LOCATION PERSONVILLE TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, thermic Udic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Personville loamy fine sand, on a south-facing, plane, 1 percent slope in cropland at an elevation of 570 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) loamy fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; common fine roots; few fine siliceous pebbles; few fine ironstone pebbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
A--6 to 18 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) loamy fine sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few fine and medium roots; few fine siliceous pebbles; few fine ironstone pebbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 18 inches thick)
Bt1--18 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) dry; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/8) mottles; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm; few fine and medium roots; common fine pores; common thin clay films on faces of peds; few fine siliceous pebbles; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 21 inches thick)
Bt2--28 to 37 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellow (10YR 6/6) dry; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm; few fine and medium roots; many fine pores; common thin yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay films on faces of peds; few medium black concretions; few fine siliceous pebbles; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
Bt3--37 to 47 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) fine sandy loam, yellow (10YR 7/8) dry; many medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm; few fine and medium roots; common fine pores; few thin yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay films on faces of peds; few medium black concretions; few fine siliceous pebbles; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
2R--47 inches; hard fossiliferous limestone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Limestone County, Texas; about 7 miles Northwest of Groesbeck on Farm Road 1245; from the intersection of Farm Roads 1245 and 1633 in Thelma Community; 1 mile Northwest on Farm Road 1245; 1.8 miles North on County Road; 0.8 mile Northeast; 150 feet South on field road; 50 feet West in cropland. Latitude 31 degree, 37 minutes, 33 seconds north; Longitude 96 degree, 37 minutes, 33 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to a lithic contact ranges from 40 to 60 inches. The lower boundary of the solum rests abruptly on limestone bedrock or grades into bedded limestone. Clay content in the particle-size control section ranges from 18 to 25 percent. Siliceous pebbles range from 0 to 5 percent throughout.
The A horizon has value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 4. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral. The E horizon, when present, is one or two units of value more than the A horizon.
The Bt horizon has a hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 8. Mottles are in shades of red, yellow, or brown. Texture is fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam. Reaction is strongly acid to neutral. Fragments of limestone range from 0 to 5 percent just above the limestone bedrock. Black concretions range from none to few.
The 2R layer is hard limestone bedrock that is tightly fractured. Fossils range from few to common. Hardness is more than 3 on Moh`s scale.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the Cisco, Gholson, May, and Lavender series in the same family. Similar soils are Gasil, Groesbeck, Rosanky, Silawa, and Styx series. Cisco, Gholson, and May soils do not have a lithic contact of limestone. Lavender soils have a lithic contact of limestone at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Gasil soils lack a lithic contact. Groesbeck soils have a mollic epipedon. Rosanky soils have a fine control section. Silawa soils have a redder hue in the Bt horizons. Styx soils have a solum of 60 to more than 80 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Personville soils are on gently sloping uplands. These soils formed in loamy Pleistocene sediments deposited over the Tehuacana Limestone, mainly of the Midway Group of Tertiary age. Slope gradients are mainly between 1 and 3 percent but range up to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 34 to 38 inches and mean annual temperature ranges from 65 to 67 degrees F. Frost free days range from 250 to 260 and elevation ranges from 430 to 650 feet. Thornthwaite annual P-E indices range from 56 to 64.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Axtell, Gredge, Groesbeck, Lavender, Padina, Rader, Silawa, and Styx soils. The Axtell and Gredge soils have fine textured argillic horizons and are in similar positions. The Groesbeck soils have a mollic epipedon and a solum thickness of 20 to 40 inches over limestone. The Lavender and Silawa soils have redder hues in the Bt horizons and Lavender soils have a solum thickness of 20 to 40 inches over hard limestone. Padina soils have a sandy surface greater than 40 inches thick. Rader soils are in concave positions and have gray mottles due to wetness. Styx soils have a sandy surface layer 20 to 40 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for pasture and native rangeland with a few areas of cropland. Native vegetation consists of scattered oak trees and tall prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central Texas; ( MLRA 86A). The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Limestone County, Texas; 1992. The name is from the community of Personville.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 18 inches (Ap and A horizons).
Argillic horizon - from a depth of 18 to 47 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Lithic contact - hard limestone bedrock at 47 inches.
These soils were previously included with the Styx series.
ADDITIONAL DATA: TAMU Soil Characterization Laboratory; S88TX-293-02. SNTC Soil Mechanics Laboratory; S88TX-293-02.