LOCATION ELMINA TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, thermic Aquic Arenic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Elmina loamy fine sand - forested. (Colors
are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy
fine sand, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; single grained; very
friable, soft; has thin forest litter of pine needles and
twigs; many fine to coarse roots; strongly acid; clear
smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
E1--4 to 20 inches, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy
fine sand, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) dry; single grained;
very friable, soft; common medium and coarse roots; common
fine pores; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 24
inches thick)
E2--20 to 32 inches, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy
fine sand, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) dry; few medium
distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles; single grained;
very friable, soft; common medium and coarse roots; common
fine pores; few fine siliceous pebbles; strongly acid;
abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
Bt1--32 to 40 inches, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay,
light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; common medium prominent
red (10YR 4/8) and distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8)
mottles; moderate medium angular blocky structure; very
hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium
and coarse roots; few fine pores; few fine siliceous
pebbles; few fine black concretions; very strongly acid;
gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)
Bt2--40 to 52 inches, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2)
clay, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; common medium prominent
dark red (10R 3/6) and few fine distinct yellowish brown
(10YR 5/8) mottles; moderate coarse blocky structure; very
hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium
and coarse roots; few fine pores; very strongly acid; clear
smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Cr--52 to 60 inches, weakly to strongly cemented gray
sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Walker County, Texas; from the intersection
of Interstate Highway 45 and Texas Highway 30 in the western
edge of Huntsville, Texas, 7.75 miles west on Texas Highway
30; then north 3.9 miles on Farm Road 2550; then 0.5 mile east-northeast on an unpaved road and 100 feet north of road
in timber.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 40 to
60 inches. The A and E horizons are loamy fine sand or fine
sand and are slightly acid through very strongly acid.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma
of 2 or 3. The E horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 5 to
7, and chroma of 3 or 4. Mottles, where present, range from
faint to distinct and are brown and yellow.
Some pedons have thin BE or Bw horizons of sandy clay loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma
of 1 or 2. Texture is clay or sandy clay. Mottles are
yellow, brown, strong brown, reddish brown, or red. The Bt
horizons range from medium acid to extremely acid. In some
pedons a few siliceous pebbles are present and are mostly concentrated at the top of the Bt horizon.
Some pedons have BC horizons of sandy clay loam.
The Cr layer ranges from weakly to strongly cemented
sandstone to tuffaceous clays with rock structure.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same
family. Similar soils are the
Depcor,
Gomery,
Larue,
Rimer,
Tustin, and
Wolfpen series. Depcor soils have loamy control
sections and siliceous mineralogy. Gomery, Larue, Rimer,
and Wolfpen soils have fine-loamy control sections. In
addition, Gomery soils have less than 35 percent base
saturation; Larue and Wolfpen soils have siliceous
mineralogy; and Rimer soils have mean annual soil
temperatures of less than 59 degrees F. Tustin soils have
mixed mineralogy and mean annual soil temperatures of less
than 59 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elmina soils are on gently sloping to
sloping uplands. Slope gradients are mostly 1 to 5 percent,
but range up to 8 percent. The soil formed in sandy and
clayey deposits containing volcanic materials. The climate
is subhumid. The average annual temperature is 67 degrees
to 70 degrees F. At the type location, the mean annual
precipitation is about 44 inches and the Thornthwaite annual
P-E index is about 70.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Arol,
Falba,
Kitterll, and
Redco series. Arol and Falba soils have thin
loamy surface layers and have aquic moisture regimes.
Kitterll soils have sola less than 20 inches thick. Redco
soils are clayey throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow to
very slow runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly in forest and pastureland.
Pastures are mostly improved bermudagrass. The native
vegetation is an overstory of loblolly and shortleaf pine,
red oak, and sweetgum, with an understory of eastern little
bluestem and panicums.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Texas. Series is of
moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Walker County, Texas; 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in
this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 4 inches
Arenic feature - 0 to 32 inches, loamy sand or coarser
texture
Aquic feature - Mottles due to wetness below 20 inches
Paralithic contact - 52 inches