LOCATION CHAPEL                  TX

Established Series
TCB-WMR-RM
09/2014

CHAPEL SERIES

The Chapel series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in calcareous, clayey lacustrine deposits of Quaternary age. These nearly level soils are on the floor of playa basins. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is 483 millimeters (19 in) and mean annual air temperature is about 16 degrees C (60 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Udic Calciusterts

TYPICAL PEDON: Chapel clay, midway between microknoll and microdepression, 0.2 percent slope in playa basin at an elevation of about 881 m (2,890 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; hard, firm; very sticky and very plastic; many fine and very fine roots; cracks 5 cm (2 in) wide at the surface extend through the horizon; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 cm [4 to 12 in] thick)

Bw--13 to 36 cm (5 to 14 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm; very sticky and very plastic; common fine and very fine roots; common medium pores; cracks 5 cm (2 in) wide extend through the horizon; few distinct pressure faces on ped surfaces; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 25 [0 to 19 in] cm thick)

Bkss1--36 to 61 cm (14 to 24 in); gray (10YR 5/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; strong medium and coarse wedge-shaped aggregates parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; very sticky and very plastic; common fine and medium roots; few fine and medium pores; cracks 2.5 cm (1 in) wide extend through the horizon; common distinct slickensides; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; common nodules of calcium carbonate, about 3 percent; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 61 cm [5 to 24 in] thick)

Bkss2--61 to 89 cm (24 to 35 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong medium and coarse wedge-shaped aggregates parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; very sticky and very plastic; few fine and medium roots; few fine and medium pores; cracks 1.5 cm (0.5 in) wide extend through the horizon; common distinct slickensides; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; common medium faint brown (10YR 4/3) masses of iron accumulation on faces of peds; common nodules of calcium carbonate, about 4 percent; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 50 cm [8 to 20 in] thick)

2Bk1--89 to 150 cm (35 to 59 in); white (2.5Y 8/1) clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; sticky and plastic; common fine roots; common medium pores; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; common medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation on faces of peds; many masses and nodules of calcium carbonate, about 40 percent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 61 cm [0 to 24 in] thick)

2Bk2--150 to 203 cm (59 to 80 in); white (2.5Y 8/1) loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; sticky and plastic; common medium faint very pale brown (10YR 7/3) and common medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation on faces of peds; many masses and nodules of calcium carbonate, about 35 percent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Lynn county, Texas; from the intersection of Farm Road 2053 and Farm Road 1054, 10.4 miles east of O'Donnell, then 2.5 miles east on County Road, 0.7 mile north on private road, then 220 ft east in playa basin; Latitude: 32 degrees, 59 minutes, 9.9 seconds N; Longitude: 101 degrees, 36 minutes, 17.8 seconds W; Indian Canyon NE, Texas USGS quad; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on udic. The soil cracks and
is dry more than 90 but less than 150 cumulative days in normal years. July
through August and November through March are the driest months. These soils are
intermittently moist in September through October and April through June. These
soils receive runoff and the soil moisture control section is moist for longer
periods than that of the surrounding upland soils.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 13 to 76 cm (5 to 30 in).
Depth to calcic horizon: 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 in).
Depth to slickensides: 10 to 50 (4 to 20 in).
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
Particle-size control section: 40 to 50 percent silicate clay.
This is a cyclic soil and undisturbed areas have gilgai microrelief with
microknolls 5 to 10 in higher than microdepressions. Distance between the
center of the microknoll and the center of the microdepression is about 5 to 15
ft. The microknoll makes up about 25 percent, the intermediate, or area
between the knoll and depression, about 50 percent, and the microdepression
about 25 percent. Cracks open and close each year except during higher than
normal rainfall years, and remain open less than 150 cumulative days during most
years. When dry, 1 to 8 cm wide (0.4 to 3 in) cracks extend from the surface to a depth
of 100 cm (40 in) or more. Cracks are more prominent in the microdepressions. COLE
greater than 0.08. Where redox features exceed 3 percent, they occur in less
than 25 percent of each pedon. The range in characteristics represents 50
percent or more of each pedon unless otherwise stated.

