LOCATION FRANEAU TX
Established Series
GWC-WLM-RM
07/2014
FRANEAU SERIES
The Franeau series consists of very deep, poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils. These soils formed in clayey sediments of Pleistocene age. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1397 mm (55 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 20.5 degrees C (69 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Typic Natraquerts
TYPICAL PEDON: Franeau clay in rangeland at an elevation of 1 m (3 ft). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.
A1--0 to 10 cm, (0 to 4 in); black (10YR 2/1) clay; moderate very fine blocky and subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; common fine and medium roots; few fine pores; slightly sodic; very slightly saline; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
A2--10 to 41 cm, (4 to 16 in); black (10YR 2/1) clay; moderate fine blocky and subangular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm; common fine and medium roots; few fine pores; common pressure faces; slightly sodic; very slightly saline; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the A horizons is 25 to 51 cm [10 to 20 in]).
Bssg1--41 to 53 cm, (16 to 21 in); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; common fine and medium roots; few fine pores; common prominent slickensides; common pressure faces; few fine iron-manganese concretions; slightly sodic; very slightly saline; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bssg2--53 to 69 cm, (21 to 27 in); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay; moderate medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine and medium roots; few fine pores; common prominent slickensides; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) iron accumulations; common pressure faces; few fine iron-manganese concretions; moderately sodic; slightly saline; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bssg3--69 to 107 cm, (27 to 42 in); gray (10YR 5/1) clay; moderate medium and coarse angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine and medium roots; few fine pores; common prominent slickensides; common pressure faces; common medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron accumulations; few fine iron-manganese concretions; moderately sodic; slightly saline; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bssg4--107 to 137 cm, (42 to 54 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1) clay; strong medium and coarse angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common prominent slickensides; common pressure faces; common medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron accumulations; few fine iron-manganese concretions; moderately sodic; slightly saline; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bssg5--137 to 155 cm, (54 to 61 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1) clay; strong medium and coarse angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; common prominent slickensides; common pressure faces; common medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron accumulations; few fine iron-manganese concretions; moderately sodic; slightly saline; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bssg horizons is 152 to 203 cm [60 to 80 in thick])
Bssg6--155 to 203 cm, (61 to 80 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1) clay; moderate medium and coarse angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; common prominent slickensides; common pressure faces; common medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron accumulations; few fine and medium iron-manganese concretions; moderately sodic; slightly saline; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Texas; from the intersection of State Highway 124 and State Highway 73 southwest of Hampshire; 2 miles west on State Highway 73; 12.55 miles south on State Highway 124; 1.7 miles east on private shell road; 1.05 miles south-southeast on shell road; 1,700 ft south-southeast to fence; 500 ft southeast in rangeland. (Latitude 29 degrees, 37 minutes, 36 seconds N; Longitude 94 degrees, 20 minutes, 19 seconds W). WGS84, UTM Zone 15.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An aquic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 21.7 to 22.2 degrees C (71 to 72 degrees F)
Depth to slickensides: 31 to 61 cm (12 to 24 in).
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 45 to 60 percent
A Horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 2 to 5
Chroma:1 or 2
Texture: clay
Clay Content: 42 to 57 percent
Redox Concentrations: amount-0 to 18 percent, size-fine, contrast-prominent, location-lining pores, shades-brown
Electrical conductivity: 1 to 4 dS/m
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 6 to 20
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral
Upper Bssg Horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: clay
Clay Content: 42 to 46 percent
Redox Concentrations: amount-0 to 12 percent, size-fine or medium, contrast-prominent, location-in matrix or in matrix surrounding redox concentration, shades-red, yellow or brown
Redox Depletions: amount-1 or 2 percent, size-fine or medium, contrast-faint, location-in matrix, shades-gray
Electrical conductivity: 2 to 8 dS/m
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 10 to 30
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral
Lower Bssg Horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 1
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay Content: 44 to 50 percent
Redox Concentrations: amount-1 to 20 percent, size-fine to coarse, contrast-faint to prominent, location-matrix, shades-red or brown
Redox Depletions: amount-1 to 5 percent, size-fine or medium, contrast-faint or distinct, location-matrix, shades-gray
Secondary carbonate: amount-0 to 5 percent, kind-calcium carbonate nodule
Electrical conductivity: 2 to 8 dS/m
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 10 to 30
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Aransas and
Harris series in the same family. Similar soils are the
Francitas soils.
Aransas soils:
Occur on flood plains and contain Holocene age sediments
Harris soils:
Occur on a lower landscape
Francitas soils: are on higher landscape positions and are dry in the moisture control section for longer periods of time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: clayey fluviomarine deposits of the Beaumont Formation of Pleistocene age
Landscape: coastal plains
Landform: slight depression Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Microfeature: gilgai
Mean annual precipitation: 1219 to 1575 mm (48 to 62 in)
Precipitation Pattern: Precipitation is fairly uniform throughout the year with slight peaks in the fall and spring months
Thornthwaite annual P-E index: 68 to 80
Mean annual air temperature: 20.0 to 22.2 degrees C (68 to 72 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 270 to 300 days
Elevation: 0 to 1.5 m (0 to 5 ft)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Beaumont,
China,
League,
Meaton and
Harris series.
Beaumont,
China and
League soils: are more acid; on slightly higher landform positions.
Meaton soils: have an argillic horizon: on slightly higher landform positions.
Harris soils: are on lower lanform that are flooded daily by tide.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is negligible. An apparent water table occurs in the A and upper Bssg horizons for a period of several months in most years. These soils have aquic conditions in most years. Storm surges cover most areas below 5 ft elevation about 5 to 50 times in 100 years. These soils have aquic conditions in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for native range and pasture. Native grasses are mainly gulf cordgrass, and species of andropogon and paspalum.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Prairie of Texas, east of the Trinity River and possibly in western Louisiana; LRR T; MLRA 150A. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Texas; 1996
REMARKS: The Franeau soils were formerly included with the Francitas series. The name Franeau is coined.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 69 cm (0 to 27 in) (A1, A2, Bssg1, Bssg2 horizon).
Cambic horizon 69 to 203 cm (27 to 80 in) (Bssg3, Bssg4, Bssg5, and Bssg5 horizons).
Aquic features - redoximorphic features 25 to 203 cm (10 to 80 in) and aquic conditions in the upper part of the pedon in most years.
Vertic features - Slickensides at a depth of 25 to 203 cm (10 to 80 in).
Natric features - SAR of 13 or more within 100 cm of the surface
ADDITIONAL DATA: This is a cyclic soil and undisturbed areas have gilgai microrelief with microknolls 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) higher than microdepressions. Distance from the center of the microknoll to the center of the microdepression ranges from about 2.4 to 4.9 m (8 to 16 ft). The amplitude of waviness between mollic colored materials in the upper part of the solum and the higher value colors in the lower part ranges from about 25 to 76 cm (10 to 30 in). The chimneys of high value materials on the microknolls make up less than 5 percent of the surface area. They are mainly 1.5 to 3 m (5 to 10 ft) long and 0.9 to 1.5 m) 3 to 5 ft wide. When dry, the soil has cracks 1/2 to 2 in wide at the surface and commonly 1.5 cm (1/2 in) wide cracks extend to a depth of 0.6 m (2 ft) during the summer.
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.