LOCATION LAUTZ TX+KS+OK+NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Udic Haplusterts
TYPICAL PEDON: Lautz clay, on a nearly level playa floor midway between microknoll and microdepression, 0.3 percent slopes in rangeland, at an elevation of about 914 meters (3,000 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; cracks 2 inches wide at the surface extend through the horizon; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 30 cm thick)
Bss1--23 to 41 cm (9 to 16 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; medium coarse and very coarse wedge-shaped aggregates parting to moderate medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common prominent slickensides; cracks 2 inches wide extend through the horizon; common fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Bss2--41 to 79 cm (16 to 31 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; strong coarse and very coarse wedge-shaped aggregates parting to strong medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm; very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common prominent slickensides; cracks 1 inch wide extend through the horizon; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Bss3--79 to 114 cm (31 to 45 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong coarse and very coarse wedge-shaped aggregates parting to moderate medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm; very sticky, very plastic; few very fine roots; common prominent slickensides; cracks 1 inch wide extend through the horizon; few seams of crack fill material; few seams of sand lenses; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bss4--114 to 147 cm (45 to 58 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong coarse and very coarse wedge-shaped aggregates parting to moderate medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm; very sticky, very plastic; few very fine roots; common prominent slickensides; cracks 1 inch wide extend through the horizon; few seams of crack fill material; few seams of sand lenses; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bss horizon is 120 to 140 cm)
Bkss1--147 to 188 cm (58 to 74 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm; sticky, plastic; few very fine roots; estimated 3 percent by volume of calcium carbonate filaments; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; few iron stains; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (20 to 80 cm thick)
Bkss2--188 to 203 cm (74 to 80 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm; sticky, plastic; estimated 3 percent by volume of calcium carbonate filaments; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; few iron stains; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Hansford County, Texas; from the intersection of Highway 760 and Highway 207 in Spearman; 9.2 kilometers (5.7 miles) southwest on Highway 207; 6.9 kilometers (4.3 miles) west on Highway 520; 0.6 kilometer (0.4 mile) north on county road; approximately 0.5 kilometer (0.3 mile) east in pasture; Latitude: 36 degrees, 07 minutes, 48.9 seconds N; Longitude: 101 degrees, 19 minutes, 08.2 seconds W; Hansford, Texas USGS quad; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on udic. These soils receive runoff from surrounding uplands and the soil moisture control section is moist for longer periods of time than is normal for the climate. The soil moisture control section is dry and cracks in some or all parts more than 90 but less than 150 cumulative days in normal years. July through August and November through March are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through October and April through June.
Mean annual soil temperature: 13 to 15 degrees C (54 to 59 degrees F).
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 100 to 150 cm (40 to 60 inches).
Depth to slickensides: 13 to 30 cm (5 to 15 inches).
Solum thickness: More than 203 cm (80 inches).
Particle-size control section: 45 to 60 percent silicate clay
This is a cyclic soil and undisturbed areas have gilgai microrelief with microhighs 10 to 46 cm (4 to 18 inches) higher than microlows. Distance between the center of the microhigh and the center of the microlow is about 1.5 to 4.5 meters (5 to 16 feet). The microhigh makes up about 25 percent, the intermediate, or area between the knoll and depression, about 50 percent, and the microlow about 25 percent. Cracks open and close each year, except during years with higher than normal rainfall, and remain open for more than 90 and less than 150 cumulative days during normal years. When dry, 1 to 10 cm wide cracks extend from the surface to a depth of 100 cm or more. Cracks are more prominent in the microlows. The range in characteristics represents 50 percent or more of each pedon unless otherwise stated.
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: none or few
Texture: silty clay or clay
Effervescence: none
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline
Upper Bss horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 4 dry, 2 to 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: few to common
Texture: silty clay or clay
Effervescence: none
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Lower Bss horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: few to common
Texture: silty clay or clay
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: 0 to less than 2 percent by volume as films or filaments
Effervescence: none or very slight
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Bkss horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: none to common
Texture: clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: 3 to 10 percent by volume as filaments, masses, or nodules
Effervescence: slight or strong
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
2Btk horizon (where present):
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: clay loam or silty clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: Ranges from 3 to 15 percent by volume in the form of films, filaments, and nodules
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Note: occurs below 150 cm where present
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils include the
Hansford,
Knoblaw, and
Ness series.
Hansford series: have aquic moisture conditions and secondary carbonates at depths of more than 150 cm (60 inches).
Knoblaw series: have a calcic horizon between 100 to 150 cm (40 to 60 inches).
Ness series: have smectitic mineralogy and do not have secondary carbonates below 150 cm (60 inches).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: clayey lacustrine sediments of Pleistocene age.
Landform: playa floor
Slopes: 0 to 1 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 12 to 14 degrees C (54 to 59 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 432 to 559 mm (17 to 22 inches)
Frost-free period: 170 to 200 days
Elevation: 916 to 1,448 meters (2,000 to 4,000 feet)
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 25 to 36
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar
Hansford and
Knoblaw soils and the
Dallam,
Darrouzett,
Dumas,
Gruver,
Oslo,
Sherm,
Sunray, and
Texline soils.
Hansford and Knoblaw soils are on similar landscape positions.
Dallam, Darrouzett, Dumas, Gruver, Oslo, Sherm, Sunray, and Texline soils are on higher landscape positions and have an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained and very slow permeability. Surface runoff is negligible. These soils are occasionally ponded for brief periods in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly as rangeland with some areas used as cropland. Many areas are planted to wheat in the fall and utilized for livestock pasture during the winter months, or during dry years, some areas are cultivated to grain sorghum. Native vegetation varies according to amount of water available. It includes western wheatgrass, buffalograss, lakeweed, aster, smartweed, and milkweed. This soil has been correlated to the Playa (R-077AY005TX) ecological site in MLRA-77A.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Northern Part of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico (MLRA-77A in LRR H). The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hansford County, Texas; 2006
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Ness and Randall series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Vertic features: 9 to 80 inches (Bss & Bkss horizons) wedge-shaped aggregates and slickensides. Cracks open and close each year except during higher than normal rainfall years, and remain open for less than 150 cumulative days during most years. When dry, 1 to 8 cm wide cracks extend from the surface to a depth of 100 cm or more.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Data available (S99TX-195-002) Hansford County, Texas.
TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006.