LOCATION LEAGUE TX

Established Series
GWC-CLN-RM
07/2014

LEAGUE SERIES

The League series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, very slowly permeable soils. These nearly level soils formed in clayey fluviomarine deposits derived from the Beaumont Formation. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 20.6 degrees C (69 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is about 1397 mm (55 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Oxyaquic Hapluderts

TYPICAL PEDON: League clay--cropland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)

Ap--0 to 15 cm, (0 to 6 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; many fine roots; common fine pores; 5 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries along root channels and pores; 8 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp on surface of peds; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.(8 to 23 cm [3 to 9 in] thick)

Bw--15 to 28 cm, (6 to 11 in); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm; many fine roots; common fine pores; 5 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries along root channels and pores; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (9 to 56 cm [4 to 22 in)

Bss1--28 to 56 cm, (11 to 22 in); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak coarse wedge structure parting to weak coarse angular blocky; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common prominent pressure faces; few prominent slickensides; 2 percent fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries along slickenside faces; 5 percent fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries along root channels and pores; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bss horizons is 27 to 112 cm [11 to 44 in])

Bss2--56 to 76 cm, (22 to 30 in); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak coarse wedge structure parting to weak coarse angular blocky; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common prominent slickensides; 2 percent fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries along slickenside faces; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.

Bss3--76 to 91 cm, (30 to 36 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak coarse wedge structure parting to weak coarse angular blocky; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common prominent slickensides; 2 percent fine prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries along slickenside faces ; about 2 percent dark gray crayfish krotovina; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.

Bssg1--91 to 117 cm, (36 to 46 in); gray (2.5Y 5/1) clay, gray (2.5Y 6/1) dry; moderate coarse wedge structure parting to weak coarse angular blocky; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; many prominent slickensides; 20 percent medium faint dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) iron depletion with diffuse boundaries adjacent to iron massess, 15 percent medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4), and 5 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries along slickenside faces; about 5 percent dark gray crayfish krotovina with gray linings; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the horizons is 52 to 112 cm [21 to 44 in])

Bssg2--117 to 150 cm, (46 to 59 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1) clay; moderate coarse wedge structure parting to moderate coarse angular blocky; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; many prominent slickensides tilted more than 50 degrees from horizontal; 25 percent fine and medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries along slickenside faces; about 5 percent dark gray crayfish krotovina with gray linings; neutral; diffuse wavy boundary.

Bssg3--150 to 203 cm, (59 to 80 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1) clay; moderate coarse wedge structure parting to moderate coarse angular blocky; extremely hard, extremely firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; many prominent slickensides tilted more than 50 degrees from horizontal; 15 percent fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and 5 percent fine prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries along slickenside faces; about 5 percent dark gray crayfish krotovina with gray linings; neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Texas; from the intersection of Interstate Highway 10 and U.S. Highway 90 in Beaumont; 16.5 miles west on U.S. Highway 90 to Nome; 3.0 miles south on Farm Road 365; 0.5 mile west on Blair Road; 700 feet north on field road; 100 feet west of road in cropland. (Winnie NW USGS quad; Latitude: 29 degrees, 59 minutes, 42 seconds N; Longitude: 94 degrees, 24 minutes, 59 seconds W; WGS84)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

When dry, cracks 1 to 3.5 cm (1/2 to more than 1 in wide), extend from the surface to a depth of 30 cm (12 in) or more. Cracks remain open for less than 60 cumulative days in most years. Undisturbed areas have gilgai microrelief with microknolls 6 to 15 in higher than the microdepression. Distance from the center of the microknoll to the center of the microdepressions ranges from 3 to 12 feet. Some pedons have a few gypsum crystals below a depth of 127 cm (50 in).

Soil Moisture: An udic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts for less than 60 days in normal years.
Mean annual soil temperature: 21.7 to 22.2 degrees C (71 to 72 degrees F)
Vertic features: 25 to 61 cm (10 to 24 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 50 to 60 percent

Ap or A (where present) Horizon
Hue: 10YR to N
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam, clay or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 70 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-2 to 20 percent, location-lining pores and along root channels, shades-brown, red, or yellow
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 8 percent, location-adjacent to redox concentrations, shades-gray
Elecrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 2 to 12 (values more than 2 are associated with storm surge areas)
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid in microdepressions; strongly acid to neutral in microknolls

