LOCATION BRAZOSPORT TX

Established Series
JKW-KBH-AKS
09/2020

BRAZOSPORT SERIES

The Brazosport series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, high saturated hydraulic conductivity (rapidly permeable) soils that formed in eolian beach sands. These nearly level soils occur on back-barrier flats and remnants of back-barrier flats adjacent to tidal flats on barrier islands. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1245 mm (49 in) and mean annual air temperature is about 21degrees C (70 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, hyperthermic Sodic Psammaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Brazosport fine sand, elevation is 1.0 m (3.3 ft). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine roots and common very fine roots; common fine pores; 3 percent fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; electrical conductivity of 1.2 dS/m by ec meter, saturated paste; sodium adsorption ratio of 12.2; neutral, pH 6.6; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 18 cm [4 to 7 in] thick)

C1--13 to 37 cm (5 to 15 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/4) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots and few very fine roots; few very fine pores; 5 percent fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; electrical conductivity of 0.6 dS/m by ec meter, 1:1 water; sodium adsorption ratio of 14.0; neutral, pH 7.0; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the C horizons is 26 to 42 cm [10 to 17 in])

C2--37 to 76 cm (15 to 30 in); 60 percent pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) and 40 percent greenish gray (10Y 6/1) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 2 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; electrical conductivity of 1.6 dS/m by ec meter, saturated paste; sodium adsorption ratio of 19.6; slightly alkaline, pH 7.6; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg--76 to 115 cm (30 to 45 in); 80 percent greenish gray (5GY 6/1) and 20 percent pale yellow (5Y 7/4)loamy fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; electrical conductivity of 9.7 dS/m by ec meter, saturated paste; sodium adsorption ratio of 32.0; slightly alkaline, pH 7.6; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Cg horizons is 35 to 90 cm [14 to 36 in])

2Cg1--115 to 138 cm (45 to 54 in); greenish gray (5GY 6/1) loamy fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; electrical conductivity of 13.2 dS/m by ec meter, saturated paste; sodium adsorption ratio of 34.1; moderately alkaline, pH 8.1; clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the 2Cg horizons is 85 to 101 cm [33 to 40 in])

2Cg2--138 to 203 cm (54 to 80 in); greenish gray (10GY 6/1) loamy fine sand; massive; friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; electrical conductivity of 8.2 dS/m by ec meter, saturated paste; sodium adsorption ratio of 25.0; moderately alkaline, pH 8.4.

TYPE LOCATION:
Brazoria County, TX; from the intersection of Texas Highway 332 and the Bluewater Highway (County Road 257) on Follets Island, 9 miles northeast on the Bluewater Highway to dirt road on the northwest side of the road; 0.1 mile northwest on dirt road; 50 feet north on a vegetated raised area.

USGS Topographic Quadrangle: Sea Isle, TX
Latitude: 29 degrees, 2 minutes, 11.1 seconds N
Longitude: 95 degrees, 10 minutes, 38.3 seconds W
Datum: WGS84

UTM Easting: 287978 m
UTM Northing: 3213976 m
UTM Zone: 15

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: A aquic soil moisture regime.

Depth to endosaturation: 36 to 60 cm (14 to 24 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Total clay content: 3 to 10 percent
Sand content: 85 to 99 percent
Weatherable minerals: 85 to 96 percent

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Total clay content: 3 to 5 percent
Sand content: 80 to 96 percent
Electrical conductivity (dS/m): 0.6 to 11
Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): 2 to 33
Reaction (pH): neutral or slightly alkaline (6.6 - 7.8)

C horizon:
Hue: 60 to 100 percent 10YR or 2.5Y; 0 to 40 percent 10Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Total clay content: 3 to 6 percent
Sand content: 85 to 95 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent; color-shades of brown, yellow, or red
Shell fragments: amount-0 to 2 percent; size- 2 to 75 mm
Electrical conductivity (dS/m): 1 to 12
Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): 14 to 22
Reaction (pH): neutral or slightly alkaline (6.6 - 7.8)

Cg horizon:
Hue: N, 5Y, 10Y, 5GY, 10GY or 10B
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam
Total clay content: 7 to 35 percent
Sand content: 40 to 89 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent; color-shades of brown, yellow, or red
Shell fragments: amount-0 to 10 percent; size- 2 to 75 mm
Electrical conductivity (dS/m): 8 to 30
Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): 25 to 60
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

2Cg horizon (where present:
Hue: N, 10YR to 10B
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 0 to 1
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Total clay content: 1 to 9 percent
Sand content: 85 to 98 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent; color-shades of brown, yellow, or red
Shell fragments: amount-0 to 5 percent; size- 2 to 75 mm
Electrical conductivity (dS/m): 8 to 30
Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): 25 to 60
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES:
This is the Noria series in the same family. Similar soils are Madre, Mustang, Satatton, and Tatton series.
Noria soils arevery poorly drained; have iron concentrations starting at the surface; and are ponded and have water table extending from the surface to 31 cm (0 to 12 in) from September to May in normal years.
Madre, Satatton, and Tatton soils have a siliceous mineralogy
Mustang soils have SAR values less than 13

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: eolian beach sands derived from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock
Landscape: barrier island
Landform: back-barrier flats and remnants of back-barrier flats adjacent to tidal flats
Slope: 0 to 1 percent but mostly less than 0.5 percent
Precipitation Pattern: Precipitation is generally uniform throughout the year with slight peaks in the spring and fall months
Mean annual precipitation: 1143 to 1295 mm (45 to 51 in)
Mean annual air temperature: 20.6 to 21.7 C (69 to 71 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 275 to 300 days
Elevation: 0.9 to 2 m (3 to 7 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
These are the Freeport, Galveston, Karankawa, and Ostermayer series.
Galveston soils are on a back-barrier flat landform on a higher position
Karankawa soils are on a submerged tidal flat
Freeport and Ostermayer soils are on a tidal flat in a lower position; are flooded by daily tides

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: somewhat poor
Permeability class: slow (slow saturated hydraulic conductivity)
Runoff: low
Flooding: frequent frequency, for brief duration, during the months of June to October due to tropical storms.
Seasonal water table: Endosaturation occurs between depths of 30 to 46 cm (12 to 18 in) of the surface during the months of November to May in most years.

USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: wildlife habitat
Native vegetation: Gulf cordgrass, marshhay cordgrass, wax myrtle, and other salt tolerant grasses, shrubs and forbs
Ecological sites assigned to phases and components of this series are listed below. Current ecological site assignments are in Web Soil Survey. Components of this series include the following ecological sites: Low Coastal Sand (R150BY650TX)

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
General location: The upper Texas Gulf Coast mostly on Galveston and Follets Island
Land Resource Region: Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowland Forest and Crop Region(T)
Major Land Resource Areas: 150B - Gulf Coast Saline Prairies
Extent: small

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Galveston County, Texas, 2020. The name is from a municipality near the type location.

REMARKS: The series was formerly included in the Mustang series. The series was separated based on differences in water table depth, and salinity.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: 25 to 100 cm (10 to 40 in)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in) (A horizon)
Endosaturation and aquic conditions: 37 to 203 cm (15 to 80 in) (C2,Cg,2Cg1 and 2Cg2 horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: 115 to 203 cm (45 to 80 in).

Additional Comments: The lithologic discontinuity is evident as an increase in clay due to the Beaumont Formation and ancient Brazos River. This paleo-surface is deeper in pedons on Galveston Island and shallower on the southwest end of Follets Island.

ADDITIONAL DATA: TAMU soil characterization lab data from a representative location S95TX167001. MLRA Soil Survey Office data are available on location S2020TX0397031 at the series type location.

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.