LOCATION SPINDLETOP TX

Established Series
RD-JKW-RM
07/2014

SPINDLETOP SERIES

The Spindletop series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils. These nearly level soils formed in loamy fluviomarine deposits derived from the Beaumont Formation. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 20.6 degrees C (degrees 69 F), and mean annual precipitation is about 1397 mm (55 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Oxyaquic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Spindletop fine sandy loam, in an area of Labelle-Spindletop complex, 0 to 1 percent slopes, on a pimple mound in range land (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 26 cm, (0 to 10 in); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), dry; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable; many very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; many very fine interstitial and common fine interstitial pores; 1 percent medium worm casts; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (25 to 71 cm [10 to 28 in] thick)

A/E--26 to 37 cm, (10 to 15 in); 60 percent dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) broken face and 40 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) broken face, fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 1 percent fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (11 to 31 cm [4 to 12 in] thick)

Bt1--37 to 50 cm, (15 to 20 in); dark gray (10YR 4/1), clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic parts to moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm; common very fine roots; common very fine pores; 20 percent distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay films on all faces of peds; 3 percent fine faint gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions with sharp boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations and 8 percent medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix and 10 percent medium faint brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.(combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 42 to 140 cm [17 to 55 in])

Bt2--50 to 77 cm, (20 to 30 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/2), clay; moderate medium prismatic parts to moderate medium angular blocky structure; very firm; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent faint light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay films on all faces of peds and 20 percent distinct pressure faces; 3 percent fine prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores and 20 percent medium faint light gray (2.5Y 7/1) iron depletions with clear boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations and 25 percent coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Bt3--77 to 130 cm, (30 to 51 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/2), clay; moderate coarse wedge parts to moderate coarse angular blocky structure; very firm; common very fine roots in cracks; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent distinct light gray (2.5Y 7/2) slickensides (pedogenic) and 10 percent faint light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay films on vertical faces of peds; 10 percent medium prominent yellow (10YR 7/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations and 20 percent coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; moderately alkaline; gradual broken boundary.

Btkg1--130 to 177 cm, (51 to 70 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/1), clay; moderate coarse wedge parts to moderate coarse angular blocky structure; very firm; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; and 15 percent distinct gray (2.5Y 6/1) slickensides (pedogenic); 1 percent fine prominent spherical black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese nodules with sharp boundaries in matrix and 3 percent medium faint gray (2.5Y 6/1) iron depletions with diffuse boundaries on slickensides and 5 percent medium prominent yellow (2.5Y 8/6) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations and 20 percent medium prominent yellow (2.5Y 7/6) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix; 1 percent coarse irregular moderately cemented white (2.5Y 8/1) carbonate nodules in matrix and 1 percent very coarse lenticular moderately cemented white (2.5Y 8/1) carbonate nodules in matrix; strongly alkaline; gradual broken boundary.

Btkg2--177 to 194 cm, (70 to 76 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/1), clay loam; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; firm; few very fine roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent distinct light gray (2.5Y 7/1) clay films on vertical faces of peds; 1 percent medium prominent spherical black (7.5YR 2.5/1) iron-manganese masses with sharp boundaries in matrix and 5 percent medium distinct yellow (2.5Y 8/6) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations and 15 percent medium prominent irregular olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; 3 percent medium irregular moderately cemented white (2.5Y 8/1) carbonate nodules in matrix and 10 percent very coarse irregular white (2.5Y 8/1) carbonate masses in matrix; slightly alkaline; gradual broken boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btkg and Btg horizons is 13 to 59 cm [5 to 23 in])

Btg--194 to 203 cm, (76 to 80 in); light gray (2.5Y 7/2), sandy clay loam; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots throughout; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay films on vertical faces of peds; 2 percent medium prominent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) iron-manganese masses with sharp boundaries in matrix and 2 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix and 10 percent medium distinct yellow (2.5Y 8/6) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries in matrix surrounding redox concentrations and 15 percent medium prominent yellow (2.5Y 7/8) masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in matrix; neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Chambers County, Texas; from the intersection of Farm to Market Road 562 and State Highway 65; 1.5 miles south on Farm to Market Road 562 to Belton Lane; 4.6 miles east on Belton Lane; 0.2 mile south on ranch road; 2 miles east on ranch road; 0.4 mile south on ranch road; 100 ft east in range land on a pimple mound. (Monroe City Southeast USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 29 degrees, 45 minutes, 31 seconds N; Longitude: 94 degrees, 31 minutes, 33.8 seconds W. WGS 84)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: A udic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts for more than 275 days in normal years. The summer months are the driest, while fall through spring months are the wettest months.
Mean annual soil temperature: 21.7 to 22.2 degrees C (71 to 72 degrees F)

Depth to argillic horizon: 36 to 102 cm (14 to 40 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 35 to 42 percent

A Horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam or silt loam
Clay content: 5 to 11 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 3 percent, location-lining pores, shades-brown
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4 (values greater than 1 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 11
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage: 0 to 13 (values greater than 3 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

