LOCATION PAPALOTE                TX

Established Series
Rev. MLG-JKW-JAG
11/2016

PAPALOTE SERIES

The Papalote series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in loamy and clayey alluvium of Pleistocene and Pliocene age. These nearly level to gently sloping soils occur on high terraces of inland dissected coastal plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 686 mm (27 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 22 degrees C (72 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Typic Paleustalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Papalote fine sandy loam, on south-facing, convex, 0.6 percent slope in pastureland at an elevation of 41 m (135 ft)
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 41 cm (0 to 16 in); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable; many fine roots; many fine pores; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. Thickness is 15 to 46 cm (6 to 18 in)

Bt1--41 to 51 cm (16 to 20 in); brown (7.5YR 4/2) sandy clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common, fine prominent red (2.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron, and few fine faint gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions; many prominent clay films on surfaces of peds; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. Thickness is 5 to 41 cm (2 to 16 in)

Bt2--51 to 79 cm (20 to 31 in); brown (7.5YR 5/2) sandy clay, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; few fine pores; common fine and medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; many prominent clay films on surfaces of peds; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. Thickness is 10 to 51 cm (4 to 20 in)

Bt3--79 to 97 cm (31 to 38 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) sandy clay, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; common fine and medium distinct reddish brown (5YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; common distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 25 to 86 cm (10 to 34 in)

Btk1--97 to 124 cm (38 to 49 in); pink (7.5YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few fine faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; common distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. Thickness is 15 to 61 cm (6 to 24 in)

BCk--124 to 203 cm (49 to 80 in); pink (7.5YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; common masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Jim Wells County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S. Highway 281 and Texas Highway 44 in Alice; 19.4 miles south on U.S. Highway 281; 3.0 miles east to gasoline refinery; 0.75 mile north on ranch road; 30 feet east in pasture.
USGS topographic quadrangle: Ella, Texas;
Latitude: 27 degrees 28 minutes 48.1 seconds N;
Longitude: 98 degrees 03 minutes 41.3 seconds W.
Datum: NAD 83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An ustic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 days in normal years.
Mean annual soil temperature: 72 to 74 (22.2 to 23.3 degrees F).
Depth to abrupt textural change: 15 to 46 cm (6 to 18 in)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 71 to 102 cm (28 to 40 in)
Redoximorphic features: Iron depletions in the Bt1 horizon are due to present day wetness. This wetness, however, occurs less often than 6 out of 10 years. Features in the lower Bt horizon are considered either inherited from the parent material or are relict.

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent

A Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand or fine sandy loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 3 percent, by volume; siliceous gravel
Reaction (pH): moderately acid to slightly alkaline (5.6 - 7.8)

E Horizon (where present)
Thickness: 3 to 15 cm (1 to 6 in)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 8
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: loamy coarse sand, loamy fine sand or fine sandy loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 3 percent, by volume; siliceous gravel
Reaction (pH): moderately acid to slightly alkaline (5.6 - 7.8)

Upper Bt Horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay, or clay
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 3 percent, by volume; siliceous gravel
Redox concentrations: few to many, in shades of brown, yellow or red
Redox depletions: few to common, in shades of gray
Reaction (pH): moderately acid to slightly alkaline (5.6 - 7.8)

Lower Bt Horizons
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay loam or sandy clay
Clay content: 22 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 3 percent, by volume; siliceous gravel
Redox concentrations: few to many, in shades of brown, yellow or red
Redox depletions: none to common, in shades of gray
Reaction (pH): slightly acid to moderately alkaline (6.1 - 8.4)

Btk Horizon (where present)
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or sandy clay
Clay content: 22 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 6 percent, by volume; siliceous gravel
Redox concentrations: few to common, in shades of brown, yellow or red
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 1 to 5 percent, threads, films, and masses
Effervescence: very slight to strong
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

BCk or Bk Horizon (where present)
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 8
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or sandy clay
Clay content: 20 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent, by volume; siliceous gravel
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 2 to 30 percent, concretions and masses
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Gillett series in the same family. Similar soils are the Delfina, Floresville, Griter, Leming, Miguel, and Wilco series.
Delfina soils: have a fine-loamy particle-size control section.
Gillett soils: are moderately deep to a sandstone Cr horizon.
Griter soils: do not have redox depletions within 76 cm (30 in) of the surface and formed in sediments weathered from sandstone, mainly of the Yegua Formation.
Floresville soils: have subsoils that are 5YR or redder in the upper part and have mixed mineralogy.
Leming soils: have sandy epipedons more than 50 cm (20 in) thick.
Miguel soils: do not have iron depletions.
Wilco soils: do not have carbonates within 100 cm (40 in) of the surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy and clayey alluvium of Pleistocene and Pliocene age
Landscape: inland dissected coastal plains
Landform: high terraces of Pleistocene and Pliocene age
Slope: 0 to 5 percent but are dominantly less than 3 percent
Precipitation Pattern: Precipitation mostly falls during the spring and fall months. The winter months are the driest.
Mean annual precipitation: 635 to 965 mm (25 to 38 in)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 31 to 48
Mean annual air temperature: 21.1 to 22.8 degrees C (70 to 73 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 270 to 305 days
Elevation: 29.0 to 228.6 m (95 to 750 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Clareville, Floresville, Leming, Miguel, and Wilco series.
Clareville soils: have a mollic epipedon and occur on slightly lower positions.
Floresville soils: do not have redoximorphic features and occur on slightly higher positions
Leming soils: have a sandy surface more than 50 cm (20 in) thick and occur on a similar landform
Miguel and Wilco soils: have a redder argillic horizon and occur on a similar landform

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Permeability is slow. Runoff is low on 0 to 1 percent slopes, and medium on 1 to 5 percent slopes. In fewer than 6 out of 10 years, this soil is saturated in the upper part of the Bt horizon for long duration. In some years, reduced conditions develop in the upper part of the argillic horizon for brief periods following extreme above-normal precipitation events (tropical storms). Redoximorphic features that result from these events are not diagnostic for classification.

USE AND VEGETATION: Some areas are cropped to cotton, corn, and grain sorghum. Most areas are in native range and improved pasture with coastal bermudagrass being the dominant pasture grass. Native grasses include little bluestem, feathery bluestem, Nash and hooded windmillgrass, and Texas and plains bristlegrass. Woody species consist of live oak, post oak, mesquite, huisache, spiny hackberry, and pricklypear.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Rio Grande Plain (MLRA 83A; LRR I) of southern Texas. The soil is extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: DeWitt County, Texas; 1973.

REMARKS:
Edited 11/2016 (RFG-GWH): Updated competing series, geographic setting, and associated soils sections.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: 41 to 91 cm (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons)
Ochric epipedon--0 to 41 cm (0 to 16 in) (A horizon)
Pale feature--Abrupt texture change at 41 cm (16 in).
Argillic horizon--41 to 124 cm (16 to 49 in). (Bt horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data from Live Oak County, TX; (S91TX-297-009).

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.