LOCATION LEVELLAND               TX

Established Series
TCB-WMR-RM
09/2014

LEVELLAND SERIES

The Levelland series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils that formed in loamy reworked alluvial sediments of Quaternary age. These nearly level to very gently sloping soils are on ephemeral streams on draws. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is 483 mm (19 in), and mean annual temperature is 16 degrees C (60 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic Aridic Ustifluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Levelland fine sandy loam, on floor of narrow draw, slightly concave, 1 percent slope in cultivated field at an elevation of about 984 m (3,228 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap1--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable; many very fine and fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Ap2--13 to 38 cm (5 to 15 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable; common very fine and fine roots; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Ap3--38 to 79 cm (15 to 31 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable; common very fine and fine roots; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (combined Ap horizons are 50 to 100 cm [20 to 40 in] thick)

2Ab--79 to 114 cm (31 to 45 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; common very fine and fine roots; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (13 to 38 cm [5 to 15 in] thick)

2Btb1--114 to 135 cm (45 to 53 in); brown (7.5YR 5/2) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; common clay bridges between sand grains; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

2Btb2--135 to 157 cm (53 to 62 in); brown (7.5YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; few very fine roots; few very fine pores; common clay bridges between sand grains; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

2Btb3--157 to 178 cm (62 to 70 in); brown (7.5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; few very fine pores; common clay bridges between sand grains; few fine masses and nodules of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (combined Btb horizons are 50 to 100 cm [20 to 40 in] thick)

2Bkb--178 to 203 cm (70 to 80 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; few very fine pores; common fine and medium masses, filaments, and nodules of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Terry County, Texas; From the intersection of Farm Road 403 and Farm Road 213 about 10.5 miles south of Brownfield; 2.5 miles west on Farm Road 213; 0.8 miles south on county road; 300 ft east in cultivated field in draw; Latitude: 33 degrees, 00 minutes, 36 seconds N; Longitude: 102 degrees, 20 minutes, 16 seconds W; Foster, Texas USGS quad; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 180 but less than 205 days, cumulative, in normal years. July through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through June.
Mean annual soil temperature: 60 to 65 degrees F.
Depth to discontinuity (buried soil): 50 to 100 cm [20 to 40 in].
Depth to argillic horizon: 76 to 127 cm [30 to 50 in].
Depth to secondary carbonates: 102 to 178 cm [40 to 70 in].
Depth to calcic horizon: 152 tp 203 cm [60 to 80 in].
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm [80 in].
Particle size control section: 10 to 18 percent silicate clay.

Ap horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand
Effervescence: none or slight
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline

2Ab horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam
Effervescence: none or slight
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline

2Bwb horizons: (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: none to or few filaments and nodules
Effervescence: none or slight
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline

2Btb horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: none too few filaments and nodules
Effervescence: none or slight
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline

2Bkb horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand
Visible calcium carbonate: 5 to 40 percent by volume as filaments, films, masses and nodules
Calcium carbonate by weight: 3 to 30 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline

2C horizon: (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10 YR
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Effervescence: none or slight
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Hayhollow series. Similar soils include the Bippus, Guadalupe and Spur series.
Hayhollow series: formed in mixed stream alluvium on floodplains and stream terraces.
Bippus and Spur series: have mollic epipedons.
Guadalupe series: is calcareous throughout and formed in sediments derived mainly from the Ogallala Formation.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: recent sandy eolian deposits over loamy alluvium of Quaternary age.
Landform: nearly level to very gently sloping ephemeral streams on narrow draws.
Slopes: 0 to 2 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 62 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 432 to 533 millimeters (17 to 21 in).
Frost-free period: 185 to 220 days
Elevation: 853 to 1311 m (2,800 to 4,300 ).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 25 to 36

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the similar Bippus, Gomez, Hindman, and Sprone series and also the Amarillo, Brownfield, Midessa, Patricia, Posey, and Potter series.
Bippus and Sprone soils are on similar landscape positions.
Amarillo, Brownfield, and Patricia soils are on higher landscape positions.
Gomez soils are on slightly higher landscape positions.
Hindman soils are on similar landscape positions.
Midessa and Posey soils are on slightly higher landscape positions and have 18 to 35 percent silicate clay in the particle-size control section.
Potter soils are on higher landscape positions and have carbonatic mineralogy.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained and moderately rapid permeability. Surface runoff is negligible on 0 to 2 percent slopes. These soils are occasionally flooded for very brief periods.

USE AND VEGETATION: Dominantly native pasture or range; some areas are cultivated to cotton, grain sorghums, and wheat. Native vegetation is little bluestem, switchgrass, vine-mesquite, sideoats grama, blue grama, buffalograss, western wheatgrass, bundleflower, engelmanndaisy, prairie clovers, hackberry, elm, and wild plum. Widely spaced mesquite and cacti are sometimes present. This soil has been correlated to the Draw (077CY023TX) range site in MLRA-77.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains of western Texas and eastern New Mexico (sub-MLRA-77C). The series is of minor extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: MLRA-77 Soil Survey; Terry County, Texas; l995.

REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Spur series.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon: 0 to 79 cm (0 to 31 in). (Ap horizons)
Discontinuity and abrupt textural change: 79 to 203 cm (31 to 80 in) (2Ab, 2Btb, 2Bkb horizons)
Horizons present but not considered in classification:
Argillic horizon: 114 to 178 cm (45 to 70 in). (2Btb horizons)
Calcic horizon: 178 to 203 cm (70 to 80 in). (2Bkb horizon)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL sample number - S96TX-445-005, 99TX445002 (Terry County, Texas)

Taxonomic version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh, 2010.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.