A/E Horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam or silt loam
Clay content: 2 to 13 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent, location-lining pores, shades-brown
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4 (values greater than 1 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 16
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage: 0 to 15 (values greater than 3 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

E Horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam or silt loam
Clay content: 3 to 13 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent, location-lining pores, shades-brown
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 5 percent, location-adjacent to redox concentrations, shades-gray
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4 (values greater than 1 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 13
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage: 0 to 15 (values greater than 6 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bt Horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam, silt loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay, or clay
Clay content: 21 to 52 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-15 to 35 percent, location- throughout, shades-brown, yellow, or red (red redox features are less than 20 percent)
Redox depletions: amount-5 to 25 percent, location-adjacent to redox concentrations, shades-gray
Iron-manganese concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent, kind-nodules
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-0 to 15 percent, kind-nodules and masses
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4 (values greater than 1 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 16
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage: 0 to 18 (values greater than 6 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Reaction: very strongly acid to strongly alkaline

Btkg Horizon
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 6 or 7
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay, or clay
Clay content: 30 to 53 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-15 to 30 percent, location- throughout, shades-brown, yellow, or red (red redox features are less than 20 percent)
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 5 percent, location-adjacent to root channels, shades-gray, blue or green
Iron-manganese concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent, kind-nodules
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-0 to 3 percent, kind-nodules
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2 (values greater than 1 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 14
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage: 0 to 17 (values greater than 6 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Reaction: strongly acid to strongly alkaline

Btg Horizon
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 6 or 7
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, or clay
Clay content: 23 to 44 percent
Redox concentrations: amount-10 to 35 percent, location- throughout, shades-brown, yellow, or red (red redox features are less than 20 percent)
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 5 percent, location-adjacent to root channels, shades-gray, blue or green
Iron-manganese concentrations: amount-0 to 2 percent, kind-nodules
Identifiable secondary carbonate: amount-0 to 1 percent, kind-nodules
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2 (values greater than 1 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 14
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage: 0 to 17 (values greater than 6 are mostly in storm surge areas)
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately alklaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the no series in the same family. Similar soils are the Anahuac, Faddin, Labelle, and Morey series.
Anahuac soils: less than 50 percent base saturation in some part of the solum
Faddin and Labelle soils: vertic properties with 50 cm (20 in) of the soil surface
Morey soils: have less than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy fluviomarine sediments derived from the Beaumont Formation of Pleistocene age
Landscape: flat coastal plains
Landform: flat
Microfeature: pimple mound
Slope: 0 to 1 percent
Mean annual air temperature range: 20.0 to 22.2 degrees C (68 to 72 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation range: 1219 to 1575 mm (48 to 62 in)
Precipitation Pattern: Rainfall is fairly uniform throughout the year with slight peaks in the fall and spring months.
Frost-free period: 270 to 300 days
Elevation: 3 to 30.5 m (10 to 100 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aris, Anahuac, Labelle, Levac, Orcadia, Meaton, and the Morey series.
Aris soils: are gray throughout due to wetness; are on flats
Anahuac and Orcadia soils: are on a broader landform
Labelle and Morey soils: somewhat poorly drained; on flats
Levac-soils: somewhat poorly drained; are truncated pimple mounds

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: moderately well drained. Runoff is low to medium. Permeability is very slow. Rarey flooded for very brief to brief periods. Flooding occurs as a result of storm surge during tropical storms which occurs in areas less than 4.6 m (15 ft) elevation. These soils have episaturation from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 40 in) below the soil surface from January to March and endosaturation from 150 to 203 cm (49 to 80 in) below the surface during the same period.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for pasture and hayland. Pastures are bahiagrass or bermudagrass. A few areas are used for horticultural crops. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses, mainly species of andropogons, paspalums, switchgrass, and indiangrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Gulf Coast Prairie of Texas east of the Trinity River and possibly in Louisiana; Land Resource Region T; MLRA 150A; the series is of minor extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Jefferson County, Texas, 1996. The name comes from a local oil field

REMARKS: The series was formerly included in the Anahuac series based on landform and chemistry. Anahuac soils do not meet the base saturation requirements necessary for the mollisols order and these soils are broader landforms. The series type location was moved from Jefferson County, Texas to its current location due to the presence of laboratory data.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 37 to 87 cm (15 to 35 in. (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons))

Mollic epipedon: 0 to 26 cm (0 to 10 in). (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: 37 to 203 cm (15 to 80 in). (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Bt4, Btkg, Btg horizons)
Endosaturation: The zone of saturation at 177 to 203 cm (70 to 80 in). (Btkg, and Btg horizons)
Episaturation: The zone of saturation at 37 to 50 cm (15 to 20 in). (Bt1 horizon)

Additional Comments: Electrical conductivity values increase above 2 in those areas impacted by storm surge and become sodic. The saltwater damages plants for a period up to a year after the storm but will recover to pre-storm levels if the area receives normal rainfall.

ADDITIONAL DATA: KSSL data exists on pedon S10TX0713682 from the type location and on S2012TX291009. Additional information exists on pedon S10TX0713680, S10TX0712762, and S12TX2451002; however, these pedons are taxadjuncts to the series.

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.