LOCATION MENTONE TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Torrifluventic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Mentone silty clay loam--native rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; hard, friable; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
A2--5 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse angular and subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; faint silt coatings lining pores; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--13 to 27 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; very hard, firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; faint silt coating lining pores; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--27 to 40 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam; dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; common faint silt and organic coatings on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw3--40 to 47 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; few organic coatings in root channels and on faces of peds; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 24 to 60 inches.)
Bwb1--47 to 64 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; common organic coatings in root channels and on faces of peds; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
Bwb2--64 to 80 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, firm; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; common organic and silt coatings lining pores; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Loving County, Texas; from the junction of Texas Highway 302 and County Road 1933 in Mentone; 6.2 miles northwest on County Road 1933; 3.1 mile northeast on gravel ranch road to Slash Ranch headquarters; 0.9 mile southeast on ranch road; site is 200 feet northeast in playa. Latitude: 31 degrees 48 minutes 53 seconds North; Longitude: 103 degrees, 35 minutes, 13 seconds West). UTM coordinates: x633762.33, y3521444.47.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Aridic ustic moisture regime
Solum thickness: 60 to more than 80 inches
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 20 inches Mollic colors extend from 30 to more than 60 inches but organic carbon is less than 0.6 below 20 inches.
Clay content of the 10 to 40 inch control section: 18 to 35 percent.
Calcium carbonate: masses, films, threads and concretions range from none to common below 30 inches.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: silt loam, clay loam or silty clay loam
Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, silt loam clay loam or silty clay loam
Bwb horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, silt loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on nearly level shallow playas in lower positions within the landscape than those of adjoining soils. Slopes are plane to concave with gradients of less than 1 percent. The soil formed in calcareous loamy alluvium. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 13 inches and mean annual temperature ranges from 62 to 69 degrees F. Frost free days range from 210 to 240 days and elevation ranges from 2500 to 3000 feet. Thornthwaite PE indices are less than 24.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Sharvana, Splotter, Tencee and Upton series. These soils do not have mollic epipedons. In addition, the Sharvana, Splotter, Tencee and Upton soils have a petrocalcic horizon within 20 inches. These soils are on the gently sloping uplands that drain into the Mentone soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible. Permeability is moderately slow. The soil is ponded once or twice a year for 2 to 7 days.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Mentone series is primarily used for grazing. Native range vegetation is mainly vine mesquite, tobosa, white tridens, cane bluestem, and Arizona cottontop. Brushy species such as hackberry, western soapberry, mesquite, and butterflybush are common along the outer perimeter of the playa.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Texas (MLRA 42) and Southeastern New Mexico. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Loving County, Texas, 1993.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 13 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon: 13 to 80 inches (Bw and Bwb horizons)
Torrifluventic feature: The soil has an irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth and are dry more than half the time in most years in some part of the moisture control section when the soil temperature at 20 inches is 5 degrees or more.
Classification was changed in 1992 from fine, mixed, thermic Pachic Argiustolls to fine-silty, mixed thermic Torrifluventic Haplustolls based on NSSL data.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data from type location (S91TX-301-034).