LOCATION FALFURRIAS TX

Established Series
CMT-RM-CKH
11/2013

FALFURRIAS SERIES

The Falfurrias series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained, rapidly permeable soils that formed in deep eolian sand deposits of Holocene age. These soils are on nearly level to steep vegetated dunes on the Sandsheet Prairie of the South Texas Coastal Plain. Slope ranges mainly from 0 to 8 percent, but range up to 15 percent on hummocky vegetated sand dunes. Mean annual precipitation is about 635 mm (25 in) and mean annual air temperature is about 22.2 degrees C (72 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, hyperthermic Typic Ustipsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Falfurrias fine sand, on a southwest facing, convex, 3 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 20 m (67 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 8 cm (0 to 3 in), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose; common fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.

A2--8 to 41 cm (3 to 16 in), brown (10YR 5/3) fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose; common fine roots; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary.

A3--41 to 97 cm (16 to 38 in), light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose; common fine to coarse roots; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 15 to 102 cm [6 to 40 in])

C1--97 to 145 cm (38 to 57 in), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; single grain; loose; few fine black iron-manganese stains; few very fine roots; strongly acid; diffuse smooth boundary. (25 to 102 cm [10 to 40 in] thick)

C2--145 to 203 cm (57 to 80 in), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; single grain; loose; few fine brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Brooks County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S. Highway 281 and Farm Road 755 in Rachal; 4.05 miles north on U.S. Hwy 281 to ranch gate of the Encino Division of the King Ranch; 7.5 miles east on ranch road; 4.7 miles northeast on ranch road; 100 feet west of road in rangeland. Sarita SW, TX USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 27 degrees, 00 minutes, 09.7 seconds N.; Longitude: 97 degrees, 59 minutes, 09.8 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An Ustic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 but less than 180 cumulative days in normal years.

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: Trace to 5 percent
Sand content: 91 to 99 percent

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sand or sand
Clay content: 4 percent or less
Base saturation: 58 to 100 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sand or sand
Clay content: 4 percent or less
Redox concentrations: 0 to 2 percent; fine; distinct, and with sharp boundaries.
Base saturation: 62 to 100 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arenisco (TX), Atiras (TX), and Medanito (TX) series in the same family. Similar soils include the Estella (TX), Galveston (TX), and Sarita (TX) series.
Arenisco soils: have a fluctuating water table within 203 cm (80 in) of the surface.
Atiras soils: have a buried soil within 102 to 203 cm (40 to 80 in) from the surface.
Medanito soils: have a buried soil within 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in) from the surface.
Estella and Sarita soils: have an argillic horizon within 203 cm (80 in).
Galveston soils: have an udic moisture regime.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Eolian sand deposits of Holocene age
Landform: vegetated sand dunes of the Sandsheet Prairie
Slope: 0 to 15 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 508 to 737 mm (21 to 29 in)
Precipitation Pattern: November through April are the driest months, with a second low rainfall period in July and August, while September is the wettest.
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 21 to 44
Mean annual air temperature: 21.7 to 23.3 degrees C (71 to 74 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 300 to 350 days
Elevation: 4.6 to 152.4 m (15 to 500 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Atiras, Estella, Medanito, and Sarita series and also Cayo, Comitas, Nueces, Padrones, and Topo series.
Atiras, Estella, and Sarita soils: occur on lower positions.
Cayo and Topo soils: are calcareous throughout and occur on lower positions.
Comitas and Nueces soils: have an argillic horizon from 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in) of the surface and occur on lower positions.
Medanito and Padrones soils: have a natric horizon and occur on lower positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained. Permeability is rapid. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 5 percent slopes, very low on 5 to 20 percent slopes, and low on slopes greater than 20 percent.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation consists mostly of mid and tall grasses such as seacoast bluestem, switchgrass, gulfdune paspalum and threeawns. Woody vegetation include live oak and mesquite trees. The ecological site is Sand Hills 22-35 PZ (R083EY707TX)

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sandsheet Prairie, Texas; LRR I, MLRA 83E; the series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jim Hogg County, Texas; 1970.

REMARKS: This is a Benchmark Series.
This soil was formerly included in the Tivoli series.

Edited 11/2013 (RFG-CKH): Changed to somewhat excessively drained, updated competing series and geographic setting sections.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: 25 to 102 cm (10 to 40 in)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 97 cm (0 to 38 in) (A horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data from type location S77TX047004. Additional data also available from NSSL S77TX047001 and S78TX047001, and TAMU data S87TX261004.

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.