Bw Horizon

Hue: 10YR to N
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1
Texture: clay or silty clay
Clay content: 40 to 70 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent, location-lining pores and along root channels, shades-brown, red, or yellow (redox concentrations more than 2 percent are associated with areas farmed to rice)
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 2 percent, location-adjacent to redox concentrations, shades-gray
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 8 (values more than 4 are associated with storm surge areas)
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid in microdepressions; strongly acid to slightly alkaline in microknolls

Bss Horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1
Texture: clay or silty clay
Clay content: 40 to 70 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent, location-lining pores and along root channels, shades-brown, red, or yellow (redox concentrations more than 2 percent are associated with areas farmed to rice)
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 2 percent, location-adjacent to redox concentrations, shades-gray
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 12 (SAR values more than 6 are associated with storm surge areas)
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid in microdepressions; slightly acid to slightly alkaline in microknolls

Bssg or Bsskg (where present) Horizons
Hue: 10YR to N
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: clay loam, clay or silty clay
Clay content: 38 to 75 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-10 to 35 percent, location-lining pores, along root channels, on slickenside faces, shades-brown, red, yellow
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 12 percent, location-adjacent to redox concentrations, on slickenside faces and in pores, shades-blue, gray, green
Iron-manganese concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent, kind-nodules or masses
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-0 to 5 percent, kind-nodules or hard-pitted masses
Gypsum: 0 to 2 percent
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 2 to 12 (values more than 6 are associated with storm surge areas)
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral in the microdepressions; slightly acid to moderately alkaline in microknolls

COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family. Similar soils are the China (TX), Kaman (TX), Laewest (TX), and Lake Charles (TX) series.
China soils: more acidic; have gypsum accumulations
Kaman soils: less acidic; do not have strong gleying in the lower Bss horizons
Laewest and Lake Charles soils: are not saturated within 100 cm (40 in) of the surface in normal years for long periods

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: clayey fluviomarine deposits of the Beaumont Formation
Landscape: coastal plains
Landform: flats
Slope: 0 to 1 percent but mainly less than 0.5 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 1219 to 1575 mm (48 to 62 in)
Precipitation Pattern: Rainfall is fairly uniform throughout the year with slight peaks in the spring and fall months in normal years.
Mean annual air temperature: 20.0 to 22.2 degrees C (68 to 72 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 270 to 300 days
Elevation: 3 to 30.5 m (10 to 100 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Beaumont (TX), China (TX), Labelle (TX), and Morey (TX) series.
Beaumont soils: on a slightly lower position on a similar landform
China soils: on a similar landform
Labelle and Morey soils: loamy surface; slightly higher position on a similar landform

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is high. Very slow permeability. Rarely flooded for very brief to brief periods. Flooding occurs as a result of storm surge during tropical storms which occurs in areas less than 4.6 m (15 ft) elevation. These soils have episaturation from 15 to 76 cm (6 to 30 in) below the soil surface from January to March and endosaturation from 90 to 203 cm (60 to 80 in) below the surface during the same period.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for growing rice and pasture. Rice is usually grown on a 1 in 4 year rotation. Improved pasture is used for bahiagrass production. Some areas are used for native pasture. Native grasses are mainly little bluestem, indiangrass, eastern gamagrass, switchgrass, Florida paspalum, big bluestem, brownseed paspalum, knotroot bristlegrass, sedges, and rushes.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast Texas generally east of the Trinity River; Land Resource Region T: MLRA 150A; extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Texas; 1996.

REMARKS: These soils were formerly included with the Beaumont and Lake Charles series. The classification was changed from Oxyaquic Dystruderts to Oxyaquic Hapluderts during the update of MLRA 150A. This change was due to lab data at the type location and at other locations.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Cambic horizon 15 to 203 cm (6 to 80 in) (Bw, Bss1, Bss2, Bss3, Bssg1, Bssg2).

Vertisol feature - slickensides at a depth of 28 to 80 cm (11 to 80 in) (Bss1, Bss2, Bss3, Bssg1, and Bssg2). High shrink-swell potential and cracks that are 1 to 3 cm (1/2 to about 1 in) wide at a depth of 30 cm (12 in) or more during dry periods.

Oxyaquic feature - water is perched from the surface to about 15 to 56 cm (6 to 22 in) for 30 days or more during the winter and early spring in most years. This layer has redoximorphic features but does not have aquic soil conditions or test positive to a,a'-dipyridyl.

Additional Comments: These soils have mollic colors but do not make a mollic epipedon due to consistence.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Jefferson County, Texas; NSSL sample S90TX-245-022 and S90TX-245-023 from the type location.

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.