LOCATION ELGEE TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, thermic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Elgee fine sand--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated).
A--O to 19 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; single grain; loose; common very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; slightly effervescent; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick).
E1--19 to 52 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; single grain; loose; few fine, medium and coarse roots; neutral; gradual smooth boundary.
E2--52 to 62 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; single grain; loose; few fine and medium roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the E horizon range from 40 to 70 inches.)
Bt1--62 to 72 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) loamy fine sand red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few fine and medium discontinuous tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and bridging of sand grains; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bt2--72 to 80 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) loamy fine sand red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable; few medium and coarse roots; few very fine and fine discontinuous tubular pores; few faint discontinuous clay films on faces of peds, lining pores, and bridging sand grains; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Winkler County, Texas; from the junction of Texas Highway 115 and Texas Highway 18 in Kermit, 4.25 miles north on Texas Highway 18, 1.0 mile west on oiled road, 0.15 mile north on caliche road, 60 feet east in range. (Latitude: 31 degrees, 54 minutes, 46 seconds, North; Longitude: 103 degrees, 08 minutes, 00 seconds West.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Dry in all parts of the moisture control section three fourths or less of the time (cumulative) that the soil temperature is 5 degrees or higher at 20 inches. Ustic aridic moisture regime.
Solum thickness is more than 80 inches.
Reaction ranges from neutral to slightly alkaline.
Depth to an argillic horizon ranges from 40 to 75 inches.
Sand to clay ratio is greater than 13 and weighted average of organic carbon is less than 0.142.
A and E horizons
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand with 1 to 7 percent clay
Thickness: 40 to about 75 inches.
Bt horizon
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: loamy fine sand or fine sandy loam with a clay content of 8 to 15 percent.
C or BCk horizons, when present
Color: pink, reddish yellow, or light reddish brown
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Texture: loamy fine sand or fine sand.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elgee soils are on nearly level to gently undulating upland plains. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent and the surface is undulating. The soil formed in sandy sediments of eolian and possibly alluvial origin. The climate is arid to semi-arid. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 15 inches, and mean annual temperatures range from 60 to 64 degrees F.
Frost free days range from 210 to 240 days and elevation ranges from 2,700 to 3,500 feet. Thornthwaite P-E indices are less than 25.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Kermit, Penwell, Pyote, and Wickett soils. Kermit and Penwell soils do not have Bt horizons and are on similar, more hummocky landscapes. Pyote soils are on similar landscapes. Wickett soils are on low convex areas.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 3 percent slopes, and very low on slopes of 3 to 5 percent. Permeability is moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for native rangeland. Vegetation now growing on most areas is dropseeds, threeawns, bluestems, forbs, sand sagebrush and mesquite.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Trans Pecos of far west Texas (MLRA 42) and possibly Southern New Mexico. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Winkler County, Texas; 1993.
REMARKS: These soils would classify as loamy, siliceous, thermic Grossarenic Ustalfic Haplargids if the Grossarenic subgroup were provided for in SOIL TAXONOMY.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 62 inches (A and E horizons)
Argillic horizon - 62 to 80 inches (Bt horizons)
In October 2000, taxonomic classification was converted to the closest match found in Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition 1999. No update was made to horizon nomenclature, competing series section, etc. Other placements may be more appropriate after a complete update.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
NSSL: Characterization data available from the type location (S91TX-495-039)