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or less
Texture: clay
Visible calcium carbonate: ranges from 0 to 5 percent as threads and concretions
Redoximorphic accumulations: none or few
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline

Bw horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or less
Texture: clay
Visible calcium carbonate: ranges from 0 to 5 percent as threads and concretions
Redoximorphic accumulations: none or few
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline

Bss horizons: (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or less
Texture: clay
Visible calcium carbonate: ranges from 0 to 2 percent as threads and concretions
Redoximorphic accumulations: none or few
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline

Bkss horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist,
Chroma: 2 or less
Texture: clay
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 40 percent
Visible calcium carbonate: 3 to 50 percent as threads, films, masses, and concretions.
Redoximorphic accumulations: none to few
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline

2Bk horizons: (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or less
Texture: clay, clay loam, loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent
Visible calcium carbonate: 3 to 50 percent as threads, films, masses, and concretions.
Redoximorphic accumulations: none to common.
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dreyer, Frelsburg and Latium series. Similar soils
also include the Cedarlake, Lazbuddie, Lockney, McLean, Ranco, Randall,
Sparenberg, and Yellowlake series.
Dreyer soils: have gypsum and a layer of interbedded shale between 100 and 203 cm (40 to 80 in).
Frelsburg and Latium soils: have an ochric epipedon and are formed in weakly
cemented calcareous clays and marls of Tertiary age.
Cedarlake and Yellowlake soils: have a sodium adsorption ratio (Sodium Adsorption Ratio) greater
than 13.
Lazbuddie soils: have a calcic horizon between 100 and 150 cm (40 to 60 in)
and cracks that remain open for 150 to 210 cumulative days during most years.
Lockney soils: have a calcic horizon at a depth greater than 150 cm (60 in) and
cracks that remain open for 150 to 210 cumulative days during most years.
McLean and Sparenberg soils: have more than 50 percent clay in the particle-size control section and do not have a calcic horizon.
Ranco and Randall soils: have aquic conditions and do not have a calcic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: calcareous, clayey lacustrine deposits of Quaternary age.
Landform: playa floor 1.5 to 15 m (5 to 50 ft) below the surrounding plain and range in size from 5 to more than 50 acres.
Slopes: range from 0 to 1 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 62 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 432 to 533 mm (17 to 21 in).
Frost-free period: 185 to 220 days.
Elevation: 823 to 1,311 m (2,700 to 4,300 ft).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 25 to 36.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar Ranco and Sparenberg
series and the Arch, Drake, Estacado, Midessa, Pep, Posey, and Portales series.
Ranco and Sparenberg soils are on similar landscape positions.
Arch, Midessa, Pep, and Portales soils are on slightly higher landscape
positions and have less than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control
section.
Drake soils are on eolian dunes and have less than 35 percent clay in the
particle-size control section.
Estacado and Posey soils are on higher landscape positions and have an argillic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Very slow permeability. Surface runoff is negligible on less than 1 percent slopes. These soils occasionally pond for brief to long periods.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for rangeland and some cropland. Many areas are planted to wheat in the fall and utilized for livestock pasture during the winter months. During dry years, some areas are cultivated to cotton or grain sorghum. Vegetation varies according to amount of water available. It includes western wheatgrass, buffalograss, blue grama, vine mesquite, Texas blueweed, kochia, western ragweed, cocklebur, sunflower, and mares-tail. Bur ragweed, sedges, spike rush, bushy knotweed, frog-fruit, and saltmarsh aster may occur in wetter areas. This soil has been correlated to the Playa (077CY027TX) range site in MLRA-77.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains of western Texas and eastern New Mexico (sub-MLRA-77C). The series is of minor extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: MLRA-77 Soil Survey; Lynn County, Texas; 1995.

REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Church and Randall series.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon: 0 to 36 cm (0 to 14 in). (A, Bw horizons)
Cambic horizon: 13 to 36 cm (5 to 14 in). (Bw horizon)
Calcic horizon: 89 to 203 cm (35 to 80 in). (2Bk1, 2Bk2 horizons)
Slickensides: 36 to 89 cm (14 to 35 in). (Bss and Bkss horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL sample number S94TX-305-002 (Lynn County, Texas).

Soil interpretations record: TX1298

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.