LOCATION STEIN TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Haplustults
TYPICAL PEDON: Stein very gravelly loamy fine sand on a 28 percent slope--rangeland. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very gravelly loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; weak fine granular structure; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium few coarse roots; 50 percent subrounded pebbles; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 13 inches thick)
E--6 to 10 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; weak fine granular structure; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium few coarse roots; 55 percent subangular pebbles; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 21 inches; 60 percent dark red (2.5YR 3/6) and 40 percent dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) clay, red (2.5YR 4/6) and reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) dry; strong medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; many fine to coarse roots; common distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine siliceous pebbles; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
Bt2--21 to 28 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) sandy clay, red (2.5YR 4/6) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) clay masses; common distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine siliceous pebbles; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 19 inches thick)
Bt3--28 to 36 inches; 50 percent dark red (2.5YR 3/6) and 50 percent red (2.5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) and red (2.5YR 5/6) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and medium, and few coarse roots; common medium and coarse lenses of reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6 and 6/8) sandy material; common distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine siliceous pebbles; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bt4--36 to 48 inches; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) sandy clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) dry; strong medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few find roots; common medium and coarse distinct pockets of strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) sandy material; common fine to coarse prominent very pale brown (10YR 7/4 and 8/4) silty material; common distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; few medium distinct fragments of reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) weakly cemented sandstone; few fine barite flakes; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (11 to 16 inches thick)
BCt--48 to 58 inches; 45 percent dark red (2.5YR 3/6) and 35 percent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) and 20 percent very pale brown (10YR 8/4) sandy clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) and reddish yellowish (7.5YR 6/8) and very pale brown (10YR 8/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few distinct dark red (10R 3/6) clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine prominent pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) and very pale brown (10YR 8/4) C material that has a very fine sandy loam texture; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
C--58 to 80 inches; strong brown(7.5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; some ped interiors have dark red (10R 3/6) and red (2.5YR 4/6) colors; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Colorado County, Texas; in Columbus, from the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Texas Highway 71, 0.9 mile north on Texas Highway 71, 11.2 miles north on Farm Road 102 to Frelsburg, 0.7 mile west on Farm Road 1291, 3.4 miles west on county road, 1.0 mile south on private road, and about 225 feet west of road in wooded area; USGS Frelsburg topographic quadrangle; (Latitude 29N, 51, 11 and Longitude 96W, 36, 27)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 45 to 60 inches. Base saturation in the BCt and C horizons ranges from 10 to 34. The clay content of the 10- to 40- inch particle-size control section ranges from 30 to 50 percent, but averages 35 to 50 percent. Redoximorphic features in shades of red, yellow or brown are considered to be relict.
Coarse fragments range from 35 to 60 percent in the A and E horizons. Fragments less than 3 inches in diameter ranges from less than 15 percent by volume in the upper Bt horizons.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 2 to 4. Where the moist value is 3, the horizon is less than 7 inches thick. Texture is very gravelly loamy fine sand. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
The A2 or E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is very gravelly loamy fine sand. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Bt1 horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 2 to 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of red, yellow, or brown range from few to many and have clear or sharp boundaries. Redoximorphic features in shades of gray range from none to common and are assumed to be inherited from parent material. Texture is sandy clay or clay. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The lower Bt horizons have hue of 2.5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 7 and value of 2 to 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of red, yellow or brown range from few to many and have clear and sharp boundaries. Redoximorphic features in shades of gray range from few to many. Texture is sandy clay loam, sandy clay or clay. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The BCt horizon has hue of 5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7 and chroma of 2 to 8. Redoximorphic features in shades of red, yellow or brown range from few to many and have sharp boundaries. Texture is sandy clay loam or loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The C horizon is in shades of red, yellow, brown or gray. Texture is mainly sandy clay loam with some strata of sandier materials. A few areas contain a conglomerate of iron cemented gravel. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aubrey, Hearne, Marquez, and Rek series. Similar soils are the Newulm series. Aubrey and Hearne soils have sola 20 to 40 inches thick. In addition, Aubrey soils formed in materials of the Woodbine Formation of Upper Cretaceous age. Marquez soils have a paralithic contact between 40 and 60 inches. Rek soils have a paralithic contact between 60 and 80 inches. Newulm soils have a loamy particle-size control section, and sandy surface layers from 20 to 40 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Stein soils are on moderately steep to very steep side slopes on erosional uplands. The soil formed in sandy and clayey sediments of Pleistocene age mainly of the Willis and Fleming Formations. Slopes range from 12 to 40 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 38 to 42 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 68 to 70 degrees F. Frost free days range from 260 to 280. Elevation ranges from 220 to 450 feet. Thornthwaite P-E Index ranges from 52 to 62.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Brenham, Latium, Straber, and Tremona soils. Brenham and Latium soil are calcareous throughout and are on slightly higher and similar landscape positions. In addition, Brenham soils have a fine-silty particle-size control section. Straber and Tremona soils have base saturation of more than 35 percent at a depth of 50 inches below the top of the argillic horizon and are on slightly higher and similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is slow. Runoff is high on 12 to 20 percent slopes and very high on slopes exceeding 20 percent.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consist of woodlands of post oak, blackjack oak, elm, hickory, and yaupon. Understory is a variety of forbs and short grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Central Claypan Prairie of Texas (MLRA 87A). The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colorado County, Texas; 1997.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly included with the Straber and Tremona soils.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 15 inches. (A and E horizons)
Argillic horizon - 15 to 58 inches. (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Bt4 and BCt horizons)
Clay decreases with depth - the clay content of the control section decreases by 20 percent (relative) from the top of the argillic horizon within a depth of 60 inches.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Base saturation by Hach Kit at type location is 14 percent at 50 inches below the top of the Bt horizon. This is the type location for the series.
Soil Interpretation Record Number: TX1340