LOCATION PENWELL TX+NM
Established Series
Rev. ACT-TCB-RM
09/2014
PENWELL SERIES
The Penwell series consists of very deep, excessively drained, and rapidly permeable soils that formed in sandy eolian deposits of Holocene age. These soils are on very gently sloping to moderately steep hills or dunes. Slope ranges from 1 to 20 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 406 mm (16 in) and the mean annual temperature is 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Siliceous, thermic Ustic Torripsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Penwell fine sand - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A-- 0 to 33 cm (0 to 13 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose; few fine roots; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (Thickness is 20 to 40 cm [8 to 16 in].)
C1-- 33 to 152 cm (13 to 60 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/4) fine sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; single grain; loose; few fine roots; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (Thickness is 100 to 150 cm [40 to 60 in].)
C2-- 152 to 216 cm (60 to 85 in); reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) fine sand; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) moist; single grain; loose; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Andrews County, Texas; from intersection of Farm Road 181 and Texas Highway 115 about 15 miles southwest of Andrews, Texas, 3.7 miles south on Farm Road 181, 0.2 mile west in range. (Latitude: 32 degrees, 08 minutes, 20 seconds North; Longitude: 102 degrees, 45 minutes, 00 seconds West.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 205 but less than 270 days, cumulative, in normal years. November through April normally is the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in May through October.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Particle-size control section: 2 to 10 percent silicate clay.
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 8, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sand, loamy fine sand
Effervescence: none
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
C horizons:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sand, loamy fine sand
Effervescence: none
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family. Similar soils include the
Berwolf,
Delphos,
Elida,
Elgee,
Jalmar,
Kermit,
Nutivoli,
Roswell,
Spantara,
Triomas, and
Vestwells series.
Berwolf soils: have an argillic horizon and are dry in the moisture control section for longer periods.
Delphos soils: have a calcic horizon within 100 cm (40 in).
Elida and
Elgee,
Jalmar,
Triomas and
Vestwells soils have argillic horizons.
Kermit and
Roswell soils are dry in the soil moisture control section for longer periods.
Nutivoli soils: are moist in the moisture control section for longer periods.
Spantara soils: have an argillic horizon and are moist in the moisture control section for longer periods.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: eolian deposits of Holocene age.
Landform: very gently sloping to moderately steep hills or dunes.
Slopes: 1 to 20 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 63 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 356 to 432 mm (14 to 17 in).
Frost-free period: 180 to 240 days.
Elevation: 762 to 1,372 m (2,500 to 4,500 ft).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 22 to 26.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the similar
Jalmar and
Triomas soils and also the
Douro,
Maljamar,
Nutivoli,
Palomas and
Pyote series.
Douro and
Spraberry soils: are on lower landscape positions and have petrocalcic horizons.
Jalmar and
Triomas soils: are on lower landscape positions.
Majamar,
Palomas and
Pyote soils: are on similar landscape positions, have argillic horizons and are dry in the soil moisture control section for slightly longer periods.
Nutivoli soils: are on similar landscape positions but are moist in the soil moisture control-section for longer periods.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained and rapid permeability. Runoff is negligible on 1 to 5 percent slopes and very low on 5 to 20 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland. Vegetation consists of sand bluestem, giant dropseed, little bluestem, cane bluestem, sand dropseed, yucca, and some havard oak. This soil has been correlated to the Sand Hills (R077DY045TX) range site in MLRA-77D.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77D in LRR H); of western Texas and eastern New Mexico. The series is moderate in extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Andrews County, Texas; 1970.
REMARKS: The Penwell series was formerly included in the Kermit and Tivoli series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 33 cm (0 to 13 in) (A horizon)
Torric moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data available: 73TX003001 (Andrews County, Texas), 73TX103001 and 73TX103002 (Crane County, Texas).
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.