LOCATION COLMENA TX

Established Series
PDH-JLS-JKW
11/2010

COLMENA SERIES

The Colmena series consists of very deep, moderately permeable, well drained soils that formed in loamy sediments over calcareous loamy alluvium of Quaternary age. These nearly level to gently sloping soils are on side slopes of Paleoterrace remnants. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual temperature is about 22.2 degrees C (72 degrees F), and the mean annual precipitation is about 660 mm (26 inches).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Typic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Colmena fine sandy loam--on an east-facing, linear, 2 percent slope in rangeland; elevation is 21 meters (69 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 14 cm (0 to 6 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; common fine and medium roots; common fine tubular and very fine tubular pores; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

A2--14 to 28 cm (6 to 11 in); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable; common fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the A horizons is 20 to 46 cm [8 to 18 in])

Bt1--28 to 48 cm (11 to 19 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, very friable; common fine roots; common very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; 6 percent distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on all faces of peds; neutral; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--48 to 99 cm (19 to 39 in); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; very hard, very friable; common fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 8 percent distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on all faces of peds; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 46 to 127 cm [18 to 50 in])

2Btk1--99 to 128 cm (39 to 50 in); variegated matrix with 50 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) and 50 percent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, 50 percent brown (10YR 5/3) and 50 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; extremely hard, very friable; common fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 3 percent faint pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay films on surfaces along pores; 2 percent fine prominent irregular extremely weakly cemented white (7.5YR 8/1) calcium carbonate masses with sharp boundaries in matrix along faces of peds and 10 percent fine prominent irregular extremely weakly cemented white (7.5YR 8/1) calcium carbonate, finely disseminated with sharp boundaries infused in matrix; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

2Btk2--128 to 155 cm (50 to 61 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) sandy clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; extremely hard, very friable; common fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 3 percent faint light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay films on surfaces along pores; 15 percent fine prominent irregular extremely weakly cemented white (7.5YR 8/1) calcium carbonate masses with sharp boundaries in matrix along faces of peds; violent effervescence; slightly alkaline, pH 7.7; gradual smooth boundary.

2Btk3--155 to 203 cm (61 to 80 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; very hard, very friable; common fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 3 percent faint brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) clay films on surfaces along pores; 20 percent medium prominent irregular extremely weakly cemented white (7.5YR 8/1) calcium carbonate masses with sharp boundaries in matrix along faces of peds and 5 percent coarse prominent irregular weakly cemented white (7.5YR 8/1) calcium carbonate masses with sharp boundaries along faces of peds; violent effervescence; slightly alkaline. (combined thickness of the 2Btk horizons is 38 to 130 cm [15 to 51 in])

TYPE LOCATION: Kleberg County, Texas; from the intersection of U. S. Highway 77 and Highway 141 in Kingsville: 7.7 miles west on Highway 141; 3.1 miles southwest on ranch road; 2.1 miles south on ranch road; 4.0 miles east on ranch road; 200 feet south in rangeland. Escondido Lake, Texas USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude, 27 degrees, 28 minutes, 41.18 seconds N; Longitude, 97 degrees, 56 minutes, 6.70 seconds W.; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil Moisture: A typic-ustic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 days 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: 22.2 to 23.3 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Depth to argillic horizon: 13 to 38 cm (5 to 15 in)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 74 to 165 cm (29 to 65 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 20 to 32 percent

A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: loamy fine sand or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 19 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
EC (dS/cm): 0 to 3
SAR: 0 to 4
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 32 percent
Clay films: 4 to 8 percent, along faces of peds and in matrix, faint to distinct
Redox concentration: amount-0 to 10 percent, size-fine and medium, contrast-distinct, prominent, and clear, location-ped faces and along root channels
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
EC (dS/cm): 0 to 3
SAR: 0 to 4
Effervescence: none to slight
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

2Bk or 2Btk horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 8
Texture: loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 32 percent
Clay films: 3 to 5 percent, on surfaces along pores, faint
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonates: amount-2 to 20 percent threads, kind-masses and nodules, size-fine to coarse, location-infuse in matrix and in matrix along faces of peds
EC (dS/m): 0 to 1
SAR: 2 to 4
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alet (TX), Pernitas (TX), Pharr (TX), Orelia (TX), Runge (TX), and Weesatche (TX) series. Similar series are the Czar (TX), Racombes (TX) and Tela (TX).
Alet soils; do not have a litholgic discontinuity; are very rarely to rarely flooded.
Pernitas and Pharr soils: are calcareous throughout.
Orelia soils: do not have a litholgic discontinuity; are slowly permeable.
Runge soils: have thin strata of sandstone in lower horizons; occur on the Oakville and Fleming Formations.
Weesatche soils: have a calcic horizon within 100 cm (40 inches) of the surface.
Czar and Racombes soils: have a mollic epipedon thicker than 51 cm (20 inches).
Tela soils: an aridic moisture regime.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy sediments over calcareous loamy alluvium of Quaternary age
Landform: Paleoterrace remnants
Slope: 0 to 3 percent
Mean annual soil temperature: 22 to 23 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 610 to 760 mm (24 to 30 inches)
Frost-free period: 303 to 320 days
Elevation: 6 to 91 meters (20 to 300 feet)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 28 to 36

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Alet, Clareville, Czar, Delfina, Gertrudis, and Premont soils.
Alet soils: are on poorly defined drains and are rarely flooded.
Clareville and Czar soils: are on concave toeslope positions on stream terraces and have a mollic epipedon thicker than 50 cm (20 inches).
Delfina and Premont soils: are on convex shoulder positions on knolls and have an ochric epipedon.
Gertrudis soils: are on convex shoulder and sideslope positions on erosional remnants and are calcareous throughout.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is low.

USE AND VEGETATION: The major uses are crop production, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. Grasses present include false rhodesgrass, Kleberg bluestem, plains bristlegrass, shortspike windmillgrass, prairie threeawn, and guineagrass. Woody vegetation consists of mesquite, catclaw, elbowbush, limepricklyash, pricklypear, granjeno, and tassajillo. Crops grown include grain sorghum, watermelons, and cotton with some minor areas used for truck crops.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Rio Grande Plain, Texas; LRR I; MLRA 83A. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kleberg County, Texas, 2007. The name is from a creek in Duval County.

REMARKS: The series was previously included in the Runge series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Particle-size control section: 28 to 79 cm (11 to 31 in). (Bt horizons)
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 48 cm (0 to 19 in). (A and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 28 to 203 cm (11 to 80 in). (Bt and 2Btk horizons)
Lithologic Discontinuity: The zone from 99 to 203 cm (39 to 80 in). (2Btk horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: TAMU data from Kleberg County, Texas (S06-TX273-002); NSSL data from Duval County, Texas (S01TX-131-005)

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.