Soil Survey of Karnes County, Texas - Soil Data Mart - US ...

Karnes County, Texas 59
Figure 10.—Active erosion makes plant cover difficult to establish in this excavated area.
The low available water capacity and droughtiness are
limitations. Proper stocking rates, brush management,
and controlled grazing can help conserve moisture
and improve or maintain productivity.
This soil has fair potential as openland and
rangeland wildlife habitat. The low available water
capacity, excess lime, and droughtiness limit the plant
growth necessary for good habitat.
Yields are low if this soil is used as improved
pasture or cropland. The low available water capacity,
low natural fertility, droughtiness, and excess lime are
limitations. The hazard of water erosion is moderate.
This soil is poorly suited to urban uses. Seepage,
permeability, and stoniness are moderate to severe
limitations for sanitary facilities. The potential for
corrosion of uncoated steel is a moderate limitation for
building site development.
This soil is moderately suited to recreational uses.
Slope and small stones are moderate limitations.
This Pettus soil is in capability subclass IVe and in
the Shallow Ridge range site.
Px—Pits and Dumps
This map unit consists of areas that have been
excavated for uranium mining. They consist of mine
pits that impound water and soil materials piled above
ground level (fig. 10). These soil areas are prominent
on the landscape.
The pits range from 5 to 35 acres in size and have
nearly vertical side walls. They are 100 to 250 feet
deep, 200 to 800 feet wide, and 600 to 3,200 feet long.
They impound water that is 50 feet deep or more.
Water erosion is very active on surface soil materials
and on the side walls. The walls at ground level have
deep gullies. The side walls are very unstable and are
in a constant process of caving in.
The areas of piled soil material are 50 to 100 feet
higher than the natural surface elevation. They consist
of original topsoil that has been mixed with the parent
material. They range from 10 to 450 acres in size.
They have very steep side slopes and nearly level to
gently sloping tops. The hazard of water erosion is