LOCATION GRETA TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Aquic Natrustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Greta fine sandy loam--in rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2), fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2), moist; friable, extremely hard, massive; common very fine roots; common fine, medium and very fine vesicular pores; 5 percent fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/3) masses of iron-manganese with diffuse boundaries lining pores at contact with the Bt horizon; 2 percent fine faint gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions with clear boundaries in matrix adjacent to masses of iron-manganese; EC is 0.54; SAR is 1; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. {8 to 23 cm (3 to 9 in) thick}
Btn1--13 to 33 cm (5 to 13 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1), sandy clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1), moist; moderate medium and coarse columnar structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; very firm, extremely hard; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand coats on vertical faces of peds; 10 percent prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of iron-manganese with clear boundaries lining pores; 2 percent fine faint gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions with clear boundaries in matrix adjacent to masses of iron-manganese; EC is 0.6; SAR is 7; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Btn2--33 to 63 cm (13 to 25 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1), sandy clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1), moist; moderate extremely coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; very firm, extremely hard; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand coats on vertical faces of peds; 10 percent distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent fine prominent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) masses of iron-manganese with clear boundaries lining pores; EC is 2.7; SAR is 14; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Btn3--63 to 86 cm (25 to 34 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2), sandy clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; very firm, extremely hard; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 10 percent distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand coats on vertical faces of peds; 20 percent distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; less than 1 percent fine white (5Y 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 5 percent fine prominent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) masses of iron-manganese with clear boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine very dark gray (10YR 3/1) insect casts; EC is 3.6; SAR is 15; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. {Combined thickness of the Btn horizons is 56 to 91 cm (22 to 36 in)}
Btkn1--86 to 124 cm (34 to 49 in); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), sandy clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2), moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; firm, very hard; few very fine tubular pores; 10 percent faint grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; 3 percent fine and medium distinct white (5Y 8/1) nodules of calcium carbonate; 25 percent fine to coarse distinct white (5Y 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 5 percent fine prominent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) masses of iron-manganese with clear boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) insect casts; EC is 4.63; SAR is 16; matrix is noneffervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Btkn2--124 to 168 cm (49 to 66 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/2), sandy clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; firm, very hard; 20 percent distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay films on vertical faces of peds; 3 percent fine and medium distinct white (5Y 8/1) nodules of calcium carbonate; 30 percent fine to coarse distinct white (5Y 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 5 percent fine prominent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) masses of iron-manganese with sharp boundaries lining pores; 1 percent fine prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) insect casts; EC is 4.8; SAR is 17; matrix is noneffervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Btkn3--168 to 203 cm (66 to 80 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/2), sandy clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), moist; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure; firm, very hard; 15 percent faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on vertical faces of peds; 4 percent fine and medium distinct white (5Y 8/1) nodules of calcium carbonate located inside carbonate masses; 30 percent medium and coarse distinct white (5Y 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 1 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron with clear boundaries in matrix; 1 percent fine prominent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) concretions of iron-manganese in matrix; 3 percent fine prominent very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) masses of iron-manganese with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent fine prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) insect casts; EC is 4.2; SAR is 17; matrix is noneffervescent; moderately alkaline. {Combined thickness of the Btk horizons is 104 to 157 cm (41 to 62 in)}
TYPE LOCATION: Goliad County; from the intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and Texas Highway 239 south of Goliad, 8.2 miles southeast on Texas Highway 239 to gate on south side of road, 3.5 miles south on private ranch road; 50 feet east of fence in rangeland. Latitude: 28 degrees 33 minutes 5.00 seconds N; Longitude: 97 degrees 16 minutes 58.30 seconds W; Live Oak Lake topographic quadrangle; NAD 1983.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An ustic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 in) below the soil surface. These soils become saturated with aquic conditions for periods lasting from a few days to several weeks during the winter months. These soils remain dry in some or all parts for 90 or more cumulative days. The normal dry period is late summer. The wettest period is mid fall through winter.
