LOCATION SALCO                   TX

Established Series
FEM-JBA-RM
08/2018

SALCO SERIES

The Salco series consists of very deep, well drained soils. These gently and moderately sloping soils formed in loamy, calcareous alluvium over residuum weathered from tuffaceous sandstone bedrock of Miocene age. Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 21.7 degrees C (71 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is about 559 mm (22 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Aridic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Salco sandy clay loam, on a west facing, 2 percent slope in rangeland; elevation is 160 m (525 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 in); brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; hard friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; few broken snail shell fragments; about 1 percent by volume fine masses of calcium carbonate; few root channels and insect tunnels; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of the A horizon is 13 to 25 cm [5 to 10 in].)

Bt1--18 to 41 cm (7 to 16 in); brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; few faint clay films; few broken snail shell fragments; few root channels and insect tunnels; about 1 percent by volume fine masses of calcium carbonate; about 5.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--41 to 66 cm (16 to 26 in); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; common distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few broken snail shell fragments; few root channels and insect tunnels; about 1 percent by volume fine masses of calcium carbonate; about 8.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 30 to 94 cm [12 to 37 in].)

Btk1--66 to 97 cm (26 to 38 in); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; few distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few broken snail shell fragments; few root channels and insect tunnels; about 2 percent by volume fine masses of calcium carbonate; about 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Btk2--97 to 132 cm (38 to 52 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine pores; few faint clay films; few broken snail shell fragments; few fine siliceous pebbles; few fine sandstone fragments; about 2 percent by volume fine masses of calcium carbonate; about 18.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btk horizons is 20 to 91 cm (8 to 36 in].)

Bk--132 to 203cm (52 to 80 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/4) loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, friable; common fine pores; few fine sandstone fragments; about 2 percent by volume masses of calcium carbonate; about 22.0 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Duval County, Texas; From the intersection of U.S. 16 and U.S. 59 in Freer 7.8 miles north, 1.3 miles west, 0.4 mile north and 0.55 mile northeast on ranch road, then 20 feet south of road in rangeland.
USGS topographic quad: Loma Alta, TX;
Latitude: 28 degrees, 00 minutes, 32 seconds N;
Longitude: 98 degrees, 36 minutes, 35 seconds W.;
Datum: NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An aridic ustic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts for less than 90 consecutive days in normal years. June to August and December to February are the driest months, while September to November and March to May are the wettest months.
Mean annual soil temperature: 21 to 23 degrees C (70 to 73 degrees F)
Thickness of the epipedon: 25 to 43 cm (10 to 17 in)
Depth to argillic horizon: 20 to 30 cm (7 to 12 in)
Particle-size control section
Clay content: 20 to 32 percent
Coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent

A Horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 23 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 0 to 1 percent, fine, masses, throughout
Electrical Conductivity (dS/m): 0 to 2
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 2
Effervescence: noneffervescent or slightly effervescent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Bt and Btk Horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: clay loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 22 to 32 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 4 to 18 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 0 to 3 percent, fine, masses, throughout
Electrical Conductivity (dS/m): 0 to 2
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 3
Effervescence: slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Bk Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 or 7
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 12 to 22 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 25 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 0 to 2 percent, fine, masses, throughout
Electric Conductivity (dS/m): 0 to 5
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 5
Effervescence: slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: The Tela series is in the same family. Similar series include the Aguilares, Copita, McAllen, and Tonio series.
Tela soils: are in drainageways and flood
Aguilares and Copita soils: do not have mollic epipedons
McAllen soils: do not have a mollic epipedon and moist in the moisture control section for slightly longer periods
Tonio soils: do not have a mollic epipedon

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy, calcareous, alluvium and/or residuum from tuffaceous sandstone of Miocene age
Landscape: inland, dissected coastal plain
Landform: backslope and footslope positions on interfluves or high stream terraces
Slope: 1 to 5 percent
Mean annual air temperature: 21.1 to 22.2 degrees C (70 to 72 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 559 to 610 mm (22 to 24 in)
Frost-free period: 260 to 300 days
Elevation: 53 to 230.1 m (175 to 755 ft)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 19 to 31

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Houla (TX), Lomart (TX), and Mirasol (TX) Series.
Houla soils: occur on similar positions and do not have argillic horizons
Lomart and Mirasol soils: occur on higher positions and do not have argillic horizons

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: Well.
Permeability class: Moderate.
Runoff: low on slopes of 1 to 5 percent.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used primarily for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. In excellent condition mid grasses such as plains bristlegrass, Arizona cottontop, nash and hooded windmillgrass,and pink pappusgrass dominate. Woody plants include blackbrush, Condalia spp., paloverde, wolfberry, guayacan, Texas persimmon, desert yaupon, Texas kidneywood, and Bumelia spp. Major forbs include velvet bundleflower, bushsunflower, gaura, and orange zexmenia.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Rio Grande Plain, Texas; LRR I; MLRA 83C; moderate extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Duval County, Texas, 1980.

REMARKS: Salco series name is coined from La Salle County, Texas.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Particle-size control section: 18 to 68 cm (7 to 27 in). (Bt1, Bt2, and Btk1 horizons)
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 41 cm (0 to 16 in). (A and Bt1 horizon)
Argillic horizon: 18 to 132 cm (7 to 52 in). (Bt1, Bt2, Btk1, and Btk2 horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: Texas A&M University data from type location (S80TX-131-004). Particle-size analysis was performed at the local project office for 3 pedon from Duval County.

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.