LOCATION NOVILLO TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Siliceous, hyperthermic Typic Psammaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Novillo peat--on a concave, 0 to 1 percent slope in fresh-water marsh at an elevation of 0.3 meters (1 ft). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi--0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in); very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) peat, very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) pressed and rubbed; massive; 85 percent fine and very fine, 8 percent medium and 2 percent coarse roots; dominantly herbaceous roots and fiber; about 10 percent mineral matter dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sand; nonsaline; SAR is about 4; noneffervescent; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of the Oi horizons is 0 to 10 cm [0 to 4 in].)
A1--5 to 18 cm (2 to 7 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; single grain; loose; 12 percent fine and very fine roots and 3 percent medium and coarse roots; 5 percent fine and medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; nonsaline; SAR is about 6; noneffervescent; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
A2--18 to 31 cm (7 to 12 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; single grain; loose; 7 percent fine and very fine and 2 percent medium and coarse roots; 12 percent medium faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; nonsaline; SAR is about 8; noneffervescent; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 31 cm [4 to 12 in].)
Cg1--31 to 48 cm (12 to 19 in); gray (10YR 5/1) fine sand, gray (10YR 6/1) dry; single grain; loose; 5 percent fine and very fine and 2 percent medium roots; 15 percent medium faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; nonsaline; SAR is about 8; noneffervescent; neutral; gradual smooth boundary.
Cg2--48 to 140 cm (19 to 55 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; single grain; loose; 3 percent fine and very fine roots; 5 percent medium faint gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; nonsaline; SAR is about 8; noneffervescent; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Cg horizon is 53 to 125 cm [21 to 49 in].)
Ab--140 to 152 cm (55 to 60 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; single grain; loose; 1 percent fine and very fine roots; 10 percent medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; nonsaline; SAR is about 7; noneffervescent; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of the Ab horizon is 0 to 41 cm [0 to 16 in].)
Cgb--152 to 203 cm (60 to 80 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; single grain; loose; 1 percent fine and very fine roots; 7 percent medium distinct gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries in the matrix; nonsaline; SAR is about 7; noneffervescent; slightly acid. (Thickness of the Cgb horizon is 0 to 58 cm [0 to 23 in].)
TYPE LOCATION: Kleberg County, Texas; from the intersection of Park Road 22 and the county line between Kleberg and Nueces Counties; 8.0 miles southwest on Park Road 22 to the pay station entrance of Padre Island National Seashore; 0.8 mile southwest on Park Road 22 to the intersection of Novillo and Bird Island Basin road; 0.56 mile west-northwest on Bird Island Basin road; 300 feet south in a fresh-water marsh. South Bird Island, Texas USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 27 degrees, 27 minutes, 59.6 seconds N; Longitude: 97 degrees, 17 minutes, 57.5 seconds W; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Aquic conditions exist between 0 to 15 cm [0 and 6 in] below the soil surface, or the soil is ponded for very long periods in normal years.
Mean annual soil temperature: 23 to 24 cm (74 to 76 degrees F)
Depth to masses of oxidized iron: 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in)
Depth to iron depletions or depleted matrix: 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in)
Depth to endosaturation: 0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 in) for long periods throughout the year
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 1 to 3 percent
Sand content: 95 to 99 percent
The particle-size control section has less than 5 percent silt plus clay.
Oi horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 2 or 3 (2 to 4 pressed and rubbed)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: peat
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
SAR: 0 to 8
Reaction: moderately acid to slightly acid
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 (4 to 6 dry)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sand
Clay content: 1 to 3 percent
Masses of oxidized iron: amount--0 to 10 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--clear or sharp
Iron depletions: amount--0 to 10 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint, boundary--diffuse or clear
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
SAR: 0 to 8
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
Cg horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 (6 or 7 dry)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sand
Clay content: 1 to 3 percent
Masses of oxidized iron: amount--2 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--clear or sharp
Iron depletions: amount--2 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint or distinct, boundary--diffuse or clear
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
SAR: 2 to 10
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
Ab horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 or 4 (4 or 5 dry)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sand
Clay content: 1 to 3 percent
Masses of oxidized iron: amount--0 to 10 percent, size--fine to coarse, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--clear or sharp
Iron depletions: amount--2 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint or distinct, boundary--diffuse or clear
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
SAR: 2 to 10
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline
Cgb horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 (6 or 7 dry)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sand
Clay content: 1 to 3 percent
Masses of oxidized iron: amount--2 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint to prominent, boundary--clear or sharp
Iron depletions: amount--2 to 15 percent, size--fine or medium, contrast--faint or distinct, boundary--diffuse or clear
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
SAR: 2 to 10
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Dianola (TX),
Kesson (FL),
Mustang (TX) and
Pompano (FL) series in the same family. Similar soils include the
Madre (TX),
Malaquite (TX),
Padre (TX),
Panam (TX),
Nass (TX),
Satatton (TX), and
Tatton (TX) series.