Mean annual soil temperature: 22.2 to 23.4 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Depth to abrupt textural change: 8 to 23 cm (3 to 9 in)
Depth to natric horizon: 8 to 41 cm (3 to 16 in)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 56 to 91 cm (22 to 36 in)
Depth to calcic horizon (where present): 104 to 127 cm (41 to 50 in)
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 24 to 33 percent
CEC to clay ratio: 0.6 to 0.7
A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 3
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 4 percent, size-fine, color-shades of brown or yellow
Iron depletions: amount- 2 to 4 percent, size-fine, color-shades of gray
EC (dS/m): 0.3 to 2
SAR: 2 to 4
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Btn horizon
(Upper Btn horizon)
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, or sandy clay
Clay content: 22 to 40 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 4, size-fine, color-shades of brown or yellow
Iron depletions: amount- 2 to 4 percent, size-fine, color-shades of gray
EC (dS/m): 0.5 to 4
SAR: 6 to 20
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Btn horizon
(lower Btn horizon)
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 22 to 35 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 4, size-fine, color-shades of brown or yellow
Iron depletions: amount- 2 to 4 percent, size-fine, color-shades of gray
EC (dS/m): 0.5 to 4
SAR: 6 to 20
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Btkn horizon
(Some pedons have a Bk horizon with similar colors and textures)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 22 to 35 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 4 percent, size-fine, color-shades of brown or yellow
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 25 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-10 to 35 percent, size-fine to coarse
EC (dS/m): 2 to 6
SAR: 13 to 20
Effervescence: none to very slight
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Similar soils are the
Crot (AZ),
Minatare (NE), and
Wing (AR) series.
Crot soils: are in a thermic soil temperature regime
Minatare soils: have more than 35 percent silicate clay in the particle-size control section and are in a mesic soil temperature regime
Wing soils: have more than 35 percent silicate clay in the particle-size control section and are in a thermic soil temperature regime
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy fluviomarine deposits of the Lissie Formation of early Pleistocene age
Landform: flats on a coastal plain
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 762 to 914 mm (30 to 36 in)
Mean annual temperature: 21 to 23 degrees C (70 to 73 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 280 to 305 days
Elevation: 15.2 to 30.5 m (50 to 100 feet)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 40 to 46
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Inari, Orelia, Wyick, Vidauri, and Woodsboro series.
Inari soils: have a sodium adsorption ratio less than 13 in the upper subsoil and are on rises on the coastal plain.
Orelia soils: have a sodium adsorption ratio less than 13 in the upper subsoil, a mollic epipedon, and are on similar landforms.
Wyick soils: have a sodium adsorption ratio less than 13 in the upper subsoil, are better drained, and are on slightly higher landscape positions.
Vidauri soils: have a sodium adsorption ratio less than 13 in the upper subsoil and are on lower landscape positions in weakly-defined drainageways.
Woodsboro soils: have a higher sodium adsorption ration in the upper subsoil; are wet for longer periods; and are on lower landscape positions in drainageways.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is high. A perched water table will occur on top of the natric horizon for a period of a few days to several weeks during late fall and winter months in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Typical vegetation includes salt-tolerant species. Ecological site name: Salty Prairie 25-35" Pz; Ecological site number: R150AY540TX
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Prairies (MLRA 150A in LRR T) on the coastal plain of Texas from the tributaries of the San Antonio River to the Mission River; small extent
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Goliad County, Texas, 2009. The name is from the Greta siding.
REMARKS: These soils were previously included with the Orelia series. During the update soil survey of MLRA 150A and initial soil survey of Goliad County, some areas previously mapped as Orelia clearly showed signs of higher salinity in plant communities and growth. Lab data and pedon descriptions confirmed a difference in these soils.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 13 to 64 cm (5 to 25 in). (Btn1 and Btn2 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in). (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: 13 to 203 cm (9 to 80 in). (Btn1, Btn2, Btn3, Btk1, Btk2, and Btk3 horizons)
Natric horizon: 13 to 203 cm (9 to 80 in). (Btn1, Btn2, Btn3, Btk1, Btk2, and Btk3 horizons)
Aquic conditions: 13 to 63 cm (5 to 25 in) during the spring and fall months in normal years.
Abrupt textural change: At the upper boundary of the Btn1 horizon
ADDITIONAL DATA: National Soil Survey Laboratory data on pedon S01TX-175-003 from the series type location.
TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006