LOCATION RIESEL TX
Established Series
Rev. BJW-RMR-RM
02/2018
RIESEL SERIES
The Riesel series consists of very deep to gravelly alluvium, well drained soils that formed in clayey over gravelly alluvium derived from sandstone, shale, or siltstone of Cretaceous Age. These nearly level to gently sloping soils are on ancient treads of stream terraces on dissected plains. Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 856 mm (33.7 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 20.1 degrees C (68.2 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, active, thermic Udic Paleustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Riesel gravelly fine sandy loam - wooded pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; hard, friable; many fine roots; 15 percent by volume of siliceous pebbles from 2 mm to 15 mm in diameter; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 30 cm [4 to 12 in] thick)
E--13 to 41 cm (5 to 16 in), brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; hard, friable; many fine roots; about 80 percent by volume of rounded siliceous pebbles from 2 mm to 50 mm in diameter; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 30 cm [0 to 12 in] thick)
Bt1--41 to 102 cm (16 to 40 in), red (2.5YR 4/6) very gravelly clay; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) moist; weak fine blocky structure; extremely hard, firm; few fine roots; 40 percent by volume of rounded siliceous pebbles that are mostly 2 mm to 50 mm in diameter; thin patchy clay films on peds and pebbles; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (36 to 81 cm [14 to 32 in] thick)
Bt2--102 to 142 cm (40 to 56 in), red (2.5YR 4/6) clay, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist, common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and yellowish red (5YR 4/6) mottles; weak medium blocky structure; extremely hard, firm; about 10 percent by volume of rounded siliceous pebbles from 2 mm to 50 mm in diameter; thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (30 to 97 cm [12 to 38 in] thick)
2C--142 to 157 cm (56 to 62 in), reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) very gravelly loamy sand, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; pebbles comprise about 65 percent of the layer; few soft bodies of calcium carbonate in the upper 15 cm (6 in); slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Bell County, Texas; From the intersection of Texas Highway 95 and Farm Road 436 in Academy, Texas; approximately 4 miles south on Texas Highway 95 to the south edge of Sparks, Texas; 1.8 miles west on a county road to the junction of another county road; .5 miles south on a county road and 10 ft east of fence in wooded pasture. USGS topographic quadrangle: Holland, TX;
Latitude: 30 degrees, 55 minutes, 15.6 seconds North;
Longitude: 97 degrees, 23 minutes, 32.6 seconds West.
Datum: WGS84
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum depth: from 102 to 203 cm (40 to 80 in) to beds of sand and gravel
Soil Moisture: An udic ustic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for 90 or more cumulative days and moist, in some part, either for more than 180 cumulative days per year, or for 90 or more consecutive days in normal years.
Soil temperature: 15 to 22 degrees C (59 to 72 degrees F)
Thickness of ochric epipedon: 4 to 24 cm (1.6 to 9.4 in) thick
Thickness of argillic horizon: 66 to 178 cm (26 to 70 in) thick
Particle-size control section:
Silicate clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Rock fragments: amount-35 to 70 percent; kind-limestone and quartzite; shape-nonflat; size-gravels
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, or very gravelly fine sandy loam
Rock fragments: amount-10 to 30 percent; kind-limestone and quartzite; shape-nonflat; size-gravels
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
E horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 8, dry or moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, very gravelly fine sandy loam, or extremely gravelly fine sandy loam
Rock fragments: amount-15 to 65 percent; kind-limestone and quartzite; shape-nonflat; size-gravels
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Bt1 horizon
Hue: 2.5YR
Value: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Chroma: 2 to 8, dry or moist
Texture: very gravelly clay, extremely gravelly clay, very gravelly clay loam, or extremely gravelly clay loam.
Rock fragments: amount-35 to 65 percent; kind-limestone and quartzite; shape-nonflat; size-gravels
Reaction: medium acid to slightly alkaline
Bt2 horizon
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 3 or 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 6 to 8, dry or moist
Texture: Clay, gravelly clay, very gravelly clay, extremely gravelly clay, clay loam, gravelly clay loam, very gravelly clay loam, or extremely gravelly clay loam
Rock fragments: amount-10 to 70 percent; kind-limestone and quartzite; shape-nonflat; size-gravels
Reaction: medium acid to slightly alkaline
2C horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7, dry or moist
Chroma: 1 to 8, dry or moist
Texture: gravelly fine sand, very gravelly fine sand, extremely gravelly fine sany, gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly loamy sand, or extremely gravelly loamy sand
Rock Fragments: amount- 25 to 90 percent; size-mainly gravels and a few cobbles; kind-limestone and quartzite; shape-nonflat
Identifiable secondary carbonates: amount- 0 to 5 percent, size-fine or medium, kind-carbonate concretions or masses
Other features: Some pedons have thin interbedded layers of gravel and fine sand
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: This the
Pebblepoint series in the same family. Similar soils are the
Lometa,
Minwells,
Payne, and
Travis series.
The
Pebblepoint soils: have a lithic contact at a depth of 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 in) and are in drier climates
Lometa soils: have sola less than 102 cm (40 in) and are in drier climates.
Minwells,
Payne, and
Travis soils: do not have a skeletal control section or a gravelly surface layer.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: clayey over gravelly alluvium derived from sandstone, shale, or siltstone of Cretaceous Age
Landscape: Dissected plains
Landform: ancient treads of stream terraces
Slope: 1 to 5 percent
Mean annual air temperature: 17.8 to 20.7 degrees C (64 degrees to 69.3 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 711 to 1016 mm (28 to 40 in)
Frost-free period: 230 to 266 days
Elevation: 128 to 305 m (420 to 1001 ft)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 44 to 64
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Payne,
Minwells, and
Travis series, and the
Axtell,
Lewisville, and
Venus series.
Axtell soils: have mottled B2t horizons, COLE of more than .07, and cracks more than 1 cm. wide that extend below 51 cm (20 in) depth.
Lewisville and
Venus soils: have mollic epipedons and lack argillic horizons.
Minwells soils: occur on positions similar to that of Riesel soils
Payne soils: occur on lower broad stream terrace positions
Travis sois: occur on sideslopes and ridges adjacent to Riesel soils
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: Well;
Permeability class: Slow
Runoff: medium on slopes less than 1 percent and high on slopes of 1 to 5 percent; slow internal drainage
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for pasture. A very small acreage is cultivated to sorghums or oats for winter grazing. Many areas are being mined for road gravel. Native vegetation is mostly bluestems and indiangrass with an overstory of post oak and elm trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mainly in central Texas in small areas along major streams. This soil occurs primarily in the Texas Blackland Prairies, Northern Part (MLRA 86A) and to a minor extent in the Grand Prairies (MLRA 85). The series is of moderate extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Falls County, Texas, 1932.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 41 cm (0 to 16 in) (A, E horizons)
Argillic horizon: 41 to 142 cm (16 to 56 in) (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Abrupt textural change: 41 cm (16 in)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Lincoln Laboratory Sample No. 73L678 determined the mineralogy to be mixed.
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.