LOCATION APALO TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, active, thermic Udic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Apalo very fine sandy loam, on a 1 percent slope, in a bermudagrass pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; few medium roots; common fine pores, few fine wormcasts; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A--8 to 19 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; many fine pores, few medium pores; many fine wormcasts; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Bw1--19 to 28 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) very fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; many fine pores, common medium pores; many fine and medium wormcasts; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
Bw2--28 to 52 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) very fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; common fine roots; many fine pores, few medium pores; many fine wormcasts; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (12 to 30 inches thick)
Bk--52 to 80 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; few fine roots; many fine pores; common fine wormcasts; common films and threads of calcium carbonate on surfaces of prisms; few soft masses and concretions of calcium carbonate; calcareous; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Palo Pinto County, Texas; about 10 miles south of Mineral Wells on U. S. Highway 281 to the Brazos River bridge, from the northeast end of the highway bridge northeast of U. S. Highway 281 for .25 mile and 750 feet west of fence in bermudagrass pasture.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is more than 60 inches thick. Secondary carbonates are below a depth of 28 inches. The texture is very fine sandy loam or loam.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR and 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6, chroma of 3 through 6. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The B2 horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 4 through 6, chroma of 4 through 8. The reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline in the upper part and ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline in the lower part. Some pedons contain a few films and threads of calcium carbonate in the lower part of the horizon.
The B horizon is in shades of red, brown, or yellow. The reaction is moderately alkaline and calcareous. Films, threads, soft masses, and concretions of calcium carbonate range from few to common.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Amber, Enterprise, Gotebo, and Woodward series. Amber soils have a solum less than 60 inches thick and have bedding planes in the control section. Enterprise, Gotebo, and Woodward soils have free carbonates within 28 inches of the surface. Dill, Hardeman, and Paluxy soils are in similar families. These soils have coarse-loamy control sections. In addition, Dill soils are 20 to 40 inches thick over sandstone and Hardeman soils have free carbonates within 28 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Apalo soils are on nearly level to sloping low terraces. The soil formed in calcareous, loamy alluvial material deposited mainly on the inside of bends of major rivers and large streams. The climate is dry subhumid. The average annual rainfall ranges from 27 to 34 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 59 degrees to 69 degrees F., Frost free period is 210 to 240 days and elevation ranges from 800 to 1250 feet. Thornthwaite P-E indices from 38 to 54.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bastrop, Decordova, and Yahola series. Bastrop and Decordova soils have argillic horizons and are on terraces higher in the landscape. Yahola soils are calcareous throughout and have bedding planes in the control section and are below on flood plains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly as pastureland. Improved bermudagrasses, kleingrass, and weeping lovegrasses are adapted. Some areas are cropped to forage sorghums, peanuts, or grain sorghums. Native vegetation is mainly bluestem, indiangrass, sideoats grama, sand lovegrass with scattered trees of elm, hackberry, and oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Texas, mainly along the Brazos River. These soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Palo Pinto County, Texas; 1979.
REMARKS: This soil has been formerly mapped in the Paluxy series. Paluxy soils have coarse-loamy control sections. Two pedons sampled in Palo Pinto County have coarse-silty control sections. Characterization data furnished by Lincoln Laboratory (S74TX-363-3, S74TX-363-5).
Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 19 inches (Ap and A horizons)
Cambic horizon - 19 to 52 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)