LOCATION ELMENWOOD TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Udertic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Elmenwood sandy clay loam--native pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 12 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; common fine and medium roots; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 16 inches thick)
Bt--12 to 25 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm; common fine roots; few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Btss--25 to 42 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; common slickensides; common prominent pressure surfaces; few vertical cracks partly filled with material from above; common prominent clay films on surfaces of peds; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 25 inches thick)
Btkss--42 to 54 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; common slickensides; common prominent pressure surfaces; few vertical cracks partly filled with material from above; common prominent clay films on surfaces of peds; 3 percent fine concretions and masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
Bkss1--54 to 68 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; weak coarse angular blocky structure; common slickensides; common prominent pressure surfaces; 3 to 5 percent concretions and masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Bkss2--68 to 80 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; weak coarse angular blocky structure; common slickensides; common distinct pressure surfaces; 3 to 5 percent concretions and masses of calcium carbonate; common medium distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation with sharp boundaries; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Lavaca County, Texas; from Farm Road 531 in Sweet Home, 2.2 miles southwest on Farm Road 318, about 3.2 miles southeast on Farm Road 2543 to Pilot Grove, 1.4 miles south, 0.25 mile west, and 100 feet north in a micro-depression in a native pasture. (USGS Sweet Home topographic quadrangle; Latitude 29N, 17, 13 and 97W, 04, 54)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is 60 to more than 80 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to 55 inches and the aplitude of waviness of the lower boundary is about 15 to 30 inches. When dry, cracks 1 to 2 inches wide extend from the surface to depths of more than 50 inches. Depth to slickensides and pressure surfaces ranges from 20 to 30 inches. Weighted average clay content of the particle-size control section ranges from 35 to 40 percent. Depth to secondary carbonates ranges from 16 to 54 inches. The soil is noncalcareous in the upper part.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The AB or BA horizons where present, have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. Clay content ranges from 20 to 30 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bt and Btss horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is clay loam or clay. Clay content ranges from 35 to 45 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Btkss horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 6. Few to common redoximorphic features are in shades of brown, yellow, gray or red. Texture is clay loam, or clay. Clay content ranges from 35 to 45 percent. Secondary calcium carbonate in the form of films, threads, masses, or concretions ranges 2 to 10 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bkss horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 1 to 8. Few to common redoximorphic feature are in shades of brown, yellow, gray or red. Texture is clay loam, sandy clay, or clay. Clay content ranges from 30 to 45 percent. Secondary calcium carbonate in the form of films, threads, masses, or concretions ranges 2 to 10 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
Where present, BC or C horizons are in shades of gray, pink, brown, and yellow. Texture is clayey or interbedded loamy material.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same family. Similar soils include the Benchley, Elmendorf, Hallettsville, Lofton, Renfro, Sproul, and Topia series. Benchley, Hallettsville, and Lofton soils are in the thermic temperature regime. In addition, Hallettsville soils have an abrupt textural change between the A and Bt horizons. Elmendorf soils are dry for longer periods of time in the moisture control section. In addition, Elmendorf soils do not have redoximorphic features in the Bt horizons. Renfrow soils have mixed mineralogy. Sproul and Topia soils have very-fine particle size control sections.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elmenwood soils are on very gently sloping uplands of the Southern Blackland Prairie (MLRA 86B). These soils occupy microlows in complex soil areas. Slopes range from 1 to 3 percent. The soil formed in calcareous clayey materials of the Goliad and Fleming Formations. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 38 to 40 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 67 to 70 degrees F. Frost free days range from 270 to 280. Elevation ranges from 200 to 400 feet. Thornthwaite P-E Index ranges from 50 to 60.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Denvaca, Dubina, Frelsburg, and Hallettsville series. Denvaca soils do not have a mollic epipedon are on micro ridges or knolls in a complex with Elmenwood soils. Dubina soils have a sandy mollic epipedon and are on similar and slightly higher landscape positions. Frelsburg soils are on slightly higher landscape positions. Hallettsville soils have an abrupt textural change between the A and Bt horizons and are on similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is slow. Runoff is medium.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly used for pasture. Pasture grasses include improved bermudagrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Blackland Prairie (MLRA 86B). The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colorado County, Texas; 1997.
Remarks: Elmenwood soils were formerly included with the Elmendorf series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 25 inches. (A, Bt, Btss and Btkss horizons)
Argillic horizon - 12 to 54 inches. (Bt, Btss and Btkss horizons)
Udertic feature - Slickensides and pressure surfaces below a depth of 25 inches, and cracks to the surface when dry.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Soil Interpretation Record Number: TX 1343