous throughout
Sarnosa soils are summits and should positions on interfluves and are calcareous throughout
Papalote soils are on sideslope positions on paleoterraces, and have over 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is low.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native plants are sideoats grama, little bluestem, threeawn, Texas wintergrass, and broomweed. Woody species are blackbrush, agarito, live oak, mesquite, and huisache. Some areas are used for crop production with crops being grain sorghum and corn. Minor areas are used for forage production.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern and Central Rio Grande Plain, Texas; LRR I; MLRA 83A; large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: DeWitt County, Texas; 1973.

REMARKS: This is a benchmark series.
These soils were formerly included in the Goliad series.

Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this pedon are:

Particle-size control section: The zone from 20 to 70 cm (8 to 28 in). (Bt horizons)
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 43 cm (0 to 17 in). (A and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon: 20 to 76 cm (8 to 30 in). (Bt horizons)
Calcic horizon: 76 to 203 cm (30 to 80 in). (Bk and BCk horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data (S91TX-297-007) from Live Oak County, Texas(S01TX-131-005) from Duval County, Texas, and (S07TX175003) from Goliad County, Texas.
Particle size analysis was performed at the local project office.

SOIL INTERPRETATION RECORD NUMBER: TX0052

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.