LOCATION HARRIS TX
Established Series
Rev. WLM-SEB-RM
08/2025
HARRIS SERIES
Depth class: Very Deep
Drainage class: Very poorly drained
Flooding frequency and duration: Very frequent, brief
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: Low
Shrink-Swell: High
Parent material: Saline clay derived from Holocene age fluviomarine deposits
Slopes: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual air temperature: 21 degrees C (72 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 1194 millimeters (47 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Halic Endoaquerts
TYPICAL PEDON: Harris clay, on level coastal marshlands at an elevation of 0.9 meters (3 feet) (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ag1--0 to 13 centimeters; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm; many medium roots; many fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation along root channels; slightly saline; neutral (pH 6.9); gradual smooth boundary.
Ag2--13 to 30 centimeters; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular; very hard, very firm; few medium roots; many fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and red (2.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation along root channels; slightly saline; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual smooth boundary. (combined Ag horizons are 15 to 30 centimeters thick)
Bssg1--30 to 48 centimeters; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; few shiny pressure surfaces on surfaces of peds; few distinct slickensides; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation along root channels; moderately saline; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary.
Bssg2--48 to 76 centimeters; dark gray (N 4/) clay, gray (N 5/) dry; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky and fine angular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; few distinct slickensides; few gray (N 6/) silt coatings on surfaces of prisms; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation with clear and sharp boundaries in the matrix; few fine faint gray (N 5/) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; moderately saline; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary.
Bssg3--76 to 112 centimeters; dark gray (N 4/) clay, gray (N 5/) dry; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; few gray (N 6/) silt coatings on surfaces of prisms; common distinct slickensides; common fine dark concretions; common fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation with clear and sharp boundaries; few fine faint gray (N 5/) and light gray (N 7/) iron depletions; strongly saline; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); diffuse smooth boundary.)
Bssg4--112 to 200 centimeters; gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay, gray (5Y 6/1) dry; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium angular blocky;; very hard, firm; very few fine roots; common distinct slickensides; few dark concretions; common fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation with clear and sharp boundaries in matrix; few fine faint light gray (N 7/) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in matrix; strongly saline; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Chambers County, Texas; approximately 520 meters (1,706 feet) northwest of the Chambers/Galveston County boundary and Oyster Bayou, and approximately 720 meters (2,362 feet) southwest of Devil's Elbow off of Oyster Bayou; USGS quadrangle: High Island, TX
Latitude: 29.559896
Longitude: -94.4797222
Datum: WGS84
Coordinate source: From hand-held GPS
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: Greater than 200 centimeters
Moisture regime: Aquic
Redox concentrations: 30 to 150 centimeters
Redox depletions: 30 to 150 centimeters
Vertic features: 30 to 200 centimeters
Reaction throughout: Neutral to strongly alkaline (pH 6.6 to 9.0)
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content-40 to 60 percent
Ag Horizon:
Hue-10YR, 5Y, or N
Value-2 or 3
Chroma-1 or 0
Texture-silty clay or clay
Redox concentrations-0 to 20 percent
Redox depletions-0 to 20 percent
Electrical conductivity (dS/m) -4 to 32
Sodium adsorption ratio-10 to 30
Bssg Horizon:
Hue-10YR, 5Y, or N
Value-4 or 7
Chroma-1 or 0
Texture silty clay or clay
Redox concentrations-0 to 20 percent
Redox depletions-0 to 20 percent
Iron-manganese concentrations-0 to 20 percent
Electrical conductivity (dS/m) -4 to 32
Sodium adsorption ratio-10 to 30
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Saline clay derived from Holocene age fluviomarine deposits
Landscape: Coastal plain
Landform: Tidal marsh
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 20 to 23 degrees C (68 to 73 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation range: 812 to 1499 millimeters (32 to 59 inches)
Frost-free period: 315 to 365 days
Elevation: 0 to 5 meters (0 to 15 feet)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar
Beaumont,
Francitas,
Galveston,
Gramercy,
Ijam,
Narta,
Schriever,
Stowell,
Surfside,
Tracosa, and
Veston series.
Beaumont soils: are on slightly higher elevations and are better drained.
Gramercy soils: are poorly drained and found on flood plains.
Galveston soils: are sandy throughout and found on back-barrier flats.
Ijam soils: are human transported material (dredgic)found on anthropogenic spoil piles.
Veston soils. have a fine-silty control section and found on barrier flats.
Narta soils: have a natric horizon and found on flats on the mainland side.
Schriever soils: are very-fine throughout, poorly drained and found on natural levees.
Stowell soils: have a argillic horizon and have a fine-loamy control section found on relic beach ridges.
Tracosa soils: are in lower landscape positions.
Surfside soils: are in slightly higher landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: Very poorly drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: Low
Flooding frequency and duration: Very frequent, brief
Seasonal water table: Fluctuates from soil surface to 76 centimeters
Surface runoff: High
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Rangeland and recreation
Vegetation: Rice grown in small acreage protected from saltwater flooding. Native vegetation is salt tolerant grasses and sedges such as marsh hay cordgrass, common reed and seashore saltgrass.
Ecological site: R150BY550TX-Intermediate Firm Marsh
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
General area: Mainly along upper coast of Texas
Land Resource Region: T-Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowland Forest and Crop Region
MLRA(s): 150A-Gulf Coast Prairies and 150B-Gulf Coast Saline Prairies
Extent: Moderate
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Special Projects Office
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Harris County, Texas, 1922
REMARKS:
Typical pedon taxonomic features:
Aquic conditions: 0 to 200 centimeters
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 48 cm (Ag1, Ag2, Bssg1 horizons)
Particle-size control section: 25 to 100 centimeters
Slickensides: 30 to 200 centimeters (Bssg horizons)
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 13th edition (2022)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
OSD User Pedon ID: 2010TX0715010
________________________________________
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.