Soil Survey of Runnels County, Texas Page: 12
[2] 62 [2] p., 73 folded p. of plates : ill., maps (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
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SOIL SURVEY
places the A horizon, when moist, has a color value of 3.5 or
less. In these places this layer is thinner than 12 inches.
The structure of the AC horizon is weak to moderate, fine
to coarse, angular blocky. There are many wedge-shaped peds
or parallelepipeds, the axes of which are tilted more than 10
degrees from the horizontal.
The content of calcium carbonate in the Cca horizon ranges
from a few powdery masses and weakly cemented concretions
to as much as 40 percent of the soil mass.
Lipan soils are associated with Tobosa and Rowena soils.
They are lighter colored in the A horizon than Tobosa soils
and are more clayey and lighter colored in the A horizon
than Rowena soils.
Lipan clay ([c).-This soil occurs as scattered depres-
sions, 1 to 20 feet lower than the surrounding soils, through-
out the outwash plains. It is covered with water during
and after periods of heavy rainfall. Most areas are be-
tween 5 and 40 acres in size, but some are as large as 200
acres. Most are nearly round; a few occur as long, narrow
strips along shallow, poorly defined drainageways. The
surface is nearly level or concave. Included in mapping
were tracts less than 5 acres in size of Tobosa clay, which
make up about 5 percent of each mapped area, and a few
spots where the soil is noncalcareous in the uppermost 15
inches.
Nearly all of the acreage is cultivated. Natural fertility
is high. Controlling excess water and keeping the surface
layer in good tilth are the most important factors in man-
agement. The extra water this soil receives from higher
lying soils makes it one of the most productive soils
in the county during periods of light rainfall. Good crops
are also harvested during periods of moderate rainfall.
For consistently good crops, however, some means of
liandling excess water during periods of heavy rainfall
is needed; otherwise, planting, cultivation, and harvest-
ing have to be delayed. Generally runoff can be controlled
by terracing the adjacent soils. Some areas can be drained
through canals, and some by drilling wells or shafts
into underground cavities. Concentrating the excess
water in pits is possible in some of the lakes. The pond
can then be used by livestock and waterfowl and as a
source of irrigation water. Growing crops that add at least
moderate amounts of organic matter preserves tilth and
increases water intake. (Capability unit IIIw-1; Deep
Upland range site)
Mereta Series
The Mereta series consists of nearly level to gently
sloping, calcareous soils that are shallow over hard-
ened caliche. Slopes are convex.
In a typical profile the surface layer is dark-brown
to brown clay loam about 19 inches thick. Next is a
5-inch layer of strongly cemented caliche. Below a depth
of 24 inches is pink clay loam that is about 20 percent
lime.
These soils have a moderate water-intake rate and a
low available water capacity.
A typical profile of Mereta clay loam, 0 to 1 percent
slopes, is just south of a county road at a point 0.7
mile east of its intersection with farm road 381. This
intersection is 4 miles south of Rowena.
Ap-0 to 5 inches, dark brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, dark
brown (10YR 3/3) when moist; weak subangularblocky structure; firm when moist, hard when dry; a
few cemented caliche fragments '46 inch to 6 inches
across the long axes; calcareous; moderately alka-
line; abrupt, smooth boundary.
All-5 to 9 inches, dark-brown (7.5YR 4/2) clay loam, dark
brown (7.5YR 3/2) when moist; moderate, medium,
subangular blocky structure; firm when moist, hard
when dry; a few cemented caliche fragments and a
few waterworn pebbles 1/1 inch to 2 inches across the
long axes; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear,
smooth boundary.
A12-9 to 19 inches, brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay loam, dark
brown (7.5YR 3/4) when moist; moderate, fine and
very fine, subangular blocky structure; firm when
moist, hard when dry; a few earthworm casts, a few
cemented caliche fragments, and a few waterworn
pebbles 1/1A inch to 2 inches in diameter; calcareous;
moderately alkaline; abrupt, wavy boundary.
Clca-19 to 24 inches, white (10YR 8/2), strongly cemented
caliche, somewhat platy; hardest in the uppermost
part; few roots in crevices; gradual boundary.
C2ca-24 to 40 inches, pink (7.5YR 7/4) clay loam, strong
brown (7.5YR 5/6) when moist; about 20 percent
soft masses of calcium carbonate; few roots.
The thickness of the Ap and All horizons combined ranges
from 5 to 11 inches. The texture ranges from clay loam to
silty clay loam. In dry soils the color ranges from brown to
very dark grayish brown in hue of 10YR to 7.5YR, value of
3 to 5, and chroma of 2 or 3.
The thickness of the A12 horizon ranges from 5 to 15 inches,
and the texture from clay loam to silty clay loam. In dry soil
Figure d.-Profile of Mereta clay loam. Roots penetrate through
cracks and filled-in animal burrows in hardened caliche.
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Wiedenfeld, C. C.; Barnhill, L. J. & Novosad, Clifford J. Soil Survey of Runnels County, Texas, book, March 1970; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth224548/m1/16/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.