LOCATION ALIBATES                TX

Established Series
TCB-WMR-SLM
03/2016

ALIBATES SERIES

The Alibates series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy sediments derived from the upper part of the Ogallala Formation of Miocene-Pliocene age. These soils are on nearly level to gently sloping summits of interfluves and broad erosion remnants. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual air temperature is 15 degrees C (59 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is 496 mm (19 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Alibates loam--on a 2 percent slightly convex slope, on a broad interfluve, in rangeland at an elevation of 1007 m (3,305 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 in); brown (7.5YR 4/3) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; many very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; very slight effervescence; slightly alkaline, pH 7.4; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of the A or Ap horizons is 13 to 30 cm [5 to 12 in])

Bt--18 to 46 cm (7 to 18 in); brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few fine roots; common fine pores; common faint clay films on ped surfaces; very slight effervescence; slightly alkaline, pH 7.8; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of Bt horizon is 46 to 100 cm [18 to 40 in])

Btk1--46 to 69 cm (18 to 27 in); brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; common fine roots; common fine pores; common faint clay films on ped surfaces; common fine threadlike carbonate masses throughout; strongly effervescent (5 percent calcium carbonate); moderately alkaline, pH 8.2; gradual smooth boundary.

Btk2--69 to 99 cm (27 to 39 in); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; common faint clay films on ped surfaces; few fine threadlike carbonate masses throughout; strongly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate); moderately alkaline, pH 8.3; gradual smooth boundary.

Btk3--99 to 157 cm (39 to 61 in); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; common faint clay films on ped surfaces; few fine threadlike and few fine dendritic carbonate masses throughout; strongly effervescent (2 percent calcium carbonate); moderately alkaline, pH 8.3; gradual wavy boundary.

Btk4--157 to 191 cm (61 to 75 in); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic parting to weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; few fine roots; common faint clay films on ped surfaces; few fine threadlike and few fine irregular carbonate masses throughout; finely disseminated carbonate in matrix; strongly effervescent (1 percent calcium carbonate); strongly alkaline, pH 8.6; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btk horizons is 70 to 150 cm [28 to 59 in])

Btk5--191 to 203 cm (75 to 80 in); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic parting to weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; common faint clay films on ped surfaces; few fine strongly cemented carbonate concretions throughout; few fine threadlike and few medium irregular carbonate masses throughout; finely disseminated carbonate in matrix; violently effervescent (6 percent calcium carbonate); strongly alkaline, pH 8.9.

TYPE LOCATION: Carson County, Texas; from the intersection of Highway 136 and FM 687 on the east side of Fritch, 2.3 miles south on RM 687, west 0.7 mile and south 0.3 mile just past cattle guard, west on ranch road and follow main road that turns northwest for 0.8 mile, 100 ft (30 m) north into rangeland.

USGS topographic quadrangle: Deal, Texas
Latitude: 35 degrees, 35 minutes, 58.2 seconds N
Longitude: 101 degrees, 34 minutes, 58.9 seconds W
Datum: NAD83

Decimal Degrees
Latitude: 35.599497
Longitude: -101.583035

UTM Easting: 266000 m
UTM Northing: 3942600 m
UTM zone 14S

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum thickness: greater than 203 cm (greater than 80 in)
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 20 to 46 cm (8 to 18 in)
Depth to secondary carbonates: 40 to 100 cm (16 to 40 in)
Depth to calcic horizon: 100 to 203 cm (40 to 80 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Silicate clay: 18 to 35 percent

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist or dry
Texture: loam or clay loam
Effervescence: none to slight
Reaction (pH): neutral or slightly alkaline (6.6-7.8)

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 moist or dry
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Effervescence: none to slight
Reaction (pH): neutral to moderately alkaline (6.6-7.8)

Upper Btk horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 8, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 moist or dry
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Identifiable secondary calcium carbonate: amount-3 to 10 percent; kind-films, filaments, masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonate
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 10 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline (7.9-9.0)

