LOCATION QUADRIA                 TX

Established Series
Rev. JLR/ACT
10/2012

QUADRIA SERIES

The Quadria series consists of very deep, well drained, slowly permeable soils on broad pediments. These nearly level to gently sloping soils formed in clayey alluvium derived mainly from tuffs of the Duff and Pruett Formations, and the Mitchell Mesa Ignimbrite (welded tuff). Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Ustic Natrargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Quadria loam - rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 5 percent subrounded ignimbrite gravel; 1 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; nonsaline; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)

Btn1--5 to 11 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine, fine, and medium tubular pores; many distinct continuous reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay films on surfaces of peds; 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; nonsaline; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)

Btn2--11 to 17 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many distinct discontinuous reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay films on surfaces of peds; 2 percent subangular ignimbrite gravel; 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; nonsaline; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 11 inches thick)

Btkn1--17 to 24 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) gravelly clay, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; common faint discontinuous clay film on surfaces of peds; common distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on rock fragments, and very few distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on surfaces of peds; 20 percent rounded ignimbrite gravel; 24 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly saline; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

Btkn2--24 to 31 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; few faint discontinuous clay films on surfaces of peds; few distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on lower surface of coarse fragments, and very few distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on surfaces of peds; common medium and coarse irregular white (10YR 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 25 percent rounded ignimbrite gravel, and 5 percent subrounded ignimbrite cobbles; 30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately saline; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)

Btkn3--31 to 46 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; few faint discontinuous clay films on surfaces of peds; few distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on rock fragments, and very few distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on surfaces of peds; common medium and coarse irregular white (10YR 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 25 percent rounded ignimbrite gravel, and 5 percent subrounded ignimbrite cobbles; 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately saline; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)

2Bkn--46 to 57 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots throughout; few very fine and fine tubular pores; common medium and coarse irregular white (10YR 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 5 percent rounded ignimbrite gravel; 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately saline; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 11 inches thick)

3BCkn--57 to 80 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) gravelly coarse sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; alternating strata of coarse sand and very gravelly coarse sand 6 inches thick; very few distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on surfaces of peds, and few distinct discontinuous white (10YR 8/1) coatings of calcium carbonate on rock fragments; few medium irregular white (10YR 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate, and common coarse irregular white (10YR 8/1) masses of calcium carbonate; 1 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 20 percent rounded ignimbrite gravel, and 10 percent subrounded ignimbrite cobbles; slightly saline; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Brewster County, Texas; from the junction of U.S. Highway 90 and Texas Highway 118 in Alpine; 41.1 miles south on Texas Highway 118 to ranch road, 4.25 miles west on ranch road, 0.8 mile south, 3.5 miles west on ranch road, 2.9 miles south on ranch road across Terlingua Creek, 1.3 miles southwest, and 100 feet north in rangeland. Straddlebug Mountain USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle. Latitude: 29 degrees, 45 minutes, 2 seconds North; Longitude: 103 degrees, 43 minutes, 18 seconds West. NAD 1927.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: Ustic aridic moisture regime

Solum thickness: more than 80 inches

Ignimbrite gravel and cobbles cover: 0 to 15 percent of the soil surface

Clay content in the upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon: 35 to 45 percent

Ignimbrite rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent

There is a minimum of 15 percent difference (absolute) in clay content between the A and Bt horizons in the majority of pedons

Sodium adsorption ratio in the upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon: 15 to 25 percent, and ranges from 15 to 35 percent in the upper 40 inches of the pedon

A horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Ignimbrite rock fragments range: 0 to 15 percent
Reactions: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Btn horizons
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: clay, silty clay
Clay content: 40 to 60 percent
Ignimbrite rock fragments range: 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: less than 15 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Btkn horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 7, dry or moist
Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, clay
Clay content: 20 to 40 percent
Ignimbrite rock fragments range: 0 to 30 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent range: 15 to 30 percent
Electrical conductivity range: 4 to 12 dS/m

2Bkn and 3BCkn horizons
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
These horizons are beneath lithologic discontinuities located more than 40 inches below the soil surface
Texture: Fine earth fraction is coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam
Clay content: 12 to 20 percent
Ignimbrite rock fragments range: 5 to 30 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: less than 10 percent
Electrical conductivity ranges: 4 to 12 dS/m

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Quadria soils are on broad upland pediments. Slopes are linear to convex with gradients of 0 to 3 percent. The soil formed in alluvium derived from tuff of the Duff and Pruett Formations, with lesser amounts of rock fragments derived from the Mitchell Mesa Ignimbrite. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 15 inches, with most occurring from July through September. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 62 to 68 degrees F. Frost-free period ranges from 210 to 280 days, and elevation ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Beewon, Borunda, Chilicotal, Musgrave, Rockpens, and Straddlebug series. Beewon soils are on older, slighter higher pediments. Borunda soils are in the fine-loamy family, have a gypsic horizon, and are moderately deep to tuffaceous bedrock. They are on higher erosional uplands. Chilicotal soils are in the loamy-skeletal family, and have a calcic horizon in the control section, and are on alluvial fan positions higher in the landscape. Musgrave soils are very shallow or shallow to tuffaceous bedrock and are on short steep scarps and sideslopes of Pleistocene terraces. Rockpens soils are in the loamy-skeletal family, and are on higher late-Pleistocene stream terraces. Straddlebug soils are in the fine-loamy family, do not have an argillic horizon, and are on higher Holocene age alluvial flats and floodplains.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is slow. Runoff is medium on slopes less than 1 percent, and high on slopes of 1 to 3 percent.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used as livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Woody species include fourwing saltbush, tarbush, creosotebush, range ratany, Spanish dagger, and mesquite. Grass species in the understory are blue grama, black grama, burrograss, tobosa, bush muhly, plains bristlegrass, and sideoats grama.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West Texas. MLRA 42. The series is moderately extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Brewster County, Texas, 1997. The name is Spanish for the word Packsaddle, the name of a mountain located in southern Brewster County.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 5 inches(A horizon)

Abrupt texture change - the boundary at 5 inches (Btn horizons)

Argillic horizon - the zone from 5 to 46 inches (Btn and Btkn horizons)

Natric horizon - the zone from 5 to 46 inches (Btn and Btkn horizon)

Calcic horizon - the zone from 17 to 46 inches (Btkn horizons)

Ustic feature - the soil has an aridic moisture regime that borders the ustic moisture regime

Classification change from Calcic Paleargids to Ustic Natrargids based on NSSL data (S95TX-043-023)

Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010

Update and revisions for Recorrelation of Brewster County, Texas, Main Part, 2/12/08, CEM

Revised for the correlation of Presidio County, Texas ; Oct, 2012, WWJ

ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data for the type location (Pedon S95TX043-023) are available from National Soil Survey Laboratory.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.