LOCATION UPTON                   TX+NM

Established Series
Rev. RED-AJT-ERB
11/2016

UPTON SERIES

The Upton series consists of soils that are shallow to a petrocalcic horizon, well drained, and moderately permeable. They formed in gravelly, calcareous loamy slope alluvium and/or colluvium derived from limestone and marl. These soils are on nearly level to moderately sloping footslopes or fans of ridges on dissected plateaus. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 381 mm (15 in), and mean annual air temperature is about 19.4 degrees C (67 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, carbonatic, thermic, shallow Calcic Petrocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Upton gravelly loam--rangeland.
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; many fine roots; 20 percent hard calcium carbonate gravel, mostly less than one inch diameter; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Thickness is 10 to 30 cm [4 to 12 in].)

Bk--13 to 33 cm (5 to 13 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; common fine roots; 25 percent hard calcium carbonate gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (Thickness is 15 to 40 cm [6 to 16 in].)

Bkkm--33 to 53 cm (13 to 21 in); pinkish white (7.5YR 8/2) caliche; indurated in upper two inches, strongly cemented below; many imbedded limestone gravel; calcareous, clear smooth boundary. (Thickness is 10 to 91 cm [4 to 36 in].)

BCk--53 to 203 cm (21 to 80 in); pink (7.5YR 8/4) caliche; very gravelly loamy earth; very weakly cemented; 40 percent limestone gravel, few cobbles and stones.

TYPE LOCATION: Terrell County, Texas; From the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Texas Highway 349 (also known as Ranch Road 1217) in Dryden, TX; about 16.4 miles east of Dryden on U.S. Highway 90; about 350 feet southwest on Cedar Road; about 100 feet west to gravel pit
USGS topographic quadrangle: Cook Creek North, TX;
Latitude: 29 degrees, 54 minutes, 49.35 seconds N;
Longitude: 101 degrees, 54 minutes, 33.35 seconds W;
Datum: WGS 84.
UTM Easting 798425.00 m, UTM Northing 3313249.00 m, UTM Zone 13.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to petrocalcic horizon: 18 to 50 cm (7 to 20 in)
Thickness of the ochric epipedon: 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 in)
Thickness of the calcic horizon, 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Sand content: 20 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent

A Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6, moist 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam or clay loam and gravelly modifier
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Sand content: 20 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent; gravel; petrocalcic or limestone fragments
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 60 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 0
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

Bk Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 8, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam or clay loam and gravelly modifier
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Sand content: 20 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent; gravel; petrocalcic or limestone fragments
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 75 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 0
Effervescence: violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

Bkkm Horizon
The upper 1 inch or less of the Bkm horizon is laminar and the cementation ranges from strong to indurated, Moh's hardness of 3 to 4.

BCk Horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 7 or 8
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam or clay loam and gravelly to extremely gravelly modifier
Clay content: 10 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 65 percent; gravels, cobbles, or stones; limestone
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 75 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 0
Effervescence: violent
Reaction (pH): moderately alkaline (7.9 to 8.4)

COMPETING SERIES: These are Bard (NV), Crossen (TX), Mormon Mesa (NV), Sagamore (CA), and Woda (NV) series in the same family. Similar soils are Conger and Shumla series.
Bard, Mormon Mesa, and Sagamore soils: have less than 15 percent clay in the control section and Mormon Mesa soils also have a petrocalcic horizon thicker than 91 cm (36 in).
Crossen soils: have moist values in the A horizon of 2 or 3 and occur in MLRA 42.
Conger soils: are moist for longer periods of time and have mixed mineralogy.
Shumla soils: have mixed mineralogy and have limestone bedrock within 102 cm (40 in).
Woda soils: are moist for shorter periods of time and have a petrocalcic horizon greater than 122 cm (48 in) thick.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: gravelly, calcareous loamy slope alluvium and/or colluvium derived from limestone or marl
Landscape: dissected plateaus
Landform: ridges or hills, typically on footslopes or fans, but may occur on summits when associated with Ector or Lozier
Slope: 1 to 8 percent
Mean annual precipitation: 305 to 508 mm (12 to 20 in)
Precipitation Pattern: Intense summer rainfall events.
Thornthwaite P-E Index: 17 to 25
Mean annual air temperature: 15.6 to 20.0 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 Ector, Hodgins, Lozier, Reagan, and Sanderson series.
Ector and Lozier soils: are shallow over indurated limestone bedrock.
Hodgins, Reagan and Sanderson soils: do not have a petrocalcic horizon and are very deep.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is medium on 1 to 5 percent slopes and high on 5 to 8 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION: Almost wholly in rangeland of low carrying capacity. Native rangeland has a sparse cover of shortgrasses such as gramas, tridens, and threeawns and widely spaced creosotebush, cedar, and mesquite.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Edwards Plateau (MLRA 81A), West Texas (MLRA 42) and New Mexico (MLRA 70). The series is extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Terrell County, Texas; 1965.

REMARKS:
Edited 11/2016 (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: 0 to 33 in. (A and Bk horizon)
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in) (A horizon)
Calcic horizon - 13 to 33 cm (5 to 13 in) (Bk horizon). It is not required for the series.
Petrocalcic horizon - 33 to 53 cm (13 to 21 in) (Bkkm horizon)

ADDITIONAL DATA: There is no lab data from this site but there is NSSL data from a pedon in Terrell County with Pedon ID of 85TX443001.

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.