LOCATION BAFFIN                  TX

Established Series
DNB-JKW-KBH-AKS
04/2022

BAFFIN SERIES

The Baffin series consists of very deep, subaqueous soils that formed in slightly fluid sandy and loamy estuarine sediments. These nearly level soils are in shallow-water grass flats of bays and lagoons. Water depth is generally less than 1.0 meter (3.28 ft). Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent but is mostly is less than 0.5 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 22.2 degrees C (72 degrees F) and mean annual precipitation is about 686 mm (27 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, active, calcareous, hyperthermic Typic Hydrowassents

TYPICAL PEDON: Baffin sandy clay loam on a smooth 0 percent slope, in a shoalgrass meadow under 20 cm (8 in) of water, near the transitional margin of the wind-tidal flats at an elevation of -0.2 m (-0.5 ft) (Colors are for moist soil.)

Ag1--0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in); dark greenish gray (5GY 3/1) sandy clay loam; weak fine platy structure; moderately fluid (n-value 1.0), soil flows easily between fingers and leaves a small residue in hand when squeezed; 2 percent very fine and fine roots; 2 percent fine tubular polychaete worm tunnels; 2 percent fine and medium faint greenish gray (5GY 5/1) masses of reduced iron with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; strongly saline; SAR is about 50; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Ag2--5 to 20 cm (2 to 8 in); greenish gray (5GY 5/1) fine sandy loam; weak fine platy structure; moderately fluid (n-value 1.0), soil flows easily between fingers and leaves a small residue in hand when squeezed; 3 percent very fine and fine roots; 4 percent fine and medium tubular polychaete worm tunnels; 4 percent fine and medium distinct dark greenish gray (5GY 3/1) and 1 percent fine and medium distinct dark greenish gray (5G 4/1) masses of reduced iron with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; strongly saline; SAR is about 50; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ag horizons is 10 to 23 cm [4 to 9 in])

Cg1--20 to 36 cm (8 to 14 in); greenish gray (5G 5/1) sandy clay loam; massive; moderately fluid (n-value 1.0), soil flows easily between fingers and leaves a small residue in hand when squeezed; 1 percent very fine and fine roots; 12 percent medium distinct greenish gray (10Y 5/1) masses of reduced iron with clear boundaries in the matrix; 3 percent gravel-sized shell fragments; strongly saline; SAR is about 50; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Cg2--36 to 58 cm (14 to 23 in); greenish gray (5GY 5/1) fine sandy loam; massive; moderately fluid (n-value 1.0), soil flows easily between fingers and leaves a small residue in hand when squeezed; 3 percent fine and medium faint greenish gray (5GY 5/1) masses of reduced iron with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 3 percent gravel-sized shell fragments; strongly saline; SAR is about 60; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Cg3--58 to 109 cm (23 to 43 in); greenish gray (5GY 5/1) fine sand; massive; non-fluid in natural state (n-value less than 0.7); 12 percent medium faint greenish gray (5G 5/1) and 3 percent fine and medium faint greenish gray (10Y 5/1) masses of reduced iron with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 3 percent gravel-sized shell fragments; strongly saline; SAR is about 50; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Cg4--109 to 160 cm (43 to 63 in); greenish gray (10Y 5/1) fine sand; massive; non-fluid in natural state (n-value less than 0.7); 3 percent medium distinct dark greenish gray (5GY 3/1) and 2 percent fine and medium faint greenish gray (5G 5/1) masses of reduced iron with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 1 percent gravel-sized shell fragments; strongly saline; SAR is about 60; slightly effervescent; neutral; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg5--160 to 191 cm (63 to 75 in); dark gray (N 4/0) fine sand; massive; non-fluid in natural state (n-value less than 0.7); 7 percent sand-size and 1 percent gravel-sized shell fragments; strongly saline; SAR is about 60; slightly effervescent; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Cg horizons is 180 to 193 cm [71 to 76 in])

Cg6--191 to 203 cm (75 to 80 in); dark gray (N 4/0) fine sandy loam; massive; moderately fluid (n-value 1.0), soil flows easily between fingers and leaves a small residue in hand when squeezed; 20 percent medium distinct dark greenish gray (5GY 4/1) and 2 percent medium distinct dark greenish gray (5GY 3/1) masses of reduced iron with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; 3 percent fine and medium distinct olive gray (5Y 4/2) iron depletions with clear boundaries in the matrix; 3 percent sand-size and 2 percent gravel-sized shell fragments; moderately saline; SAR is about 60; slightly effervescent; neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Kenedy County, Texas; from the intersection of Park Road 22 and the county line between Kleberg and Nueces Counties; 8.0 miles southwest on Park Road 22 to the pay station entrance of Padre Island National Seashore; 0.8 miles southwest on Park Road 22 to the intersection of Novillo and Bird Island Basin road; 2.1 miles west-northwest and north on Bird Island Basin road to boat ramp; 28.7 miles by boat generally west-southwest along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway into the landcut to channel running east near the center of Potrero Grande; 0.6 mile east into channel; 1,100 feet south in a sparse shoalgrass meadow, in an area known locally as the Hole or the Graveyard.

