LOCATION NEZ                     TX

Established Series
Rev. JKW-KBH-AKS
07/2019

NEZ SERIES


The Nez series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in loamy alluvial deposits derived from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock of Pleistocene age. These soils are mainly on stream terraces on coastal plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 21 degrees C (70 degrees F) and mean annual precipitation is about 1041 mm (41 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, hyperthermic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Nez loamy sand-at an elevation 52 m (170 ft) in rangeland with live oak and post oak. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 15 cm, (0 to 6 in); brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand; single grain; loose; many very fine roots and common medium roots and common fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 1 percent fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) iron-manganese stains with clear boundaries lining pores; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (13 to 25 cm [5 to 10 in] thick)

E--15 to 33 cm, (6 to 13 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy sand; single grain; loose; many very fine roots and common fine roots; common very fine tubular and common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 1 percent fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; 1 percent spherical very strongly cemented 2 to 5 millimeter silica concretions; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 23 cm [5 to 9 in] thick)

Bt1--33 to 61 cm, (13 to 24 in); 50 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) and 40 percent gray (10YR 6/1) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 10YR 4/6 matrix color is relic redox concentration; 3 percent medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent spherical very strongly cemented 2 to 5 millimeter silica concretions; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--61 to 81 cm, (24 to 32 in); 50 percent gray (10YR 6/1) and 35 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 15 percent medium and coarse prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent spherical very strongly cemented 2 to 5 millimeter silica concretions; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt1 and Bt2 horizons is 48 to 71 cm [19 to 28 in])

Bt3--81 to 122 cm, (32 to 48 in); reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) and 25 percent gray (10YR 6/1) sandy clay loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 20 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 1 percent medium prominent black (10YR 2/1) manganese masses with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent spherical very strongly cemented 2 to 5 millimeter silica concretions; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt4--122 to 163 cm, (48 to 64 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1) sandy clay loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent medium prominent pale red (10R 6/4) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix and 20 percent coarse faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent spherical very strongly cemented 2 to 5 millimeter silica concretions; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt3, Bt4, and Bt5 horizons is 94 to 132 cm [37 to 52 in])

Bt5--163 to 203 cm, (64 to 80 in); gray (2.5Y 6/1), sandy clay loam; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 1 percent fine and medium prominent black (10YR 2/1) manganese masses with sharp boundaries in matrix and 3 percent coarse prominent pale red (10R 6/4) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix and 20 percent coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; 1 percent spherical very strongly cemented 2 to 5 millimeter silica concretions; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Lavaca County, Texas; from the intersection of Farm Road 530 and Farm Road 2437, 0.5 mile east on Farm Road 2437; 100 feet south in rangeland

USGS topographic quadrangle: Speaks, Texas
Latitude: 29 degrees, 19 minutes, 21 seconds N
Longitude: 96 degrees, 41 minutes, 31 seconds W
Datum: WGS 84

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 152 to more than 203 cm (60 to more than 80 in).
The combined thickness of the A and E horizons: 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 in) and averages about 41 cm (16 in).
Mean annual soil temperature: 21.7 to 22.2 degrees C (71 to 72 degrees F)

A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loamy sand or loamy fine sand
Clay content: 3 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: amount-0 to 2 percent; kind-silica concretions; size- 2 to 5 mm
Redoximorphic concentrations: amount-none to 5 percent, shades-yellow, or brown
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

E horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loamy sand or loamy fine sand
Clay content: 3 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: amount-0 to 2 percent; kind-silica concretions; size- 2 to 5 mm
Redoximorphic concentrations: amount-none to 8 percent, shades-red, yellow, or brown
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bt horizon
(upper part)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 6 (pedons with more than 2 have a variegated matrix)
Texture: sandy clay or clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: amount-0 to 2 percent; kind-silica concretions; size-2 to 5 mm
Redoximorphic concentrations: amount-1 to 25 percent,
shades-red, yellow, brown
Redoximorphic depletions: amount- none to 10 percent; shades- gray
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bt horizon
(lower part)
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 6 (pedons with more than 2 have a variegated matrix)
Texture: sandy clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 34
Rock fragments: amount-0 to 2 percent; kind-silica concretions
Redoximorphic concentrations: amount-1 to 30 percent, boundaries-sharp, shades-red, yellow, or brown (red redoximorphic concentrations are less than 20 percent)
Redoximorphic depletions: amount- none to 30 percent; shades- gray
Identifiable secondary carbonates: amount-0 to 3 percent, kind-nodules or masses
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES:
There are no competing series in the same family. Similar soils are the Inez, Midfield, Telf, Telferner, and Tidehaven soils
Inez soils: smectitic mineralogy; are more alkaline in the lower part of the argillic horizon
Midfield soils; less than 30 cumulative days of saturation in the upper part; lithologic discontinuity starting at 101 cm (40 in)
Telf and Telferner soils; vertic properties; formed in loamy fluviomarine deposits of Pleistocene age
Tidehaven soils: vertic properties; lithologic discontinuity starting at 156 cm (61 in).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy alluvial deposits derived from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock of Pleistocene age
Landscape: coastal plains
Landform: stream terraces
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 1092 to 1143 mm (43 to 45 in)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 52 to 62
Mean annual air temperature: 20.6 to 21.7 degrees C (69 to 71 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 250 to 280 days
Elevation: 37 to 76 m (120 to 250 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
These are the Cieno, Edco, Katy, Milby, Morales, Nada, and Telf series.
Cieno soils: fine-loamy family; an aquic moisture regime; in oval depressions.
Edco, Morales; Nada, and Telf soils: on coastal plains flats; prairie vegetation
Katy soils: in a fine-loamy family; on similar landform with prairie vegetation
Milby soils: on a similar landform; more than 50 cm (20 in) of sandy surface

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: moderately well
Permeability: very slow
Runoff: high
Flooding: none
Ponding: none
Seasonal water table: Episaturation occurs between depths of 30 to 61 cm (12 to 24 in) of the surface during the months of January to March in normal years. Saturation lasts from 1 to 2 weeks after rain events and more than 30 cumulative days in a year.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for rangeland. Native vegetation for these savannah soils includes grasses such as little bluestem, indiangrass, Florida paspalum, brownseed paspalum, and woody vegetation such as post oak, live oak, blackjack oak, yaupon, American beautyberry, and greenbriar.
Ecological sites assigned to phases and components of this series are listed below. Current ecological site assignments are in Web Soil Survey. Components of this series include the following ecological sites: Sandy Loam

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
General area: Upper Gulf Coast of Texas
Land Resource Region: T (Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowland Forest and Crop Region)
Major Land Resource Area: 150A (Gulf Coast Prairies)
Extent: Moderate

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colorado County, Texas; 1997.

REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Inez series. This soil does not have an aquic moisture regime. These soils were formerly classified as Aquertic Chromic Hapludalfs. This classification was based on a preliminary analysis of soil moisture data collected on a similar soil. Further analysis of these data indicate these soils do not have aquic conditions in the upper part in years of normal precipitation. The gray matrix colors are considered a result of a much wetter climate or abnormally wet years. The vertic feature was dropped from the classification from these soils during 2019 due to lab tests showing low linear extensibility and no visible vertic soil features.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon: 0 to 33 cm (0 to 13 in) (A and E horizons)

Argillic horizon: 33 to 203 cm (13 to 80 in) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Bt4, and Bt5 horizons).

Additional Comments: The series classification of mixed mineralogy is based on a mineralogy study on similar soils.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Particle-size anlaysis, salinity, and cation exchange capacity tests were performed at the project office on pedon S2019TX2854000.

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.