LOCATION CARRETA TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Leptic Vertic Natrustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Carreta sandy clay loam--on a 0.5 percent slope in cropland at an elvation of 18 meters (59 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap1--0 to 7 cm (0 to 3 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) sandy clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; hard, friable; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; EC of 31 dS/m; SAR of 19.0; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
Ap2--7 to 18 cm (3 to 7 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) sandy clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; EC of 29 dS/m; SAR of 19.0; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ap horizons is 15 to 33 cm [6 to 13 in])
Btnz1--18 to 28 cm (7 to 11 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent distinct clay films; 1 percent fine salt crystals; EC of 11.8 dS/m; SAR of 17.0; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Btnz2--28 to 54 cm (11 to 21 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium angular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent distinct clay films; 1 percent fine salt crystals; 1 percent fine threadlike salt masses; 1 percent fine carbonate nodules; EC of 10 dS/m; SAR of 17.0; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btnz horizons is 14 to 55 cm [6 to 22 in])
Btknyz1--54 to 79 cm (21 to 31 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; very hard, extremely firm; few very fine tubular pores; 15 percent faint clay films; 1 percent fine gypsum crystals; 1 percent fine threadlike salt masses; 1 percent fine carbonate nodules; EC of 10.4 dS/m; SAR of 18.0; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Btknyz2--79 to 97 cm (31 to 38 in); gray (10YR 5/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; 15 percent faint clay films; 1 percent fine gypsum crystals; 1 percent fine threadlike salt masses; 1 percent fine carbonate nodules; EC of 10.8 dS/m; SAR of 19.0; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btknyz horizon is 23 to 152 cm [9 to 60 in])
Btkny1--97 to 125 cm (38 to 49 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; 8 percent faint clay films; 1 percent fine gypsum crystals; 1 percent fine carbonate nodules; EC of 9.1 dS/m; SAR of 20.0; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Btkny2--125 to 170 cm (49 to 67 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clay, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; 5 percent faint clay films; 1 percent fine gypsum crystals; 1 percent fine carbonate nodules; EC of 8.7 dS/m; SAR of 18.0; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btkny horizon is 56 to 140 cm [22 to 55 in])
Btkny3--170 to 214 cm (67 to 84 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay, pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; 2 percent faint clay films; 1 percent fine gypsum crystals; 1 percent fine carbonate nodules; EC of 8.6 dS/m; SAR of 14.0; violent effervescence; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Kleberg County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S. Highway Business 77 and Farm Road 772 in the south part of Kingsville; 0.7 mile west on Farm Road 772 to County Road 1030; 0.8 mile north on County Road 1030; 0.2 mile east in cropland. Latitude: 27 degrees, 27 minutes, 50 seconds N; Longitude: 97 degrees, 52 minutes, 10 seconds W. Ricardo USGS topographic quadrangle; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An ustic soil moisture regime.
Precipitation pattern: moist spring and fall months and dry summer and winter months. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 but less than 180 cumulative days in normal years. June through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through May.
Mean annual soil temperature: 24.5 to 26.7 degrees C (76 to 80 degrees F)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 18 to 46 cm (7 to 18 in)
Depth to natric horizon: 15 to 33 cm (6 to 13 in)
Depth to salt accumulations: 15 to 33 cm (6 to 13 in)
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 38 to 45 percent
Sand content: 26 to 38 percent
A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 to 4 (2 or 3 moist)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 6 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-0 to 1 percent, size-fine
EC (dS/m): 8 to 35
Gypsum: 0 to 2 percent
SAR: 6 to 25
Effervescence: none to very slight
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Btnz horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay or clay
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 13 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-0 to 2 percent, size-fine
EC (dS/m): 2 to 25
Gypsum: 0 to 2 percent
SAR: 15 to 50
Effervescence: none to slight
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Btknyz horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 to 8
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-1 to 8 percent, size-fine or medium
EC (dS/m): 5 to 30
Gypsum: 1 to 3 percent
SAR: 30 to 55
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Btkny horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 8
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-1 to 8 percent, size-fine or medium
EC (dS/m): 5 to 30
Gypsum: 0 to 2 percent
SAR: 12 to 55
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family. Similar soils are the
Bavaria (KS),
Foard (OK),
Gayville (SD),
Gerda (ND),
Jerauld (SD),
Weta (SD) series.
Bavaria, Gayville, Jerauld, and Weta soils: are in a mesic temperature regime and do not have vertic properties.
Foard series: are in a thermic temperature regime and do not have visible salts or gypsum crystals within 40 cm of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Loamy alluvium of late Pliocene to early Pleistocene age
Landform: Erosional remnants of treads of stream terraces
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 22.2 to 23.4 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation range: 610 to 760 mm (24 to 30 in)
Precipitation Pattern: Precipitation falls mostly during the months of April to June and from September to November. Late June through August and December through March are the dry months.
Frost-free period: 280 to 330 days
Elevation: 4.6 to 24.4 m (15 to 80 ft)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 32 to 40
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Aransas,
Narta, and
Victine series.
Aransas soils: are clayey throughout and are on floodplains.
Narta soils: have an ochric epipedon and are on flats.
Victine soils: are clayey throughout and on a similar landform
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is high. These soils remain saturated for brief periods during above normal precipitation events.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for crop production, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. The major crop grown is grain sorghum. Improved pastures grasses are coastal bermuda and buffelgrass. Native grasses are mainly two and four-flower trichloris, hooded windmillgrass, Wrights threeawn, and plains bristlegrass. Woody vegetation includes mesquite, spiny hackberry, huisache, and pricklypear. The ecological site is Salty Prairie, PE 31-44 (R150AY540TX).
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Prairies (MLRA 150A in LRR T) in the Coastal Bend of south Texas. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kleberg County, Texas, 2007.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 18 to 68 cm (7 to 27 in). (Btnz1, Btnz2, and Btknyz1 horizons)
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 79 cm (0 to 31 in). (Ap1, Ap2, Btnz1, Btnz2, and Btknzy1 horizons)
Natric horizon: 18 to 200 cm (7 to 80 in). (Btnz1, Btnz2, Btknyz1, Btknyz2, Btkny1, Btkny2, and Btkny3 horizons)
Vertic feature: Linear extensibility of 16.7. (Ap1, Ap2, Btnz1,Btnz2, Btkynz1, and Btknyz2 horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil characterization data from the National Soil Survey Laboratory (NSSL) on the series type location on project number 81P164 as part of a salinity study of South Texas. Supporting characterization data available from NSSL on project number CP84TX175 and CP81TX305. Additional information on pedon 81TX-273-001.
TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006