LOCATION MENTZEL                 TX

Tentative Series
JKW-SAK
07/2024

MENTZEL SERIES

The Mentzel series consists of very deep, poorly drained, high saturated hydraulic conductivity (rapidly permeable) soils that formed in eolian deposits. These nearly level soils occur on tidal flats on barrier islands. Slope is less than 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1245 mm (49 in) and mean annual air temperature is about 20 degrees C (68 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, hyperthermic Sodic Psammaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Mentzel fine sand, on a bare tidal flat; 0.3 m elevation (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots and common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 1 percent medium distinct very dark gray (N 3/), moist, masses of reduced iron in matrix and 1 percent fine distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3), moist, manganese masses lining pores; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

C1--20 to 48 cm (8 to 19); gray (10YR 5/1) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

C2--48 to 79 cm (19 to 31 in); gray (2.5Y 5/1) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

C3--79 to 105 cm (31 to 41 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 10 percent medium distinct light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent medium carbonate nodules; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg1--105 to 138 cm (41 to 54 in); greenish gray (10Y 5/1) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 1 percent fine prominent dark brown (10YR 3/3), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent flat subrounded weakly cemented 2 to 5-millimeter shell fragments; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg2--138 to 162 cm (54 to 64 in); greenish gray (10Y 6/1) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 1 percent flat subrounded weakly cemented 2 to 5-millimeter shell fragments; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg3--162 to 203 cm (64 to 80 in); greenish gray (10Y 5/1) fine sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 1 percent flat subrounded weakly cemented 5 to 20-millimeter shell fragments and 2 percent flat subrounded weakly cemented 2 to 5-millimeter shell fragments; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION:
Galveston County, TX; from the intersection of Stewart Road and Settegast Road on Galveston Island; north on Settegast Road; north 2000 feet in a bare area on the tidal flat.

USGS topographic quadrangle: Lake Como, TX
Latitude: 29 degrees 13 minutes 47.00 seconds north
Longitude: 94 degrees 55 minutes 45.00 seconds west
Datum: WGS84
UTM Zone: 15
UTM Easting: 312498 meters
UTM Northing: 3234979 meters

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: A peraquic soil moisture regime.

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Total clay content: 3 to 10 percent

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 10Y
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent; color-shades of brown or yellow
Reduced iron concentrations: amount-0 to 8 percent; shades of gray
Reaction (pH): slightly or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)

C horizons:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent; color-shades of brown or yellow
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 10; color-shades of gray
Reduced iron concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent; shades of gray, green or blue
Shell fragments: amount-0 to 2 percent; size- 2 to 75 mm
Reaction (pH): slightly or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)

Cg horizon:
Hue: N, 10Y, 5GY, or 10GY
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: up to 1
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 15 percent; color-shades of brown, yellow
Reduced iron concentrations: amount- 0 to 15 percent; shades of gray, green or blue
Shell fragments: amount-0 to 10 percent; size- 2 to 75 mm
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES:
These are the Brazosport, Noria and the tentative Jumbilecove series in the same family. Similar soils are Madre, Mustang, Satatton, and Tatton series.
Brazosport soils: in an aquic moisture regime; somewhat poorly drained
Noria soils: very poorly drained
Jumbilecove soils: less saline
Madre, Satatton, and Tatton soils: siliceous mineralogy
Mustang soils: have SAR values less than 13

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: eolian sands derived from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock
Landscape: barrier island
Landform: tidal flats
Slope: less than 1 percent
Precipitation Pattern: Precipitation is generally uniform throughout the year with slight peaks in the spring and fall months
Mean annual precipitation: 1143 to 1295 mm (45 to 51 in)
Mean annual air temperature: 20.6 to 21.7 C (69 to 71 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 275 to 300 days
Elevation: 0 to 0.5 m (0 to 20 in)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
These are the Drumbay, Galveston, Karankawa and the tentative Jumbilecove series.
Drumbay soils: on back-barrier flat landform; are not sodic
Galveston soils: on a back-barrier flat landform; are not sodic
Karankawa soils: on a lower position on the tidal flat; are loamy throughout; have vegetation
Jumbilecove soils; similar landform; are vegetated

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: poor
Permeability class: rapid (high saturated hydraulic conductivity)
Runoff: high
Flooding: very frequently from daily tides, for very brief (4 to 48 hours) duration
Seasonal water table: Endosaturation occurs from near the surface to 2 m (0 to 8 feet) throughout the year. As high tides recede, these areas remain saturated throughout.

USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: wildlife habitat
Native vegetation: these areas do not have vegetation and some areas have an algal mat

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
General area: The upper Texas Gulf Coast mostly on Galveston Island
Land Resource Region: Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowland Forest and Crop Region(T)
MLRA 150B - Gulf Coast Saline Prairies
Extent: small

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES PROPOSED: Galveston County, Texas, 2020. The name is from a cove near the type location.

REMARKS: The series was formerly included in the Mustang series. The series was separated based on differences in water table depth, salinity, and vegetation.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: 25 to 100 cm (10 to 40 in)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in) (A horizon)
Endosaturation and aquic conditions: 0 to 203 cm (0 to 80 in) (A, C1, C2, C3, Cg1, Cg2, and Cg3 horizons)

Additional Comments: Sodic classification is based on similar soils and landform.

ADDITIONAL DATA: None

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.