LOCATION COWMARSH TX

Established Series
JKW-ALS-RM
07/2014

COWMARSH SERIES

The Cowmarsh series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in clayey alluvial deposits of Holocene age. These depressional soils are oxbows and relict channels of rivers. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent but mainly less than 1 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 20 degrees C (68 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is about 1350 mm (53 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, acid, thermic Typic Fluvaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Cowmarsh mucky clay-in oxbow. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ag--0 to 30 cm, (0 to 12 in); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), clay; massive; firm; common medium roots and many very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 3 percent fine faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) iron-manganese masses with clear boundaries on faces of peds; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 41 cm [4 to 16 in] thick)

Cg1--30 to 43 cm, (12 to 17 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1), clay; massive; extremely firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores and 7 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on surfaces along pores; 5 percent fine faint gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations; extremely acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg2--43 to 89 cm, (17 to 35 in); gray (10YR 5/1), clay; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm; common very fine to medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) organic stains on vertical faces of peds; 10 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds; extremely acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg3--89 to 109 cm, (35 to 43 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1), clay; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm; common very fine to medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; few thin strata 1 cm to 1.5 cm thick of silty clay loam texture;2 percent prominent dark gray (10YR 4/1) organic stains on vertical faces 0f peds; 6 percent fine prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/4) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 12 percent fine and medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary.

Cg4--109 to 163 cm, (43 to 64.2 in); gray (10YR 6/1), clay; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent prominent dark gray (10YR 4/1) organic stains on vertical faces of peds; 5 percent fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 10 percent fine and medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Cg horizons is 162 to 183 cm [64 to 72 in])

Cg5--163 to 203 CM, (64.2 to 79.9 in); gray (10YR 6/1), clay; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent prominent dark gray (10YR 4/1) organic stains on vertical faces of peds; 5 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 20 percent fine and medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds; extremely acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Hardin County, Texas; from the intersection of Texas Highway 92 and Farm Road 2937 in Silsbee; 3.3 miles north on Farm Road 2937 to county road; 0.5 mile east on county road to oil field service road; 0.5 mile north on oil field service road; 50 ft north in slough. 30 degrees 26 minutes 54.5 seconds N; 94 degrees 9 minutes 43.1 seconds W; Deserter Baygall topographic quadrangle; NAD 83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An aquic soil moisture regime.

Mean annual soil temperature: 20.6 to 21.7 degrees C. (69 to 71 degrees F)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 42 to 55 percent

Ag Horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent, color-shades of brown or yellow
Reaction: extremely acid or very strongly acid

Cg Horizons
Hue: N, 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 0 or 1
Texture: clay, clay loam, silty clay or silty clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 55 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-2 to 30 percent, color-shades of red, brown, or yellow
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 15 percent, color-shades of gray, green, or blue
Reaction: extremely acid or very strongly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils are Cypress (TX) in the same family; and Angelina (TX), Bibb (AL), Itano (CA) and Nawney (VA) series.

Cypress soils have mixed mineralogy
Angelina and Nawney soils have a fine-loamy particle size family and have an active activity class.
Bibb soils have a coarse-loamy particle size family and have an active activity class.
Itano soils have a fine-silty particle size family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: clayey alluvial deposits of Holocene age.
Landscape: River valley
Landform: oxbow or relict channel
Slope: Less than 0.5 percent; these areas are depressions
Mean annual air temperature range: 19.5 to 20.6 degrees C (67 to 69 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation range: 1219 to 1575 mm (48 to 62 in)
Precipitation Pattern: Rainfall is fairly uniform throughout the year
Frost-free period: 240 to 300 days
Elevation: 3 to 46 m (10 to 150 ft)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 68 to 80

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Belrose (TX), Caneyhead (TX), Kenefick (TX), and Votaw (TX) series.
Belrose and Kenefick soils are loamy throughout, are better drained and are on relict bars.
Caneyhead soils are loamy throughout and are on abandoned channels.
Votaw soils are sandy throughout and are on relict point bars.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: very poorly drained. Runoff is negligible. Frequently flooded for very long periods from February through May. The soil is ponded or the surface is saturated for very long periods once flood waters have receded.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists of Tupelo and Cypress.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast, Texas from the Trinity River to the Sabine River; Land Resource Region T; MLRA 152B; the series is of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Hardin County, Texas, 2013, MLRA 152B Soil Survey Update, Texas, 2013. The name is coined from Cow Marsh, an oxbow lake in Hardin County, Texas.

REMARKS: The series was formerly included in the Cypress and Fausse series. The Cypress series is in MLRA 133B, at a higher elevation and in a shorter period of frost free days. The Fausse series is nonacid, has more clay and is associated with the Mississippi River system.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 25 to 100 cm (10 to 40 in). (Ag, Cg1, Cg2, Cg3 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 in). (Ag horizon)
Aquic conditions: 0 to 203 cm (0 to 80 in)

Additional Comments: The mineralogy is assumed based on similar soils.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Particle-size analysis and pH tests were performed at the project office on 5 pedons. KSSL data on pedon S12TX1991028.

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.