LOCATION AMBER              OK
Established Series
Rev. CRC-CEW-CS
1/99

AMBER SERIES


The Amber series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy calcareous alluvium. They are on risers between low flood plains and high flood plains or on risers between high flood plains and low terraces in the Central Rolling Red Prairies (MLRA 80A). Slopes are 1 to 15 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Udic Haplustepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Amber very fine sandy loam--cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (4 to l4 inches thick)

Bw--12 to 36 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) very fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (l7 to 34 inches thick)

C--36 to 72 inches; stratified reddish yellow (5YR 7/8) fine sandy loam, reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) moist; and reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) very fine sandy loam; massive; slightly hard, very friable; common fine roots; few films and soft spots of secondary lime below 40 inches; calcareous; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Grady County, Oklahoma; about 1 mile east of Bradley; 3000 feet north and 100 feet east from SW corner of sec. 25, T. 5 N., R. 5 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. The soil is calcareous at depths ranging from 20 to 40 inches, and depth to visiable secondary lime is more than 20 inches.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 6. Texture is silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is slightly acid through moderately alkaline.

The Bw horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value 4 to 6 and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 3 to 8. Texture is silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is neutral through moderately alkaline, and calcareous in the lower part.

The C horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is stratified silty clay loam, silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam or loamy fine sand. Reaction is moderately alkaline, and calcareous.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Apalo series. Apalo soils have solum thickness of more than 60 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on risers between low flood plains and high flood plains or on risers between high flood plains and low terraces in the Central Rolling Red Prairies (MLRA 80A). Slopes are 1 to 15 percent. They are rarely flooded for very brief periods during March through October. These soils formed in calcareous alluvium. The climate is subhumid. Mean annual temperature is 57 degrees to 63 degrees F.; average annual precipitation is 26 to 38 inches; Thornthwaite P-E indices of 44 to 64; Elevation ranges from 700 to 1500 feet. Frost free days range from 200 to 230.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dale, McLain, and Reinach series. Dale, Mclain, and Reinach soils have mollic epipedons more than 20 inches thick. In addition, Dale soils have fine-silty control sections and McLain soils have Bt horizons and fine control sections.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; permeability is moderate; runoff is very low on 1 to 3 percent slopes, low on 3 to 5 percent slopes and medium on 5 to 15 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for growing alfalfa, cotton, small grains, and grain sorghums. Native vegetation is tall grasses with scattered trees. Some areas are used for tame pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Rolling Red Plains (MLRA 80A) of Central Oklahoma, possibly northcentral Texas, and southcentral Kansas. The series is of minor extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grady County, Oklahoma; 1974.

REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: Series OK0065

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon- the zone from the soil surface to a depth of 12 inches. (the A horizon)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 12 inches to a depth of 36 inches (the Bw horizon).
Moisture regime - Udic-Ustic.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.