LOCATION DECORDOVA          TX
Established Series
Rev. GLL-WJG-TEC-SCP
10/2002

DECORDOVA SERIES

The Decordova series consists of very deep, moderately rapidly permeable soils formed in sandy and loamy alluvium. These nearly level to gently sloping soils are on low stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, active, thermic Udic Paleustalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Decordova loamy fine sand--cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 14 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; loose; very friable; few fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)

B21t--14 to 58 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic parting to weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; few clean sand grains; common fine pores; few siliceous pebbles, few insect burrows in upper part; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (16 to 48 inches thick)

B22t--58 to 78 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable; few pockets of clean sand grains; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)

B3t--78 to 80 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/8) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/8) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; few pockets of clean sand grains; neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Somervell County, Texas; from Glen Rose 5.7 miles east on U. S. Highway 67 to intersection of Farm Road 199, then 4.8 miles north on Farm Road 199 to its end, then 0.1 mile on county road curving to west and 68 yards north of fence row in cultivated field.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is more than 60 inches thick. Small siliceous pebbles range from none to about 10 percent by volume.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR and 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6, chroma of 2 through 4. The reaction ranges from medium acid through neutral.

The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, and 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 3 through 8. Texture is fine sandy loam or loam with clay content of about 6 to 17 percent. Some pedons contain streaks and pockets of uncoated sand in the lower part. The reaction ranges from medium acid through neutral and increases with depth to moderately alkaline and calcareous in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same family. Other competing series are the Apalo, Bastrop, Devol, Duffau, and Springer series. Apalo soils have coarse-silty control sections. Bastrop and Duffau soils have fine-loamy control sections. Devol and Springer soils have mixed mineralogy and are dry in the moisture control section for longer periods.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Decordova soils are on nearly level to undulating stream terraces. Surfaces are plane to convex and undulating. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent, but are dominantly less than 3 percent. The soil formed in thick beds of loamy or sandy alluvial materials on high terraces of the Brazos River which have been reworked by wind. The climate is moist subhumid with average rainfall of 28 to 38 inches and Thornthwaite P-E indices of 44 to 56. The mean annual temperature ranges from 66 degrees to 70 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are competing Apalo and Bastrop series and the Gaddy, Minwells, Paluxy, Pedernales, and Yahola series. Apalo soils are on positions similar to Decordova soils. Bastrop soils are on slightly higher terraces. Gaddy and Yahola soils are stratified alluvial soils below on flood plains. Minwells and Pedernales soils have argillic horizons with more than 35 percent clay and are above on higher terraces or associated uplands. Paluxy soils lack an argillic horizon and are on similar terrace positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes and very low on 1 to 5 percent slopes; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Major crops are peanuts, forage sorghum, and grain sorghum. The remainder is in bermudagrass pasture or native rangeland.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Texas mainly along the Brazos River. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Somervell County, Texas; 1975. Hood and Somervell Counties, Texas survey area.

REMARKS: The Decordova series was classified in the Reddish-Prairie great soil group. These soils were formerly included in the Bastrop series.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.