LOCATION SARNOSA                 TX

Established Series
GLL-JAG-JKW
11/2016

SARNOSA SERIES

The Sarnosa series consists of very deep, well drained, soils that formed in loamy residuum from calcareous sandstone mainly of the Oakville sandstone and sandstone members of the Goliad Formation. These nearly level to moderately sloping soils are on hillslopes. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 813 mm (32 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 21.4 degrees C (70.5 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Typic Calciustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Sarnosa fine sandy loam, on southeast-facing, convex, 3 percent slope in rangeland; elevation is 106.7 m (350 ft).
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 41 cm (0 to 16 in); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate very fine granular; slightly hard, very friable; many fine roots; 8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; few wormcasts; few snail shell fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. Thickness is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 in)

Bk1--41 to 86 cm (16 to 34 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable; common fine roots; about 3 percent films and fine concretions of calcium carbonate; 29 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; few wormcasts; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. Thickness is 25 to 61 cm (10 to 24 in)

Bk2--86 to 132 cm (34 to 52 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable; about 12 percent films and masses of calcium carbonate; 32 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. Combined thickness of the Bk horizon is 61 to 127 cm (24 to 50 in)

BCk1--132 to 178 cm (52 to 70 in); very pale brown (10YR 8/4) fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; about 15 percent masses and weakly cemented concretions of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. Thickness is 25 to 64 cm (10 to 25 in)

BCk2--178 to 203 cm (70 to 80 in); very pale brown (10YR 7/4) fine sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; about 10 percent masses and weakly cemented concretions of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: DeWitt County, Texas; from the intersection of U. S. Highway 183 and Farm Road 766 in Cuero; 6.4 miles northwest on Farm Road 766; 3.4 miles northwest on a county road to a point 125 feet south of a small culvert across the county road; 75 feet east of the right-of-way in rangeland.
USGS topographic quadrangle: Westhoff, Texas;
Latitude: 29 degrees 13 minutes 29.3 seconds N;
Longitude: 97 degrees, 22 minutes, 57.3 seconds W.;
Datum: NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: A typic-ustic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 90 days but less than 180 cumulative days in normal years. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through May.
Mean annual soil temperature: 22.2 to 23.3 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F).
Solum thickness: 152 to more than 203 cm (60 to >80 in) to weakly to strongly cemented calcareous sandstone.
Depth to secondary carbonates: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 in)
Depth to calcic horizon: 38 to 102 cm (15 to 40 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Total clay content: 8 to 25 percent
Silicate clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Carbonate clay content: 1 to 7 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 25 percent

A Horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 25 percent
Effervescence: strong to violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

Bw Horizon (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Total clay content: 8 to 25 percent
Carbonate clay content: 1 to 5 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: none to few, threads, masses, films and/or nodules
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 25 percent
Effervescence: strong to violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

Bk Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Total clay content: 8 to 25 percent
Carbonate clay content: 2 to 7 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 5 to 20 percent, by volume; threads, masses, films and/or nodules
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 30 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

BCk Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 8 to 25 percent
Carbonate clay content: 2 to 7 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 5 to 20 percent, by volume; threads, masses, films and/or nodules
Sandstone fragments: 0 to 15 percent, by volume; fine and medium; weakly cemented
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 30 percent
Effervescence: strong to violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

C Horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 7 or 8
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: weakly to moderately cemented sandstone that is loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 8 to 25 percent
Carbonate clay content: 2 to 7 percent
Identifiable secondary carbonate: 1 to 20 percent, by volume; threads, masses, films and/or nodules
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 30 percent
Effervescence: strong to violent
Reaction (pH): slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline (7.4 - 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family. Similar soils include the Castroville, Gertrudis, Hidalgo, and Raymondville series.
Castroville soils: have a fine-silty particle-size control section.
Gertrudis and Hidalgo soils: have a fine-loamy particle-size control section.
Raymondville soils: have more than 35 percent clay content (fine) particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy residuum weathered from calcareous sandstone mainly of the Oakville sandstone and sandstone members of the Goliad Formation
Landscape: inland dissected coastal plains
Landform: hillslope
Slope: 0 to 8 percent, but are dominantly less than 5 percent
Precipitation Pattern: November through March and July through August are the driest months, while April through June and September through October are the wettest.
Mean annual precipitation: 635 to 940 mm (25 to 37 in)
Thornthwaite annual P-E indices: 36 to 48
Mean annual air temperature: 21.1 to 22.8 degrees C (70 to 73 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 270 to 290 days
Elevation: 30.5 to 167.7 m (100 to 550 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Monteola, Pernitas, Runge, Shiner, and Weesatche series.
Monteola soils: are clayey throughout and occur on a similar to lower landform
Pernitas, Runge, and Weesatche soils: have an argillic horizon and occur on a similar to lower position
Shiner soils: are shallow to sandstone and occur on a slightly higher position

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: Used mainly for rangeland. Some areas with nearly level to gently sloping areas are cultivated to grain sorghum and cotton. Native vegetation is mainly little bluestem, sideoats grama, Texas wintergrass, curlymesquite, and silver bluestem. Woody species are mesquite, huisache, and pricklypear.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern and Central Rio Grande Plain, Texas; LRR I; MLRA 83A, 83C; extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: DeWitt County, Texas; 1973.

REMARKS: The Sarnosa series was formerly included in the Kenedy series.

Edited 11/2016 (RFG-GWH): Added CCE to range in characteristics. 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 (A and Bk horizons)
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 41 cm (0 to 16 in) (A horizon)
Calcic horizon: 41 to 203 cm (16 to 80 in) (Bk and BCk horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data are available on pedons from Goliad County, Texas.

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.