LOCATION LUPE TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, hyperthermic Typic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lupe gravelly sandy clay loam - rangeland.
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1-- 0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable; common fine roots; siliceous pebbles about 15 percent by volume; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
A2-- 6 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable; common fine roots; siliceous pebbles 1 to 3 inches in diameter comprise about 40 percent by volume; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bw-- 12 to 24 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable; few fine roots; siliceous pebbles comprise about 50 percent by volume; common calcium carbonate films on coarse fragments; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 22 inches thick)
Bk-- 24 to 32 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable; siliceous pebbles comprise about 70 percent by volume; common calcium carbonate segregations in soft masses and as films on coarse fragments; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Ck1-- 32 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/4) gravelly fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) moist; structureless; slightly hard, very friable; siliceous pebbles about 40 percent by volume; common soft masses and films of calcium carbonate; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (24 to 40 inches thick)
Ck2-- 60 to 84 inches; white (10YR 8/2) loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; few fine faint very pale brown (10YR 7/4) mottles; structureless; hard, very friable; common soft masses of calcium carbonate; about 4 percent by volume siliceous pebbles; calcareous; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: DeWitt County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S. Highways 87 and 183 in Cuero, Texas; 15 miles north on U.S. Highway 183 to the Guadalupe River bridge; then 0.7 mile northwest on U.S. Highway 183; then 2.4 miles southwest on Farm Road 766; then 265 feet southeast of the road in rangeland.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is 22 to 40 inches thick over a calcic horizon. The weighted average of silicate clay in the 10- to 40-inch control section is 18 to 30 percent. The weighted average of calcium carbonate equivalent for the control section ranges from 15 to 40 percent.
The A horizon is dark gray (10YR 4/1), very dark gray (10YR 3/1), grayish brown (10YR 5/2), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), brown (10YR 5/3) or dark brown (10YR 4/3). The A horizon is gravelly loam or gravelly sandy clay loam. The volume of siliceous pebbles ranges from 15 to about 50 percent.
The B horizons are very pale brown (10YR 7/3, 8/3), pale brown (10YR 6/3), brown (10YR 5/3), light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) or yellowish brown (10YR 5/4). They are gravelly loam, very gravelly loam, gravelly sandy clay loam or very gravelly sandy clay loam. The volume of siliceous pebbles ranges from 35 to 75 percent.
The C horizons are white (10YR 8/2), light gray (10YR 7/2), very pale brown (10YR 7/3, 7/4, 8/3, 8/4) or light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4). They are gravelly fine sandy loam, gravelly loam, gravelly sandy clay loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. The content of siliceous pebbles ranges from less than 2 percent to 50 percent by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Similar soils include the Bolar, Castroville, Engle, Hidalgo, Real, Rehm, and Somervell series. The Bolar, Engle, Real and Somervell soils have mean annual soil temperatures of less than 72 degrees F. Castroville soils have fine-silty control sections. Hidalgo soils have less than 35 percent coarse fragments. Rehm soils are dry in the moisture control section for longer periods.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lupe soils occupy gently sloping to sloping areas on terrace breaks to the flood plain of major streams such as the Guadalupe River. Slope gradients range from 1 to 8 percent. The soils formed in ancient stream terrace deposits of gravelly calcareous loamy sediments. The climate is dry subhumid. Mean annual precipitation is 26 to 38 inches. Thornthwaite annual P-E indices of 40 to 50, average annual soil temperature is 72 degrees to 74 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include Sarnosa, Shiner and Valco soils. Sarnosa soils have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the 10- to 40-inch control section. Shiner and Valco soils have sola less than 20 inches thick. Sarnosa soils occur on similar surfaces. Shiner and Valco soils occur at higher elevations.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Moderate runoff and moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for rangeland. Some areas have been mined for gravel. Native vegetation is little bluestem, grama grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Texas, mainly adjacent to the flood plains of major streams such as the Guadalupe River. The soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: DeWitt County, Texas; 1973.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 12 inches
Cambic horizon - 12 to 24 inches
Calcic horizon - 24 to 32 inches