Dianola, Madre and Malaquite soils: have SAR of 13 or more within 102 cm (40 in) of the soil surface. In addition, Dianola and Malaquite soils have silt plus clay of 5 percent or more in the 25 to 102 cm (10 to 40 in) control section.
Kesson, Satatton and Tatton soils: have SAR of 33 or more, within 102 cm (40 in) of the soil surface, and are subject to tidal flooding.
Mustang soils: do not have organic surface horizons, are poorly drained, and have a water table within 25 to 76 cm (10 to 30 in).
Nass soils: have a coarse-loamy particle-size control section and salinity of 4 dS/m or more within 102 cm (40 in) of the soil surface.
Padre and Panam soils: are somewhat poorly drained, and have a water table within 76 to 127 cm (30 to 50 in).
Pompano soils: do not have organic surface horizons, do not have a buried A horizon, and have silt plus clay of 5 percent or more.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Eolian sandy sediments of Holocene age
Landform: concave fresh-water marsh swales or depressions between low dunes on barrier flats
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 22 to 23 degrees C (71 to 73 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation range: 635 to 889 mm (25 to 35 in)
Precipitation Pattern: November through April are the driest months, with a second dry period in July. September is the wettest month.
Frost-free period: 310 to 350 days
Elevation: 0 to 1.5 m (0 to 5 ft)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 31 to 44
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Daggerhill,
Greenhill,
Madre,
Malaquite,
Mustang,
Padre,
Panam,
Satatton, and
Tatton series.
Daggerhill and Greenhill soils: are on a higher foredunes and back-island dunal ridges and lack organic surface horizons.
Madre, Malaquite and Mustang soils: are on slightly higher barrier flat landforms and do not have an organic surface horizon.
Padre and Panam soils: are on higher low mounds on barrier flats and do not have an organic surface horizon.
Satatton and Tatton soils: are on lower wind tidal flats and do not have an organic surface horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Runoff is negligible. The water table is within 15 cm (6 in) of the soil surface throughout the year and the soil is ponded for very long periods in normal years. These soils are also subject to occasional flooding for brief periods by high storm surge during strong tropical storms.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used as wetland wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is spikerush, olney bulrush, hemp sesbania, cattails, pennywort, sedges, rushes, and bushy bluestem. The ecological site is Coastal Swale, PE 31-44 (150BY713TX).
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gulf Coast Saline Prairies (MLRA 150B in LRR T) on barrier islands along the lower Gulf Coast of Texas. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kleberg County, Texas; 2007. The name is from a road and former line camp on Padre Island.
REMARKS: The series was formerly included in the Nass series. The series was established based on the difference in clay content.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Fibric soil material: 0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in). (Oi horizon)
Ochric epipedon: 5 to 31 cm (2 to 12 in). (A1 and A2 horizons)
Particle size control section: 25 to 102 cm (10 to 40 in). (A2, Cg1 and Cg2 horizons)
Aquic conditions evidenced by low chroma colors due to wetness.
Masses of oxidized iron: 0 to 203 cm (0 to 80 in). (Oi, A1, A2, Cg1, Cg2, Ab and Cgb horizons)
Iron depletions or depleted matrix: 0 to 203 cm (0 to 80 in). (Oi, A1, A2, Cg1, Cg2, Ab and Cgb horizons)
Peraquic moisture regime feature: the zone from 0 to 152 cm (0 to 60 in) is permanently saturated in normal years. (Oi, A1, A2, Cg1, Cg2 and Ab horizons)
Endosaturation: The top of the zone of saturation is between 0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 in) throughout the year, and ponded for most of the year in normal years.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Particle-size analysis, salinity and sodicity tests on three pedons performed at the soil survey project office.
TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006