LOCATION RATLIFF TX+NM
Established Series
Rev. TCB-RM
08/2016
RATLIFF SERIES
The Ratliff series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils. These soils formed in loamy, calcareous eolian deposits of the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. They are on nearly level to gently sloping plains. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 406 mm (16 in) and the mean annual temperature is 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, thermic Ustic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Ratliff loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky; light brownish gray platy surface crust 1/8 inch thick; common fine roots and pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness is 15 to 30 cm [6 to 12 in].)
Bw--25 to 63 cm (10 to 25 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to fine and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky; common very fine roots and pores; few films and threads of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Thickness is 33 to 71 cm [13 to 28 in].)
Bk1--63 to 114 cm (25 to 45 in); pink (7.5YR 8/4) clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky; 30 percent, concretions and masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--114 to 170 cm (45 to 67 in); reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky, 10 percent masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness is 45 to 151 cm [18 to 60 in].)
Bk3--170 to 203 cm (67 to 80 in); pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) clay loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky; 30 percent masses and threads of calcium carbonate; common black coatings on faces of peds; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Andrews County, Texas; about 9 miles east of Andrews on Texas Highway 176, 12.1 miles south on Farm Road 1788, 800 ft west in rangeland. This location is 0.4 mile south and 800 ft west of a road intersection. (Latitude: 32 degrees, 11 minutes, 00 seconds North; Longitude: 102 degrees, 20 minutes, 05 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).
Depth to calcic horizon: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in).
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
Surface fragments: 0 to 5 percent, gravel size, carbonate nodules
Particle-size control section: 18 to 30 percent silicate clay.
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam
Effervescence: slight to violent
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: less than 2 percent in the form of fine threads and nodules
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Bk horizons:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 8 dry, 3 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: 10 to 50 percent by volume in the form of masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates
Calcium carbonate by weight: 5 to 40 percent
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family. Similar soils include the
Chavaro,
Chispa,
Delphos,
Elfrida,
Evanola,
Kahn,
Laborcita,
Lovington,
Pandale,
Salado,
San Jon, and
Tuzigoot.
Chavaro soils: have an argillic horizon.
Chispa,
Elfrida,
Kahn,
Laborcita,
Pandale,
Salado and
Tuzigoot soils: are drier in the soil moisture control-section for longer periods.
Delphos soils: have less than 18 percent silicate clay in the particle-size control section.
Evanola and
San Jon soils: are drier in the soil moisture control-section for slightly longer periods and formed in sandstone and shale sediments of Triassic age.
Lovington soils: have lower value and chroma in the surface and subsoil horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy, calcareous eolian sediments of the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age.
Landform: nearly level to gently undulating plains and playa slopes.
Slopes: to 5 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 220 days.
Elevation: 762 to 1,463 m (2,500 to 4,800 ft).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 21 to 26.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the similar
Portales and
Wink series and the
Blakeney,
Conger,
Douro and
Faskin series.
Blakeney and
Conger soils: are on similar landscape positions and have indurated caliche within 50 cm (20 in) of the soil surface.
Douro and
Faskin soils: are on similar landscape positions and have argillic horizons.
Portales soils: are on lower landscape positions and have more moisture in the soil moisture control section for longer periods.
Wink soils: are on similar landscape positions, have less than 18 percent silicate clay in the particle-size control section and are dry in the soil moisture control section for longer periods.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained and moderate permeability. Runoff is negligible on slopes less than 1 percent and low on 1 to 5 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for rangeland but a few areas are cultivated to cotton and grain sorghum. Climax native vegetation is mainly mid and short grasses and includes black grama, blue grama, sideoats grama, silver bluestem, sand dropseed, hooded windmillgrass, plains bristlegrass, and buffalograss, yucca, and a light to moderate overstory of western honey mesquite. This soil has been correlated to the High Lime (R077DY040TX) 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 extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Andrews County, Texas; 1970.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included in the Midessa series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in) A horizon.
Cambic horizon: 25 to 63 cm (10 to 25 in) Bw horizon.
Calcic horizon: 63 to 203 cm (25 to 80 in) Bk horizons.
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.