Lower Btk and Btkk, Bk, and Bkk horizons (where present):
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 8, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 moist or dry
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Identifiable secondary calcium carbonate: amount-3 to 49 percent; kind-filaments, masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonate
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 49 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline (7.9-9.0)

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Abbie (OK), Creta (TX), and Eppenauer (TX) series.
Abbie soils: formed in loamy Pleistocene age alluvium, occur on stream terraces and stream terrace remnants emplaced over Ogallala sediments
Creta soils: are formed in Ogallala alluvium over Cretaceous shale and have a discontinuity below 100 cm (40 in) of the soil surface
Eppenauer soils: are moderately deep and formed in residuum of tuffaceous sandstone, and occur on the Tascotal Formation in the Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains - MLRA 42

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy sediments derived from the upper part of the Ogallala Formation of Miocene-Pliocene age
Landscape: alluvial plain remnants
Landform: interfluves and broad erosion remnants
Slopes: dominantly 0 to 3 percent, but range to 5 percent
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 air temperature: 15 to 17 degrees C (57 to 63 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 382 to 660 mm (15 to 26 in)
Frost-free period: 180 to 210 days
Elevation: 600 to 1500 meters (1968 to 4921 ft)
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 25 to 36

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ady, Berda, Bippus, Guadalupe, Manson, Mobeetie, Paloduro, Plemons, Potter, Texroy, and Veal series.
Ady soils: occur on similar positions and have an ochric epipedon
Berda soils: occur on lower hillslopes, have an ochric epipedon, do not have an argillic horizon, and a fine-loamy particle-size family
Bippus soils: occur on flood plains, have a mollic epipedon, and do not have a calcic horizon
Guadalupe soils: occur on flood plains and do not have an argillic horizon
Manson soils: occur on similar landscapes, have a mollic epipedon, a fine-silty particle-size control section, and a calcic horizon between 25 and 60 cm (10 to 24 in)
Mobeetie soils: occur on hillslopes and do not have an argillic horizon
Paloduro soils: occur in slightly lower landscape positions, have a mollic epipedon, and do not have an argillic horizon
Plemons soils: occur on similar landscapes, have a fine-silty particle-size control section, and a calcic horizon between 10 and 60 cm (4 to 24 in)
Potter and Veal soils: occur on lower shoulder or backslope landscapes, and have carbonatic mineralogy
Tascosa soils: occur on lower landscape positions and are loamy-skeletal in the particle-size control section with siliceous gravels
Texroy soils: occur on stream terraces, have a thick (greater than 50 cm (20 in) mollic epipedon, and do not have a calcic horizon

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: well drained
Permeability: moderate
Runoff: negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes, low on 1 to 3 percent slopes, and medium on 3 to 5 percent slopes

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for both crop production and livestock grazing. Principal crops grown are sorghum and winter wheat. Climax native 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, tobosa, silver bluestem, wild alfalfa, and prairieclover.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: LRR-H; Southern High Plains, Breaks (MLRA 77E) of the Texas panhandle. This soil is moderately extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Carson County, Texas; 2000.

REMARKS:
These soils were formerly correlated as the cool phase of the Acuff series. Series was revised as part of the SDJR initiative, 2016. The pedon description was updated with supporting KSSL data.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 46 cm (0 to 18 in) (A, Bt horizons)
Argillic horizon: 18 to 46 cm (7 to 18 in) (Bt horizon)
Calcic horizon: 191 to 203 (75 to 80 in) (Btk5 horizon)
Particle-size family: fine-loamy
Particle-size control section: 18 to 48 cm (7 to 18 in)
Secondary carbonates: 46 to 203 cm (18 to 80 in)

ADDITIONAL DATA: KSSL laboratory data available, Lincoln, NE: S1997TX065002 (Carson County, Texas)

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy Twelfth Edition, 2014.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.