LOCATION SANDERSON TX

Established Series
Rev. RED-AJT-ACT-LEL
10/2016

SANDERSON SERIES

The Sanderson series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils formed in gravelly, calcareous loamy alluvium and/or colluvium derived from limestone. These nearly level to moderately sloping soils occur on fans and footslopes of ridges on dissected plateaus. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 381 mm (15 in), and mean annual air temperature is about 18.3 degrees C (65 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, thermic Ustic Haplocambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Sanderson gravelly loam, on a 3 percent slope in rangeland.
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak thin platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 30 percent angular limestone gravel, mostly 1/8 to 1 inch in diameter; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. Thickness is 0 to 8 cm (0 to 3 in)

A2--5 to 23 cm (2 to 9 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky and granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 30 percent angular limestone gravel, mostly 1/4 to 2 inches in diameter; few masses, films and threads of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. Combined thickness of the A horizon is 13 to 53 cm (5 to 21 in).

Bk--23 to 71 cm (9 to 28 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 35 percent angular limestone gravel, mostly 1/4 to 2 inches across, 5 percent limestone cobbles; few masses, films and threads of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; diffuse smooth boundary. Thickness is 25 to 117 cm (10 to 46 in).

C--71 to 152 cm (28 to 60 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 40 percent angular limestone gravel, 5 percent limestone cobbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Terrell County, Texas: From the junction of U.S. Highways 90 and 285 in Sanderson, north on US Highway 285 one mile to highway culvert, then from the southeast corner of the culvert 200 feet to the southeast in rangeland.
USGS topographic quadrangle: Sanderson, Texas;
Latitude: 30 degrees, 09 minutes, 37 seconds N;
Longitude: 102 degrees, 24 minutes, 30 seconds, W;
Datum: WGS84.
UTM Easting 749600.06 m, UTM Northing 3339383.15 m, UTM Zone 13.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Ustic Aridic soil moisture regime.
Thickness of the ochric epipedon: 13 to 53 cm (5 to 21 in)
Thickness of the cambic horizon, 25 to 117 cm (10 to 46 in)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 13 to 53 cm (5 to 21 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Total clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent total, by volume
Calcium carbonate equivalent: more than 40 percent

A Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: gravelly or very gravelly phases of loam, sandy loam, or clay loam
Total clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Carbonate clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Sand content: 20 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent total, by volume; 15 to 50 percent gravels, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones; limestone
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 30 to 60 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 1
Effervescence: slight or strong
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

Bk or Bw Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: very gravelly or extremely gravelly phases of loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam
Total clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Carbonate clay content: 8 to 15 percent
Sand content: 15 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent total, by volume; 30 to 70 percent gravels, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones; limestone
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 60 percent
Visible Secondary Calcium Carbonate: 0 to 4 percent by volume
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 2
Effervescence: violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

C Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: very gravelly phases of loam, sandy loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam
Total clay content: 15 to 35 percent
Carbonate clay content: 8 to 15 percent
Sand content: 15 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 59 percent total, by volume; 30 to 55 percent gravels, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones; limestone
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 55 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 2
Effervescence: violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Similar soils are the Chilicotal, Cienega, Corazones, Ohtwo, Rockpens, and Stillwell series.
Chilicotal soils: have mixed mineralogy and calcic horizons
Cienega soils: have calcic horizons
Corazones soils: have mixed mineralogy, calcic horizons, and have a mean annual soil temperature greater than 22 degrees C
Ohtwo sois: have mixed mineralogy
Rockpens soils: have mixed mineralogy and sodic features
Stillwell soils: have sodic features, calcic horizons, and have a mean annual soil temperature greater than 22 degrees C

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: gravelly, calcareous loamy alluvium or colluvium derived from limestone
Landscape: dissect plateaus
Landform: footslopes of ridges or hills; or alluvial fans below ridges or hills
Slope: 0 to 8 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 305 to 508 mm (12 to 20 in)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 17 to 25
Mean annual air temperature: 15.6 to 20 degrees C (60 to 68 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 210 to 260 days
Elevation: 335.3 to 1554.5 m (1100 to 5100 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dev, Ector, Reagan, and Upton series.
Dev soils: have a mollic epipedon and occur in floodplains
Ector soils: are shallow to a lithic contact and occur on higher sideslopes and summits of ridges
Reagan soils: have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section and occur in lower position on toeslopes and drainageways
Upton soils: are shallow to a petrocalcic horizon and occur in similar positions that are convex

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is negligible on slopes less than 1 percent, low on 1 to 5 percent slopes, and medium on 5 to 8 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION: Native range of low carrying capacity. Desert grassland type vegetation. Vegetation consists of thin overstory of creosotebush, juniper, and mesquite shrubs and a sparse cover of treeawns.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western and Southern Edwards Plateau; MLRA 81A and 81D; the series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jeff Davis County, Texas; 1971.

REMARKS:
Edited 10/2016 (RFG-THW): Changed to tabular format. Added metric measurements. Updated competing series, geographic setting, and associated soils sections.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 25 to 100 cm (10 to 40 in.) (Bk and C horizon)
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 in) (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - 23 to 71 cm (9 to 28 in) (Bk horizon)
Ustic feature - The soil has an aridic moisture regime that borders on the ustic regime.

ADDITIONAL DATA: User_Pedon_ID: 85TX443002 (KSSL pedon #85P0644)

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.