LOCATION GESSNER                 TX+LA

Established Series
Rev. SAM-JKW-RM
08/2018

GESSNER SERIES

The Gessner series consists of very deep, poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in loamy fluviomarinde deposits derived from the Lissie Formation of Pleistocene age. These depressional soils are on coastal prairies. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent, but are mainly less than 0.3 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 20.6 degrees C (69 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is about 1143 mm (45 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, hyperthermic Typic Vermaqualfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Gessner loam--pastureland (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, soft; many fine roots; many very fine pores; 3 percent fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; 20 to 50 percent crawfish krotovinas (volume percent); very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 23 cm [0 to 9 in] thick)

Bg--20 to 44 cm (8 to 17 in); gray (N 5/), loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, soft; many fine roots; many fine pores; 5 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix; 20 to 50 percent crawfish krotovinas (volume percent); strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (19 to 54 cm [7 to 21 in] thick)

Btg1--44 to 110 cm (17 to 43 in) ; gray (N 6/), clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard; many very fine roots; many very fine pores; 10 percent clay films; 3 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries lining pores and 7 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix; 50 to 80 percent crawfish krotovinas (volume percent); strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btg horizons is 41 to 120 cm [16 to 47 in])

Btg2--110 to 150 cm (43 to 59 in); gray (N 6/), clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard; 10 percent clay films; 5 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries lining pores and 10 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix; 40 to 50 percent crawfish krotovinas (volume percent); moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt1--150 to 173 cm (59 to 68 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard; 10 percent clay films; 2 percent fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix and 2 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries lining pores; 30 to 50 percent crawfish krotovinas (volume percent); slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 48 to 124 cm [19 to 49 in])

Bt2--173 to 203 cm (68 to 80 in); light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard; 10 percent clay films; 2 percent fine distinct yellowish brown(10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix and 3 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries lining pores; 20 to 35 percent crawfish krotovinas (volume percent); slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Waller County, Texas; from the intersection of Farm Road 529 and Farm Road 362; about 1 mile north on Farm Road 362 to farm road; 1 mile east and 0.5 mile north on farm road; 750 feet west in a depression in pasture;
USGS topographic quad: Hockley Mound, TX
Latitude: 29 degrees, 53 minutes, 45.99 seconds N;
Longitude: 95 degrees, 56 minutes, 39.32 seconds W.
Datum: WGS 84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil Moisture: Soil Moisture: An aquic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is from 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 in) in depth. These soils pond water for very long periods from November to May in most years. It is during this time that aquic conditions occur.

Mean annual soil temperature: 21.7 to 22.8 degrees C (71 to 73 degrees F.)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 25 to 33 percent
Sand content: 30 to 45 percent
CEC/clay ratio: .45 to .55

A Horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 6 to 20 percent
Redox accumulations: amount-1 to 5 percent, color-shades of brown
Crayfish krotovinas: 20 to 50 percent
Base saturation: 45 to 65 percent
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 2
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid (4.5 to 6.0)

Bg Horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or N/
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 6 to 21 percent
Redox accumulations: amount-2 to 15 percent, color-shades of brown or yellow
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 5 percent, color-shades of gray
Crayfish krotovinas: 50 to 80 percent
Base saturation: 45 to 65
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 4
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid (4.5 to 6.0)

Btg Horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or N/
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 30 percent
Redox accumulations: amount-5 to 25 percent, color-shades of brown, yellow, or red
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 5 percent, color-shades of gray
Crayfish krotovinas: 30 to 80 percent
Base saturation: 60 to 75 percent
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 8
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid (4.5 to 6.0)

Bt Horizon
Lower part
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or N/
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 39 percent
Redox accumulations: amount-2 to 25 percent, color-shades of brown, yellow, or red
Crayfish krotovinas: 20 to 50 percent
Base saturation: 70 to 85 percent
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 2 to 10
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral (5.1 to 7.3)

COMPETING SERIES: The Cieno series in the same family. Similar soils are the Nona, Plank, Sorter, and the tentative Tomball series.
Cieno soils: receive less than 1143 mm (45 in) of rainfall; surface texture ranges to clay loam; surface reaction ranges to neutral
Nona: Fine-silty particle-size family; thermic temperature regime; are Natric Vermaqualfs
Plank soils: Coarse-silty particle-size family; thermic temperature regime; are Natric Vermaqualfs
Sorter series: Coarse-loamy particle-size family; thermic temperature regime; are Natric Vermaqualfs
Tomball soils: do not have more than 50 percent crawfish krotovina

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy fluviomarine deposits derived from the Lissie Formation of Pleistocene age
Landscape: coastal plains
Landform: enclosed depression
Slope: 0 to 1 percent (These are depressional soils, with slope less than 0.3 percent)
Precipitation pattern: Rainfall is fairly uniform throughout the year with slight peaks in the spring and fall monts.
Mean annual precipitation range: 1143 to 1245 mm (45 to 49 in)
Mean annual air temperature range: 19.5 to 20.6 degrees C (67 to 69 degrees F.
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 62 to 70
Frost-free period: 271 to 300 days
Elevation: 30.5 to 55 m (100 to 180 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Addicks, Clodine, Garwood, Gessner, Katy, and Telf series.
Addicks soils: have a dark surface layer, less than 18 percent clay in the subsoil and are on a higher landscape position
Clodine soils: less than 18 percent clay in the subsoil and are on a higher landscape position
Garwood and Telf soils: have more than 35 percent clay in the subsoil and are on a higher landscape position
Katy soils: moderately well drained and on a higher landscape position

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: Poorly drained
Permeability class: very slow
Runoff: negligible
Flooding: none
Ponding: frequent; these soils pond water for very long periods from November to May in most years.
Wetness: a perched water table exists from November to June from the surface to 46 cm (surface to 1.5 ft) in normal years.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mostly for pasture or wildlife habitat but many areas are cultivated to rice. In the eastern part of this soil province, urban encroachment dominates many areas.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
General area: Upper Gulf Coast region of Texas
Land Resource Region: T (Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowland Forest and Crop Region)
MLRA 150A-Gulf Coast Prairies
Extent: small

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Harris County, Texas; 1973.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 44 to 94 cm (17 to 37 in). (Btg1 horizon)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in). (A horizon)
Vermic feature: 20 to 173 cm (8 to 68 in)
Argillic horizon: 44 to 203 cm (79 to 80 in. (Btg1, Btg2, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons)
Aquic conditions: 0 to 110 cm (0 to 43 in) (A, Btg1, Btg2 horizons)

Additional Comments: These soils were previously mapped as depressions and low flat areas as a consociation or in complex with other soils on the Lissie Formation in Harris County. The series is now confined to enclosed depressions. The original Gessner series type location as established during the initial survey for Harris County and the subsequent type location were destroyed by urban encroachment. Classification is revised to a fine-loamy particle-size control section based on lab data at the new series type location and documentation obtained during the update mapping for MLRA 150A. Also the classification is updated from Glossaqualfs to Vermaqualfs due to revision of Soil Taxonomy.

The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is based on lab data from the new Gessner series type location in Harris County, Texas.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil characterization data is available on pedon S92TX-201-001 from the new series type location in Harris County, Texas. Soil moisture monitoring data is available from TAMU research conducted by Susan Starowitz as part of her master's thesis at the new series type location.

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.