LOCATION FAULA TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, thermic Lamellic Paleustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Faula loamy fine sand--cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common coarse and many fine roots; moderately acid, clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
E1--7 to 15 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few coarse and many fine and medium roots; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
E2--15 to 31 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium roots; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of E horizons range from 20 to 50 inches)
E&Bt1--31 to 46 inches; 85 percent of horizon is very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic (E); 15 percent of horizon is lamellae of strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; the lamellae are massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic (Bt); coatings of sand grains and some clay bridging in lamellae; lamellae are thin, wavy and continuous horizontally about 1/16 inch in thickness in the upper part, becoming 1/4 inch thick in the lower part; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
E&Bt2--46 to 80 inches; 80 percent of horizon is very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic (E); 20 percent of horizon is lamellae of strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; the lamellae are massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic (Bt); coatings of sand grains and some clay bridging in lamellae; lamellae are thicker, wavy and continuous horizontally about 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch in thickness; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Robertson County, Texas; from the intersection of U. S. Highway 79 and Farm to Market Road 1940 in New Baden, 6.5 miles east on U. S. Highway 79, 3.2 miles south on County Road 355, 30 feet west in woodland.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is greater than 80 inches. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 68 to 72 degrees F.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is sand, fine sand or loamy fine sand and is single grain or has weak granular structure. This horizon is loose or slightly hard and ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The E horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is fine sand or loamy fine sand. The E horizon contains few thin lamellae from 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick in some pedons, usually in the lower part. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral in the upper part and strongly acid to neutral in the lower part.
The Bt or E&Bt horizons have hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is loamy fine sand or fine sandy loam, but the control section averages loamy fine sand. The Bt horizons that are continuous horizontally and vertically are less common than the Bt horizons of lamellae. Where present, the upper part of the continuous Bt horizon is loamy fine sand. This horizon is dominantly massive, but some pedons have weak subangular blocky structure in the thicker lamellae or in the continuous Bt horizons. The Bt horizon ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aquilla (TX) and Eufaula (OK) series. Similar soils are the Joiner and Tadina series. Aquilla soils have a perched water table. Eufaula soils have mean annual soil temperature from 59 to 67 degrees F. Joiner and Tadina soils do not have lamellae.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Faula soils are on nearly level to undulating hummocky terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. The soils formed in sandy sediments of Pleistocene age. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 32 to 40 inches, and mean annual air temperature ranges from 66 to 70 degrees F. Frost free days range from 240 to 280 days, and elevation ranges from 250 to 1,000 feet. Thornthwaite annual P-E indices ranges from 44 to 64.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chazos, Robco, Tabor, and Tadina series. Chazos and Tabor soils are in the fine family, and occur on adjacent landscapes in slightly lower positions. Robco soils have sandy A and E horizons between 20 and 40 inches thick, and occur on adjacent landscapes in slightly lower positions. Tadina soils are on similar positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained. Permeability is rapid. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 3 percent slopes, very low on 3 to 5 percent slopes, and low on 5 to 8 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Dominantly used for rangeland. Native vegetation is post oak, blackjack oak, hickory, and yaupan with an understory of tall grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Drainage systems of the Colorado, Brazos, and Navasota Rivers and their tributaries within the Blackland and Claypan Prairies of Texas (MLRAs 86 and 87). The series is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colorado County, Texas, 1997
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Eufaula series. They are separated based on mean annual soil temperature. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 7 inches. (A horizon)
Albic horizon - 7 to 31 inches. (E horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone of lamellae layers from 31 inches to 80 inches. (E&Bt
horizons)
Psammentic feature - a sandy particle size class throughout the argillic horizon.