LOCATION WINTERS TXEstablished Series
The Winters series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils formed in loamy or clayey alluvium. These nearly level to gently sloping upland soils have slopes ranging from 0 to 5 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Paleustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Winters fine sandy loam--cropland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; massive; hard, very friable; common fine roots; 1/4 inch crust on the surface; few small waterworn siliceous pebbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 18 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 16 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) sandy clay; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm; many roots; nearly continuous clay films on surfaces of peds; few earthworm cases; few roots and pores; few small siliceous pebbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)
Bt2--16 to 24 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) sandy clay, dark red (2.5YR 3/6) moist; moderate and strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few small siliceous pebbles, common fine roots between peds; nearly continuous clay films on surfaces of peds; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 24 inches thick)
Bt3--24 to 50 inches; red (2.5YR 4/6) sandy clay, dark red (2.5YR 3/6) moist; moderate and strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few small siliceous pebbles; few fine roots between peds; thin continuous clay films on surfaces of peds; few soft masses of calcium carbonate below 36 inches; matrix is noncalcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)
Btk--50 to 70 inches; light reddish brown (2.5YR 6/4) clay loam; red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; contains an estimated 20 percent calcium carbonate mostly in soft masses, few calcium carbonate concretions 1/16 to 1/2 inch in diameter; thin patchy clay films; calcareous; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 24 inches thick)
B't--70 to 78 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few masses of calcium carbonate; calcareous; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Runnels County, Texas; in cultivated field 1.75 miles north of Runnels County Courthouse; on a county road 0.3 mile east of a low water crossing on Elm Creek and 800 feet north.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum is more than 80 inches. Depth to carbonates is 30 to 50 inches. Depth to a calcic horizon is more than 45 inches. Some pedons lack a calcic horizon within 80 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is fine sandy loam or loam with 10 to 25 percent clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon above the calcic horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is sandy clay, clay loam, or clay with 35 to 45 percent clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The Btk horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 to 6. It is clay loam, sandy clay loam, sandy clay, or clay. The calcium carbonate equivalent content is 10 to 35 percent. Visible forms are mostly in soft powdery masses and concretions.
The B't horizon below the Btk horizon is red, reddish brown, reddish yellow, or yellowish red in hues 2.5YR or 5YR.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Castell, Hamby, Pedernales, Shatruce, Truce Voca, Weswind and Wichita series. Similar soils are the Acove, Bluegrove, Grandfield and Miles series. Castell soils are 20 to 40 inches to gneiss bedrock. Hamby soils formed in residuum and lack secondary carbonates above 50 inches. Pedernales soils have calcic horizons within 30 to 45 inches. Truce soils have sola 40 to 60 inches thick and lack calcic horizons. Shatruce soils have sola 20 to 40 inches thick to clayey shale. Voca soils have sola 36 to 60 inches thick and a contact with fractured granite bedrock. Weswind soils have sola less than 60 inches thick and are moderately well drained. Wichita soils contain secondary carbonates within 30 inches of the surface. Acove soils have broken sandstone layers in the upper Bt horizon. Bluegrove soils are 20 to 40 inches to soft sandstone bedrock. Grandfield and Miles soils average less than 30 percent clay in the upper 20 inches of the Bt horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils occur on nearly level to gently sloping uplands. The soil developed in old stream alluvium but may also be plains outwash or more local valley fill. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 20 to 30 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 62 to 68 degrees F. Frost free days range from 210 to 240 days and elevations range from 900 to 2,100 feet. Thornthwaite P-E indices range from 25 to 44.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Grandfield, Miles, Sagerton, and Wichita series. Grandfield and Miles soils are on slightly higher, more sloping positions. Sagerton soils have a mollic epipedon and are on slightly lower concave positions. Wichita soils are on positions similar to the Winters soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly cultivated. The soils are cropped to cotton, sorghums, and small grain as the main crops. In range the vegetation is short grasses, mid grasses, and mesquite shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The west-central part of Texas. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Runnels County, Texas; 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features for this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 10 inches (Ap horizon)
Argillic horizon - 10 to 78 inches Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Btk and Bt' horizons)
Calcic horizon - 50 to 70 inches (Btk horizon)