LOCATION ALOWOOD OK+KS TX

Tentative Series
JTB-SLM
03/2017

ALOWOOD SERIES

The Alowood series consists of moderately deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in calcareous loamy colluvium from the Ogallala Formation of Miocene-Pliocene age over mudstone, sandstone, siltstone, or shale residuum of Permian age. These soils are on very gently sloping to moderately steep hills and hillslopes in the Southern High Plains, Breaks (MLRA-77E). The slope is predominately 1 to 8 percent, but ranges from 1 to 20 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 530 mm (21 in), and mean annual temperature is about 15 degrees C (59 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Calciustepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Alowood clay loam - on a northeast facing 1 percent linear slope in native rangeland at an elevation of 778 m (2551 ft).
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
The surface is covered by about 1 percent cobbles and 3 percent gravels. The fragments are well rounded indurated quartzite.

Ap--0 to 17 cm (0 to 7 in); brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam (29 percent silicate clay), brown (7.5YR 4/3), moist; moderate medium subangular blocky parting to moderate medium granular structure; moderately hard, friable; many fine and medium roots; 1 percent 2 to 5 mm, 1 percent 5 to 20 mm, and 1 percent 20 to 75 mm well rounded indurated quartzite fragments; slightly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.0; gradual smooth boundary. (Thickness of the A, Ak, Ap, or Akp horizons is 9 to 39 cm, [4 to 15 in])

Bk1--17 to 28 cm (7 to 11 in); brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay loam (32 percent silicate clay), brown (7.5YR 4/4), moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable; many fine and common medium roots; few fine faint threadlike carbonate masses and few medium distinct spherical carbonate masses throughout; 1 percent 2 to 5, 1 percent 5 to 20 mm, and 1 percent 20 to 75 mm well rounded indurated quartzite fragments; strongly effervescent (11 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.2; clear wavy boundary.

Bk2--28 to 49 cm (11 to 19 in); reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) clay (14 percent silicate clay), reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6), moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable; common fine and few medium roots; carbonate, finely disseminated throughout and few fine spherical carbonate masses throughout; 1 percent 2 to 5, 1 percent 5 to 20 mm, and 1 percent 20 to 75 mm well rounded indurated quartzite fragments; violently effervescent (55 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.4; gradual smooth boundary.

Bk3--49 to 69 cm (19 to 27 in); reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) clay (21 percent silicate clay), strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable; few fine roots; few fine carbonate masses on surfaces along root channels; 1 percent 2 to 5 mm well rounded indurated quartzite fragments and 1 percent 2 to 5 mm moderately cemented angular calcareous shale fragments; violently effervescent (40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline, pH 8.8; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 24 to 79 cm, [9 to 31 in])

2BCk--69 to 94 cm (27 to 37 in); red (2.5YR 4/6) clay (53 percent silicate clay), dark red (2.5YR 3/6), moist; strong medium prismatic parting to strong medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; very few fine roots between peds; few prominent reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4), moist, clay films on vertical faces of peds and common prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6), moist, carbonate coats on vertical faces of peds; common distinct irregular iron-manganese masses in matrix (relict); common irregular carbonate masses on horizontal faces of peds; 1 percent 2 to 5 mm moderately cemented angular calcareous shale fragments; slightly effervescent (19 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.4; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of the 2BCk or 2CBk horizons is 18 to 48 cm [7 to 19 in])

2Cdk--94 to 115 cm (37 to 45 in); dark red (2.5YR 3/6) moderately cemented clayey mudstone bedrock, dark red (2.5YR 3/6), moist; hard; few very fine roots in fractures; few fine carbonate coats lining fractures; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline, pH 8.4.

TYPE LOCATION: Beaver County, Oklahoma; from Beaver, 1 mile south on State Highway 270, then 2 miles west on county road 150, then 0.75 mile south on county road 1370; approximately 1271 ft (387 m) north and 389 ft (118 m) east of the southwest corner of Section 26, Township 4N, Range 23E (Cimarron meridian).

USGS topographic quadrangle: Beaver, Oklahoma
Latitude: 36 degrees 46 minutes 45.74 seconds N
Longitude: 100 degrees 33 minutes 30.01 seconds W
Datum WGS84

Decimal Degrees
Latitude: 36.7793732
Longitude: -100.5583344

UTM Northing: 4071530
UTM Easting: 360941
UTM zone 14S

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum thickness: 50 to 100 cm (20 to 39 in)
Thickness of ochric epipedon: 9 to 39 cm (4 to 15 in)
Depth to calcic horizon: 9 to 81 cm (4 to 32 in)
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 50 to 100 cm (20 to 39 in)
Depth to densic or paralithic contact: 50 to 100 cm (20 to 39 in)

Particle-size control section (weighed average):
Section range: 25 cm (10 in) to the depth of the lithologic discontinuity
Total clay content: 35 to 50 percent.
Silicate clay content: 18 to 33 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: Weighted average of 25 to 39 percent
Coarse fragments: amount-1 to 5 percent; size-fine to coarse gravels, cobbles; kind-well-rounded indurated well-rounded quartzite, or angular to subrounded moderately cemented Permian sandstone, siltstone, or shale fragments

Surface Fragments: amount-0 to 10 percent; size- fine to coarse gravels, cobbles; kind-indurated well-rounded quartzite, feldspar, ironstone, and sandstone

A, Ak, Ap, or Akp horizons:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist or dry
Texture: loam, silt loam, clay loam.
Coarse fragments: amount-0 to 5 percent; size-fine to coarse gravels; kind-indurated quartzite, feldspar, ironstone, and sandstone
Identifiable calcium carbonate: amount-0 to 5 percent; size-fine and medium; kind-finely disseminated, masses, nodules, concretions
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Effervescence: slight or strong.
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4-8.4)

