LOCATION SNAKECREEK              TX

Established Series
JKW-RM
08/2017

SNAKECREEK SERIES

The Snakecreek series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in loamy sediments derived from Holocene age alluvium. These nearly level soils are on drainageways. Slope ranges from 0 to 1. Mean annual temperature is about 20.6 degrees C (69 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is about 1143 mm (45 in).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, active, hyperthermic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Snakecreek fine sandy loam--0 to 1 percent slopes in woodland along drainageway (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine roots and common very fine roots; many fine interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; 6 percent fine prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; electrical conductivity of 0.3 decisiemens per meter by EC meter, saturated paste; moderately acid, pH 5.9, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. (13 to 46 cm [5 to 18 in] thick)

E--30 to 54 cm (12 to 21 in); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 12 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries lining pores; electrical conductivity of 0.2 decisiemens per meter by EC meter, saturated paste; strongly acid, pH 5.3, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. (15 to 63 cm [6 to 25 in] thick)

Bt1--54 to 87 cm (21 to 34 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parts to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 5 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 15 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; electrical conductivity of 0.2 decisiemens per meter by EC meter, saturated paste; strongly acid, pH 5.1, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 56 cm [3 to 22 in] thick)

Bt2--87 to 125 cm (34 to 49 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parts to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; 10 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 25 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; electrical conductivity of 0.2 decisiemens per meter by EC meter, saturated paste; strongly acid, pH 5.1, pH meter; gradual wavy boundary.

Bt3--125 to 164 cm (49 to 65 in); gray (10YR 6/1) sandy clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parts to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; 6 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 22 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; electrical conductivity of 0.2 decisiemens per meter by EC meter, saturated paste; strongly acid, pH 5.1, pH meter; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt2, Bt3, and Bt4 horizons is 86 to 132 cm [34 to 52 in])

Bt4--164 to 203 cm (65 to 80 in); gray (10YR 6/1) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; 6 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 4 percent prominent black (10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries in matrix and 12 percent medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/6), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix and 15 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; electrical conductivity of 0.2 decisiemens per meter by EC meter, saturated paste; strongly acid, pH 5.2, pH meter.

TYPE LOCATION: Wharton County, Texas; from the intersection of Texas Highway 102 and FM 1161 in Egypt, Texas, 1 mile east on FM 1161 to county road; 2.4 mile north on county road to private farm road; 1.8 miles east on private farm road to the east side of Lone Tree Creek; 50 feet south in woodland.
USGS topographic quadrangle: Egypt, TX
Latitude: 29 degrees, 25 minutes, 32.92 seconds N
Longitude: 96 degrees, 11 minutes, 11.18 seconds W

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An udic soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts for more than 275 days in normal years.

Depth to argillic horizon: 46 to 97 cm (18 to 38 in)
Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent

A Horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam (some pedons have very thin stratified layers of similar texture and colors)
Redox concentrations: amount-0 to 5 percent, shades-brown
Electrical conductivity (decisiemens per meter): 0.1 to 1.0
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

E Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam (some pedons have very thin stratified layers of similar texture and colors)
Redox concentrations: amount 2 to 10 percent, shades-yellow or brown
Iron-manganese concentrations: amount-0 to 3 percent; kind-nodules or masses
Ironstone nodules: 0 to 3 percent
Electrical conductivity (decisiemens per meter): 0.1to 1
Reaction: very strongly acid or moderately acid

Upper Bt Horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 2
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam (some pedons have very thin stratified layers of similar texture and colors)
Clay content: 16 to 25 percent
Redox concentrations: amount 1 to 15 percent, shades-yellow, brown, or red
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 10, shades-gray
Iron-manganese concentrations: amount-0 to 5; kind-nodules or masses
Ironstone nodules: 0 to 5 percent
Electrical conductivity (decisiemens per meter): 0.1 to 2.0
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

Lower Bt Horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y (some pedons have a variegated matrix in shades of gray, brown, and red)
Value: 5 to 8
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, or sandy clay
Clay content: 25 to 40 percent
Redox concentrations: amount 5 to 35 percent shades-yellow, brown, or red
Redox depletions: amount-0 to 10, shades-gray
Iron-manganese concentrations: amount-0 to 10 percent; kind-nodules or masses
Ironstone nodules: 0 to 15 percent
Electrical conductivity (decisiemens per meter): 0.2 to 2.0
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: These are tentative Cyfair and the Nada series in the same family. Similar soils are the Edco, Katy, and Wockley soils.
Cyfair soils: are heavier upper argillic horizon; are more alkaline in the lower part of the argillic horizon.
Nada soils: do not have an E horizon; are more alkaline in the lower part of the argillic horizon
Edco soils: have a fine particle-size control section; have mixed mineralogy
Katy soils: have many coarse red redox concentrations in the lower part of the argillic horizon

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy sediments derived from Holocene age alluvium
Landscape: coastal plains
Landform: drainageways
Slope: 0 to 1 percent, but dominantly from 0.5 to 1 percent
Precipitation Pattern: Rainfall is fairly uniform throughout the year with slight peaks during the spring and fall months.
Mean annual precipitation: 1092 to 1219 mm (43 to 48 in)
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 56 to 68
Mean annual air temperature: 19.5 to 20.6 degrees C (67 to 69 degrees F)
Frost-free period: 271 to 300 days
Elevation: 43 to 76 m (140 to 225 ft)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the tentative Cyfair, Gessner, Hockley, Telf, and Wockley series.
Cyfair soils: are on flats that do not flood
Gessner soils: are poorly drained and in depressions
Hockley soils: well drained and on a higher landscape position
Telf series: are in a fine family; are on flats that do not flood
Wockley series: have aquic conditions; are on flats that do not flood

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: somewhat poorly drained
Permeability class: slow
Runoff: high
Flooding: occasional or frequent, for extremely brief or very brief periods of duration, during the months of December through May
Ponding: none
Seasonal water table: Episaturation occurs between depths of 30 to 91 cm (12 to 36 in) of the surface during the months of January through April in normal years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly as pastureland or rangeland. The dominant pasture grass is improved coastal Bermuda grass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
General area: Along the upper Gulf Coast of Texas generally from the Colorado to Brazos rivers
Land Resource Region: T (Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowland Forest and Crop
Major Land Resource Area: 150A (Gulf Coast Prairies)
Extent: small

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Wharton County, Texas, 2017.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 97 to 147 cm (38 to 58 in). (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 54 cm (0 to 21 in). (A and E horizons)
Argillic horizon: 54 to 203 cm (21 to 80 in). (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 and Bt4 horizons)

Additional Comments: This series was established during the update of MLRA 150A. These soils were included with the Bibb, Katy, Nahatche, and Wockley, series in previous surveys.

The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is supported by laboratory data from a representative pedon from Austin County, Texas (S00TX-015-001).

ADDITIONAL DATA: National Soil Survey Laboratory data on sample (S10TX2015112). Laboratory data from the Soil Characterization Lab at Texas A&M University on samples S00TX-015-001. Soil Survey office lab on pedon S2017TX4812514.

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

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.