LOCATION ACUFF TX+NM
Established Series
Rev. TCB-RM
08/2016
ACUFF SERIES
The Acuff series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils. These soils formed in loamy eolian sediments in the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. Acuff soils are on nearly level to gently sloping plains and playa slopes. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 483 mm (19 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 16 degrees C (60 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Paleustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Acuff loam, on a nearly level plain, 0.5 percent slope in cultivated field at an elevation of about 943 m (3,095 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 in); brown (7.5YR 4/3) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular and weak subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; common very fine and fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 36 cm [6 to 14 in] thick)
Bt1--30 to 51 cm (12 to 20 in); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, friable; common fine roots; many very fine pores and common medium pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; common wormcasts; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 38 cm [5 to 15 in] thick)
Bt2--51 to 71 cm (20 to 28 in); reddish brown (5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, friable; common fine roots; many very fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; noneffervescent in upper part, slightly effervescent in lower part; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (15 to 46 cm [6 to 18 in] thick)
Bt3--71 to 97 cm (28 to 38 in); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; few fine roots; common very fine pores; common prominent clay films on faces of peds; few filaments, masses, and nodules of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 61 cm [6 to 24 in] thick)
Btkk--97 to 147 cm (38 to 58 in); pink (5YR 8/4) sandy clay loam, pink (5YR 7/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; few fine roots; few very fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; about 55 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates; 40 percent calcium carbonate by weight; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; diffuse wavy boundary. (25 to 76 cm [10 to 30 in] thick)
Btk--147 to 203 cm (58 to 80 in); reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; few fine roots; common very fine pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; clay bridged sand grains and clay coats on sand grains; about 20 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Lubbock County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S. Highway 84 and Farm Road 41 in Slaton, approximately 0.7 mile west on Farm Road 41, 1.5 miles south on county road, and 60 ft east in cultivated field, or 0.6 mile south of the northwest corner of sec. 24, Block 24, H. E. & W. T. RR Co. Survey; Latitude: 33 degrees, 24 minutes, 37.5 seconds N; Longitude: 101 degrees, 40 minutes, 32 seconds W; Slaton, 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 220 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: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 in).
Depth to secondary carbonates: 51 to 76 cm (20 to 30 in).
Depth to calcic horizon: 76 to 152 cm (30 to 60 in).
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent silicate clay.
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5, 3 or less moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Effervescence: none to slight
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Bt horizons:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: less than 2 percent in the form of films, filaments, masses and nodules
Effervescence: none to slight
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Btkk horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 6 to 8, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: 50 to 70 percent by volume in the form of masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline
Btk horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: 3 to 50 percent in the form of masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Estacado series. Similar soils also include the
Amarillo,
Friona,
Olton, and
Zita series.
Estacado soils: have a calcic horizon between 61 and 102 cm (24 to 40 in) and are calcareous in all horizons.
Amarillo soils: have an ochric epipedon.
Friona soils: have a petrocalcic horizon between 50 and 100 cm (20 to 40 in).
Olton soils: have more than 35 percent silicate clay in the particle-size control section.
Zita soils: have a calcic horizon within 50 cm (20 in) and do not have an argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy eolian sediments in the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age.
Landform: nearly level to gently sloping plains and playa slopes.
Slopes: 0 to 5 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 63 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 406 to 533 mm (16 to 21 in).
Frost-free period: 185 to 220 days.
Elevation: 792 to 1,615 mm (2,600 to 5,300 ft).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 25 to 36.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the similar
Amarillo,
Friona,
Estacado,
Olton, and
Zita soils, and also the
Arvana,
Drake,
Kimberson,
Lofton,
Pep,
Posey,
Ranco,
Sparenberg, and
Sparks soils.
Amarillo,
Friona,
Estacado, and
Olton soils: are on similar landscape positions.
Arvana soils: are on slightly lower landscape positions and have a petrocalcic horizon.
Drake soils: are on dunes on higher landscape positions and do not have an argillic horizon.
Kimberson soils: are on similar landscape positions and have a petrocalcic horizon.
Lofton soils: are on lower landscape positions and have more than 40 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Pep soils: are on similar landscape positions and do not have an argillic horizon.
Posey and
Sparks soils: are on similar landscape positions and have an ochric epipedon.
Ranco and
Sparenberg soils: are on lower landscape positions within playas and have LE higher than 6 in the upper 1 m. In addition Ranco soils have an aquic soil moisture regime.
Zita soils are on lower landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained and moderate permeability. Surface runoff is negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes and low on 1 to 5 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for crop production. Principal crops are cotton, sorghum, and winter wheat. A considerable amount of acreage is irrigated. Climax vegetation is dominantly short grasses with a few mid grasses and includes blue grama and buffalograss, with lesser amounts of vine-mesquite, western wheatgrass, sideoats grama, galleta, or tobosa, silver bluestem, wild alfalfa, and prairie clover. This soil has been correlated to the Deep Hardland (R077CY022TX) ecological site in MLRA-77C.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77C in LRR H) of western Texas and eastern New Mexico. The series is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hale County, Texas; 1969.
REMARKS: This is a Benchmark Series.
Keys to Soil Taxonomy, tenth edition, classifies this series as an Aridic Argiustolls. The series has a silicate clay decrease exceeding 20 percent due to
dilution by secondary calcium carbonate. A proposal to maintain "pale" status
for such soils on old stable landscapes has been submitted to the National
Leader for Soil Taxonomy and Standards.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 in) (Ap horizon)
Argillic horizon: 30 to 203 cm (12 to 80 in) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Btkk, Btk horizons)
Calcic horizon: 97 to 203 cm (38 to 80 in) (Btkk, Btk)
Plugged (kk) horizon: 97 to 51 cm (38 to 58 in) (Btkk)
Note: the kk feature is defined as pedogenic carbonate accumulation that is characterized by laterally continuous carbonates that have engulfed rock, sand, silt, and clay particles; plugged the macroporosity of the soil horizon with 50 percent or more calcium carbonate; and obliterated the original soil structure.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Laboratory data available: S81TX-069-002 (Castro County,
Texas); S74TX-303-002, S80TX-303-001, S80TX-303-002, S81TX-303-001 (Lubbock
County, Texas); S53TX-305-065, S95TX-305-001, S95TX-305-009, S95TX-305-013,
S95TX-305-014, S95TX-305-018 (Lynn County, Texas).
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.