LOCATION BOERNE                  TX

Established Series
Rev.GLL,WJG,MLG
01/2016

BOERNE SERIES

The Boerne series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately rapid to moderately permeable, calcareous soils that formed in calcareous loamy alluvium derived from limestone. The soils are on nearly level to gently sloping flood plains and low stream terraces on dissected plateaus. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 914 mm (36 in), and mean annual air temperature is about 18.9 degrees C (66 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, carbonatic, thermic Fluventic Haplustepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Boerne fine sandy loam, on a 2 percent slope in pasture.
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; slightly sticky; common fine and medium roots; common fine and medium pores; few insect burrows; few fine carbonate concretions; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. Thickness is 10 to 43 cm (4 to 17 in).

Bk1--20 to 117 cm (8 to 46 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky; common fine and few medium roots; common fine threads of calcium carbonate; many fine and medium pores; many insect burrows and casts; few horizontal discontinuous lenses of rounded water worn limestone pebbles 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. Combined thickness of the Bk horizon is 61 to 147 cm (24 to 58 in).

Bk2--117 to 157 cm (46 to 62 in); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky; many fine threads and soft masses of calcium carbonates; few thin discontinuous strata that are more sandy, or more clayey, and have 2 percent pebbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Kendall County, Texas; From the southern intersection of Ranch Roads 473 and 1376 in Sisterdale, TX; 0.9 mile south on Ranch Road 1376 then 100 feet east in abandoned cropland.
USGS topographic quadrangle: Sisterdale, TX;
Latitude: 29 degrees, 57 minutes, 17.93 seconds N;
Longitude: 98 degrees, 43 minutes, 1.45 seconds W;
Datum: WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum thickness: more than 152 cm (60 in)
Thickness of the ochric epipedon: 10 to 43 cm (4 to 17 in)
Depth to cambic horizon: 10 to 43 cm (4 to 17 in)
Depth to identifiable secondary carbonates: 10 to 43 cm (4 to 17 in)
Depth to calcic horizon (where present): more than 102 cm (40 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Total clay content: 12 to 23 percent
Silicate Clay content: 9 to 18 percent
Carbonate Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 1 to 15 percent

A Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam or loam
Total clay content: 12 to 20 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent; rounded limestone; gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 65 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

Bk Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam or loam
Total clay content: 12 to 23 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent; rounded limestone; gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 80 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Effervescence: violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)
Additional information: discontinuous strata that are more clayey, sandy, or gravelly can occur below 94 cm (37 in)

BC or C horizon (where present)
Colors are similar to the Bk horizon
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, loamy sand and may contain discontinuous strata that are more sandy, clayey, or gravelly
Total clay content: 5 to 23 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent; rounded limestone; gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 80 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Effervescence: violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same family. Similar series are Guadalupe, Karnes, and Shep.
Guadalupe and Karnes soils: have mixed mineralogy and are not fluventic
Shep soils: have a calcic horizon starting above 100 cm (40 in), mixed mineralogy, and a fine-loamy particle-size control section

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: calcareous loamy alluvium derived from limestone
Landscape: dissected plateaus
Landform: floodplains or low stream terraces
Slope: 0 to 5 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 610 to 940 mm (24 to 37 in)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 31 to 50
Mean annual air temperature: 17.8 to 20.6 degrees C (64 to 69 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 215 to 255 days
Elevation: 182.9 to 701.1 m (600 to 2300 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Anhalt, Barbarosa, Brackett, Comfort, Doss, Eckrant, Nuvalde, Oakalla, Orif, Real, and Tarpley series.
Anhalt soils: occur on ridges and have clay percentages greater than 60 percent
Barbarosa and Nuvalde soils: have mollic epipedons and occur slightly higher on stream terraces
Comfort, Doss, Eckrant, Real, and Tarpley soils: have mollic epipedons, are shallow to a restrictive layer, and occur on ridges
Oakalla soils: have a mollic epipedon and occur on similar positions
Orif soils: have a sandy-skeletal particle-size control section and occur on similar positions

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderately rapid to moderate. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes and low on 1 to 5 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cropland, range, and improved pasture. Cultivated crops are grain and forage sorghum, and small grain. Improved pasture is bermudagrass and Kleingrass. Native rangeland plants are little bluestem, sideoats grama, curlymesquite, buffalograss, indiangrass, live oak, and baldcypress.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Edwards Plateau and northern part of the Rio Grande Plain. Boerne soils are moderately extensive with over 60,000 acres.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kendall County, Texas; 1979.

REMARKS:
Edited 11/2015 (RFG-THW): Changed to tabular format. Added metric measurements. Updated competing series, geographic setting, and associated soils sections.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 25 to 100 cm (10 to 40) in. (Bk1 horizon)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in) (A horizon)
Cambic horizon: 20 to 117 cm (8 to 46 in) (Bk1 horizon)
Calcic horizon: 117 to 157 cm (46 to 62 in) (Bk2 horizon)
Fluventic feature: strata of various textures below 117 cm (46 in) indicating irregular distribution of organic carbon

ADDITIONAL DATA: None

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.