Upper Bk horizons (where present):
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 8 dry, 4 to 8 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 moist or dry
Texture: loam, silt loam, clay loam
Coarse fragments: amount-0 to 5 percent; size-fine to coarse gravels; kind-indurated quartzite, feldspar, ironstone, and sandstone
Identifiable calcium carbonate: amount-1 to 15 percent; size-fine and medium; kind-finely disseminated, masses, nodules, concretions, coatings
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 8 to 14 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4-8.4)

Lower Bk horizons (and BCk horizons where present):
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 8 dry, 4 to 8 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 moist or dry
Texture: silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, and clay
Coarse fragments: amount-0 to 5 percent; size-fine to coarse gravels; kind-indurated quartzite, feldspar, ironstone, and sandstone
Identifiable calcium carbonate: amount-5 to 35 percent; size-fine to coarse; kind-finely disseminated, masses, nodules, concretions, coatings
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 55 percent
Effervescence: Strong or violent.
Reaction (pH): Moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline (8.4-9.0)

2BCk horizons (and 2CBk horizons where present):
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 5 to 8 moist or dry
Texture: loam, silt loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, and clay. These textures are associated with soil fabric derived from weathered mudstone, sandstone, siltstone, or shale of Permian age.
Coarse fragments: amount-0 to 5 percent; size-fine to coarse gravels; kind-moderately to strongly cemented mudstone, sandstone, siltstone, and shale
Identifiable calcium carbonate: amount-1 to 8 percent; size-fine to coarse; kind-finely disseminated, masses, nodules, and coatings
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 25 percent
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4-8.4)

2Cdk horizons (and 2Crk horizons where present):
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 5 to 8 moist or dry
Bedrock: Textures associated with weathered mudstone, sandstone, siltstone, or shale of Permian age. The material is root restrictive. Fractures that roots can enter in some part of these layers are greater than 10 cm apart.
Identifiable calcium carbonate: amount-0 to 2 percent; size-fine to medium; kind-masses, nodules, and coatings occurring along fractures or cleavage planes
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline (7.4-9.0)

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar series are the Aspermont (TX), Burford (OK), and Wagonbed (KS) soils.
Aspermont soils: are deep (100 to 150 cm [40 to 60 in]) to densic or paralithic materials, and have a typic bordering ustic soil moisture regime.
Burford soils: are deep (100 to 150 cm [40 to 60 in]) to densic or paralithic materials, and have a typic bordering ustic soil moisture regime, and do not have a calcic horizon.
Wagonbed soils: have a mesic temperature regime, and were formed in calcareous loess.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent Material: Calcareous loamy colluvium derived from the Ogallala Formation of Miocene-Pliocene age overlying partially weathered Permian age mudstone, sandstone, siltstone, or shale residuum.
Landscape: alluvial plain remnants
Landform: hills and hillslopes
Slope: 1 to 20 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: 14 to 16 degrees C (57 to 61 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 382 to 660 mm (15 to 26 in)
Frost-free period: 180 to 210 days
Elevation: 600 to 1500 m (1968 to 4921 ft)
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index: 25 to 36

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alopark (T), Deepwood, Dreyfoos(T), Mansic, Mocane (T), Oklark, Quinlan, Shalowood (T), Woods, and Woodward series.

Alopark, Mansic, Mocane, Oklark, and Woods series occur on adjacent landscapes within thicker deposits of the Laverne ( Valentine) member of the Ogallala formation that comprise the entire soil profile.
Alopark soils: have a coarse-loamy particle-size class, and are very deep
Mansic and Oklark soils: have a mollic epipedon, and are very deep
Mocane soils: have a sandy particle-size class, and are very deep
Woods soils: have a mollic epipedon, a fine particle-size class, and slickensides within 100 cm (40 in) of the soil surface

Deepwood, Quinlan, and Woodward soils occur on lower landscapes and were formed in residuum from Permian shale, siltstone, and sandstone.
Woodward, Quinlan, and Deepwood soils: do not have a covering mantle of Ogallala colluvial sediments, and do not have a calcic horizon

Dreyfoos soils: occur on higher landscapes in eolian sands, have textures coarser than loamy fine sand throughout, and do not have coarse fragments

Shalowood soils: occur on the same landscape, and have a paralithic contact with Permian-age residuum within 50 cm (20 in) of the soil surface

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: well drained
Permeability: moderate
Runoff: low on 1 to 5 percent slopes, and medium on 5 to 20 percent slopes

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for livestock grazing. Climax vegetation is dominantly sideouts grama, blue grama, little bluestem, and purple threeawn. Yucca is the major woody species along with catclaw mimosa and broom snakeweed.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Breaks (MLRA 77E in LRR H) of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, and counties in northwestern Oklahoma and southwestern Kansas. Distribution is bounded to the south by the Salt Fork of the Red River and to the north by the Cimarron River. This soil is moderately extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Beaver County, Oklahoma, 2009.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 17 cm (0 to 7 in) (Ap horizon)
Cambic horizon: 17 to 28 cm (7 to 11 in) (Bk1 horizon)
Calcic horizon: 28 to 69 cm (11 to 27 in) (Bk2, Bk3, and 2BCk horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: 69 to 115 cm (27 to 46 in) (2BCk and 2Cdk horizons)
Paralithic materials: 94 to 115 cm (37 to 46 in) (2Cdk horizon)

ADDITIONAL DATA: KSSL data available. S2008OK007002 (TL-Beaver County, Oklahoma).

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.