LOCATION KELTYS TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Oxyaquic Glossudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Keltys fine sandy loam, on a 2 percent slope--in a pine plantation. (Colors are for moist soil.)
A1--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable; slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
A2--5 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/8) redox concentrations along some roots; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
E--10 to 26 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky; soft, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium roots; many fine tubular pores; few distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox concentrations along some roots; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bt/E1--26 to 42 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; patchy light brownish gray clay films on surfaces of peds; about 20 percent vertically oriented masses and tongues of light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) albic material (E) mainly along prisms; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt/E2--42 to 48 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; faint light brownish gray clay films on surfaces of peds; about 30 percent of matrix is vertically oriented streaks and vertical intrusions of grayish brown (10YR 5/2) albic materials (E) mainly between prisms; common medium distinct redox concentrations or masses of yellowish red (5YR 5/6) with sharp boundaries; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (combined Bt/E subhorizons are 10 to 30 inches thick)
2C/Bt--48 to 53 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) weakly consolidated weathered sandstone with sandy clay loam texture; many prominent medium and coarse strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) lithochromic mottles; hard, friable; few fine roots; about 20 percent dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) coatings of clayey material (Bt) along fractures and cleavage planes; few thick dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on surfaces of some cleavage planes; extremely acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2C1--53 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) weakly consolidated sandstone with sandy clay loam texture; many prominent medium and coarse yellowish red (5YR 5/8) lithochromic mottles; hard, friable; few fine roots mainly along cleavage planes; thick clay flims of dark gray (10YR 4/1) along some cleavage planes which are spaced about 12 inches apart; strongly acid; gradual boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
2C2--60 to 80 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) mudstone with clay loam texture; platy, plates are 1 to 3 inches thick; very hard, firm; few fine roots; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Angelina County, Texas; about 3 miles south of Huntington; from intersection of U.S. Highway 69 and Farm Road 844, 1400 feet south on Highway 69; then 900 feet east on dirt road and 50 feet north into pine plantation.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 40 to 60 inches. The combined thickness of the A and E horizons ranges from 15 to 35 inches. The weighted average clay content in the particle-size control section ranges from 9 to 17 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, or very fine sandy loam. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is fine sandy loam or loamy very fine sand. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.
The Bt/E horizon has matrix colors in hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 or 6. Redox concentrations or masses in shades of red or brown range from none to common. Texture is mainly fine sandy loam but ranges to loam or sandy clay loam in the lower part. Albic materials (E) make up 15 to 50 percent by volume. Typically, albic materials increase with depth and make up more than 50 percent in the lower part of some pedons. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid.
The 2C/Bt horizon. where present is weakly consolidated sandstone or mudstone with clay coatings an films in shades of brown or gray along cleavage planes. Texture is sandy clay loam or clay loam. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to moderately acid.
The 2C horizon is weakly consolidated sandstone or mudstone, or it is stratified with layers of both materials. Texture is sandy clay loam or clay loam. The clay content ranges from 25 to 38 percent with 4 to 35 percent silt. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. The Alazan, Besner, Hicota, Kurth, Moten, and Penning series are in closely related families. Besner and Hicota soils have a solum thicker than 80 inches and do not have saturated layers within a depth of 40 inches. In addition Hicota soils have an argillic horizon with hue redder than 10YR. Alazan, Kurth, and Penning soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section. In addition, Alazan and Penning soils have aquic conditions in the upper 10 inches of the argillic horizon. Moten soils have a solum thicker than 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Keltys soils are on slightly convex very gently sloping broad interstream divides and on moderately sloping ridge and side slope positions along drainageways. They formed in loamy coastal plain sediments over the Caddell, Manning, and Yegua geologic formations. Slopes are dominantly 1 to 3 percent but range to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 42 to 52 inches. Annual frost-free rainfall ranges from 25 to 30 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 65 to 68 degrees F. Frost free days range from 230 to 245. The elevation ranges from 250 to 500 feet above sea level. Thornthwaite annual P-E indices ranges from 72 to 82.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are closely related Kurth and Penning soils, and the Diboll, Fuller, Herty, and Rosenwall series. Kurth soils are on similar positions. Penning, Diboll, and Fuller soils are somewhat poorly drained and are on slightly lower positions. Herty and Rosenwall soils are on similar positions and have a clayey argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Keltys soils are moderately well drained and are slowly permeable. Runoff is medium on 1 to 5 percent slopes and high on 5 to 8 percent slopes. The soil is saturated in the layers below 2.5 to 3.5 feet deep and above the 2C horizon for more than 30 cumulative days during the winter and spring months in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used mainly for woodland and improved pasture. Woodland consists mainly of shortleaf pine, loblolly pine, sweetgum, and red oak trees with an understory of grasses and shrubs. Improved pastures include bermudagrasses and bahiagrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Coastal Plain (MLRA 133B) in East Texas. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Polk and San Jacinto Counties, Texas; 1983.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included with the Caddo series. Classification was changed from Aquic subgroup to Typic subgroup in 2/94, then back to Oxyaquic subgroup in 5/2000.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the type location pedon soil include:
Ochric epipedon -- 0 to 26 inches (A and E horizons).
Albic horizon ---- 10 to 26 inches (E horizon).
Glossic horizon -- 26 to 48 inches (Bt/E horizon).
Lithologic discontinuity -- 48 inches (top of the 2C/Bt horizon)
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL S80TX-005-7; Texas Ag. Experiment Station Laboratory no. S84TX-225-03.