LOCATION CHEETHAM TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, hyperthermic Plinthaquic Paleudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Cheetham loamy sand--pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; few fine rounded concretions of iron-manganese; few fine iron enriched concretions; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
E1--5 to 20 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; few fine and medium rounded concretions of iron-manganese; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
E2--20 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine and medium pores; many fine and medium faint (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation with sharp, clear, and diffuse boundaries; few fine rounded concretions of iron-manganese; few fine ironstone pebbles; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of E horizons is 11 to 24 inches)
Bt1--28 to 36 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, white (10YR 8/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; many fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), many fine and medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), and few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation with sharp, clear, or diffuse boundaries; common faint clay films on surfaces of peds; 1 percent (7.5YR 7/3) lenses of uncoated sand on surfaces of peds; 3 percent (10YR 7/2) clay depletions on surfaces of peds; few fine and medium rounded concretions of iron-manganese; few fine ironstone pebbles; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
Bt2--36 to 49 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy clay loam, white (10YR 8/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; many fine to coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and few fine and medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of iron accumulation with sharp boundaries; common faint clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine and medium rounded concretions of iron-manganese; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
Btv1--49 to 67 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy clay loam, white (10YR 8/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; many medium and coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), many medium and coarse prominent yellow (10YR 7/8), and many fine to coarse prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of iron accumulation with sharp boundaries; 10 percent nodular plinthite; common faint and distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine and medium rounded concretions of iron-manganese; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Btv2--67 to 74 inches; white (2.5Y 8/2) sandy clay loam, white (5Y 8/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common medium distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6, 6/8) and many fine to coarse prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of iron accumulation with sharp boundaries; 10 percent nodular plinthite; common faint and distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
BCt--74 to 80 inches; white (2.5Y 8/2) sandy clay loam, white (5Y 8/1) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, sticky and very plastic; many medium and coarse prominent red (2.5YR 3/6) masses of iron accumulation with sharp boundaries; few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; 1 percent (7.5YR 5/4) lenses of uncoated sand on surfaces of peds; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Colorado County, Texas; In Columbus, from the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Texas Highway 71, 1.0 mile west on U.S. Highway 90, 3.3 miles south on Farm Road 806, 5.9 miles south on county road, 2.0 miles northwest on county road, site is 100 feet east in sparsely wooded pasture. (Lat. 29, 35, 35.5 N; Long. 96, 38, 20, W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is more than 80 inches. Depth to horizons containing 5 to 15 percent plinthite ranges from 25 to 49 inches. Ironstone pebbles range from 0 to 5 percent. Clay content of the 10- to 40- inch particle size control section ranges from 20 to 35 percent.
The combined thickness of the A and E horizons range from 20 to 40 inches. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The A or Ap horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 or 6. Texture is loamy sand.
The E horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 6. The E horizon is 1 to 2 units of value higher than the A horizon in most pedons. Texture is loamy sand or loamy fine sand.
The Bt horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 8. Masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown, yellow, and red range from common to many. Iron accumulations are redoximorphic features. Iron depletions in shades of gray range from few to many and are both contemporary and relict redoximorphic features. Depth to low chroma depletions related to contemporary wetness ranges from 24 to more than 50 inches. Texture is sandy clay loam, loam, or clay loam. Clay content ranges from 20 to 35 percent. Plinthite ranges from 0 to 5 percent by volume. Ironstone pebbles range from 0 to 15 percent. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Btv horizons are mottled with matrix color in hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 8. Masses of iron accumulations in shades of brown, yellow, and red range from common to many. Iron accumulations are relict redoximorphic features. Iron depletions in shades of gray range from few to many and are both contemporary and relict redoximorphic features. Texture is sandy clay loam, clay loam, or sandy clay. Plinthite ranges from 5 to 15 percent by volume. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
Where present below a depth of 60 inches, BC horizons have hue of 2.5Y, value of 6 to 8, and chroma of 1 or 2. Masses of iron accumulation in shades of brown and red range from few to many. Iron accumulations are relict redoximorphic features. Texture is sandy clay loam, sandy clay or clay. Lenses of sand on faces of peds range none to few. Reaction ranges from neutral to extremely acid.
COMPETING SERIES: The Wockley series is in the same family. Similar series include Catilla, Depcor, Fetzer, Hockley, Katy, Landman, Milby, Monaville, Robco, Segno, Styx, and Tremona. Wockley soils have surface horizons finer than loamy sand. Katy soils have fine sandy loam surface layers less than 20 inches thick, and do not have significant accumulations of plinthite within 60 inches of the soil surface. Catilla and Landman soils have sandy surface layers greater than 40 inches thick. Depcor and Monaville soils do not have gray colors related to wetness within 30 inches of the soil surface. Fetzer soils contain less than 5 percent plinthite. Hockley and Segno soils have fine sandy loam surface layers. Milby soils are in the hyperthermic temperature regime. Robco, Styx and Tremona soils are in the ustic moisture regime. In addition, Tremona soils have a clayey particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cheetham soils are on very gently sloping uplands mainly along transitional borders between the Coastal Prairie (150A) and the Claypan Prairie (87A) Major Land Resource Areas. The soil formed in loamy sediments of Pleistocene age, mainly on the Willis Geologic formation. Slopes range from 1 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 38 to 42 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 68 to 70 degrees F. Frost-free days range from 260 to 280, and elevation ranges 220 to 400 feet. Thornthwaite P-E Index ranges 52 to 62.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Catilla, Joiner, Robco, Straber, Tremona, and Wockley. Catilla and Joiner soils are on slightly higher landscape positions. In addition, Joiner soils are sandy throughout. Robco soils are on slightly lower landscape positions on terraces adjacent to stream channels. Straber and Tremona soils are on similar landscape positions. In addition, Straber soils have sandy surfaces. Wockley soils are on slightly lower or similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Permeability is moderately slow. The soils have a perched water table at a depth of 2.0 to 4.0 feet for brief periods in the winter and spring. Runoff is very low.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used as pasture and wooded rangeland. Native prairie grasses include andropogons, paspalums, and panicums. Scattered hardwood trees include black hickory, cedar, live oak, post oak, and water oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Texas; mainly along transitional borders between the Coastal Prairie (150A) and the Claypan Prairie (87A) Major Land Resource Areas. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colorado County, Texas; 1997. The Cheetham series is named after the former community of Cheetham located in the southwestern part of Colorado County.
REMARKS: This soil was formerly included in the Monaville and Tremona series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 28 inches. (A and E horizons)
Argillic horizon - 28 to 80 inches. (Bt and BCt horizons)
Redoximorphic features with chroma of 2 or less related to contemporary and relict wetness.
Plinthite makes up 5 to 15 percent of some part of the argillic horizon.
Soil Interpretation Record No.: TX1318