USGS topographic quadrangle: Potrero Cortado, Texas
Latitude: 27 degrees, 05 minutes, 57.9 seconds N
Longitude: 97 degrees, 26 minutes, 05.7 seconds W
Datum: NAD 83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: These soils are permanently submerged.

Mean annual soil temperature: 74 to 76 degrees F
Depth to iron depletions or depleted matrix: 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in)
Depth to endosaturation: permanently submersed.
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Sand content: 65 to 85 percent
Coarse fragments: consist of seashell and seashell fragments.
n-Value: The soil in all subhorizons between 20 to 51 cm (8 and 20 in) below the mineral soil surface flows easily between the fingers when squeezed and has an n-value of more than 0.7.

Ag horizon
Hue: 5Y, 10Y or 5GY
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1
Texture: sandy clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Redox concentrations: amount--5 to 20 percent, color-shades of green and gray
Coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent
EC (dS/m): 40 to 50
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 35 to 70
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline

Ag2 horizon (where present)
Hue: 5Y, 10Y or 5GY
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1
Texture: loamy fine sand or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 20 percent
Redox concentrations: amount--5 to 20 percent, color-shades of green and gray
Coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent
EC (dS/m): 40 to 50
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 35 to 70
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline

Cg horizon
Hue: 5Y, 10Y, 5GY, 5G or N
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 0 or 1
Texture: textures are variable in fine sand, loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 8 to 28 percent
Redox concentrations: amount--3 to 20 percent, color-shades of green and gray
Coarse fragments: 0 to 10 percent
EC (dS/m): 35 to 85
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 45 to 75
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Similar soils include the Cottman, Napatree, and Pasture Point series.

Cottman, Napatree and Pasture Point soils: are in a mesic soil temperature regime; nonacid
Napatree soils: allows for colors browner than 5Y in the C layers
Cottman and Pasture Point soils: have sulfidic materials within 50 cm of the mineral surface

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy and sandy estuarine sediments
Landform: lagoon bottom
Slope: 0 to 0.5 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 22 to 23 degrees C (71 to 73 degrees F).
Mean annual water temperature range: 23 to 24 degrees C (73 to 75 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation range: 635 to 889 mm (25 to 35 in)
Precipitation Pattern: November through April are the driest months, with a second dry period in July. September is the wettest month.
Frost-free period: 365 days
Bathymetry: 0 to 1.5 meters (0 to 5 ft) below mean sea level

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arrada, Satatton, Tatton, Twinpalms and Yarborough series. All of these soils are on subaerial landforms.
Arrada, Satatton and Tatton soils: are not peraquic and occur on slightly higher wind tidal flat landforms
Twinpalms soils: are somewhat poorly drained, have lower salinity and sodicity, and occur on higher positions on spoil pile islands.
Yarborough soils: are not peraquic and occur on higher positions on spoil pile islands

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Subaqueous. These soils are permanently submerged with sea water.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used as aquatic wildlife habitat and for recreation. They are important to the food chain of many commercial and sport fin fish as well as shellfish. Native vegetation is predominantly shoalgrass. Some areas have sparse to almost no vegetation, while other areas have manatee-grass, turtle-grass and widgeon-grass, especially in areas of deeper water depth. The ecological site is Subaqueous Grass Flat, (R150BY728TX).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
General area: In shallow water grass flats associated with bay systems along the lower Gulf Coast of Texas.
Land Resource Area: T (Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowland Forest and Crop Region)
Major Land Resource Area: 150B (Gulf Coast Saline Prairies)
Extent: small

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kenedy County, Texas, 2007. The name is from Baffin Bay in the survey area.

REMARKS: The series was formerly included as areas of water. The series was established based on the rooted vegetation that grows in certain bays.
The classification was changed from Sulfidic Haplowassents to Typic Hydrowassents due to lack of notation of sulfidic material present or the presence of odor on pedon descriptions or by field personnel, as well as n value.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Particle size control section: 25 to 102 cm (10 to 40 in). (Cg1, Cg2 and Cg3 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 ins). (Ag1 and Ag2 horizons)
n-value more than 0.7: 0 to 58 cm (0 to 23 in). (Ag1, Ag2, Cg1 and Cg2 horizons)
Iron depletions: depleted matrix at 0 to 203 cm (0 to 80 in). (Ag1, Ag2, Cg1, Cg2, Cg3, Cg4, Cg5 and Cg6 horizons)
Peraquic feature: the zone from 0 to 152 cm (0 to 60 in) is permanently saturated. (Ag1, Ag2, Cg1, Cg2, Cg3 and Cg4 horizons)
Endosaturation: Permanently submerged.

ADDITIONAL DATA: TAMU reference sample data for organic carbon from the type location S04TX-261-001, S04TX-261-002 and S04TX-261-003. Particle-size analysis, salinity and sodicity tests on three pedons were performed at the soil survey project office.

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.