Soil Survey of Limestone County, Texas Page: 72
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Soil Survey
created, improved, or maintained in most places, but
anagement is difficult and must be intensive. A rating of
very poor indicates that restrictions for the element or kind
of habitat are very severe and that unsatisfactory results
can be expected. Creating, improving, or maintaining
habitat is impractical or impossible.
The elements of wildlife habitat are described in the
following paragraphs.
Grain and seed crops are domestic grains and seed-
producing herbaceous plants. Soil properties and features
that affect the growth of grain and seed crops are depth of
the root zone, texture of the surface layer, available water
capacity, wetness, slope, surface stoniness, and flooding.
Soil temperature and soil moisture are also considerations.
Examples of grain and seed crops are corn, wheat, oats,
and barley.
Grasses and legumes are domestic perennial
grasses and herbaceous legumes. Soil properties and
features that affect the growth of grasses and legumes
are depth of the root zone, texture of the surface layer,
available water capacity, wetness, surface stoniness,
flooding, and slope. Soil temperature and soil moisture are
also considerations. Examples of grasses and legumes
are fescue, lovegrass, kleingrass, clover, and vetch.
Wild herbaceous plants are native or naturally
established grasses and forbs, including weeds. Soil
properties and features that affect the growth of these
plants are depth of the root zone, texture of the surface
layer, available water capacity, wetness, surface stoniness,
and flooding. Soil temperature and soil moisture are also
considerations. Examples of wild herbaceous plants are
bluestem, goldenrod, beggarweed, sunflower, and
partridge pea.
Shrubs are bushy woody plants that produce fruit, buds,
twigs, bark, and foliage. Soil properties and features that
affect the growth of shrubs are depth of the root zone,
available water capacity, salinity, and soil moisture.
Examples of shrubs are yaupon, greenbriar, sumac, and
coral berry.
The habitat for various kinds of wildlife is described in
the following paragraphs.
Habitat for openland wildlife consists of cropland,
pasture, meadows, and areas that are overgrown with
grasses, herbs, shrubs, and vines. These areas produce
grain and seed crops, grasses and legumes, and wild
herbaceous plants. Wildlife attracted to these areas include
bobwhite quail, meadowlark, field sparrow, cottontail,
coyote, and fox.
Habitat for woodland wildlife consists of areas of
deciduous plants and associated grasses, legumes, and
wild herbaceous plants. Wildlife attracted to these areas
include wild turkey, thrushes, woodpeckers, squirrels, fox,
raccoon, deer, and coyote.
Habitat for rangeland wildlife consists of areas of shrubsand wild herbaceous plants. Wildlife attracted to rangeland
include deer, quail, meadowlark, and cottontail.
Surface Mine Reclamation
Norman Bade, resource conservationist, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, helped prepare this section.
Lignite deposits underlie many of the soils in the
southern part of Limestone County. Some of this land has
been leased for future mining. Strip mining these near-
surface lignite deposits will result in large areas of
disturbed lands. This process includes clearing existing
vegetation, removing all overburden, mining the lignite, and
replacing the overburden.
Land reclamation includes soil reconstruction and
revegetation. After the lignite is mined and the overburden
is replaced, the spoil is graded to its planned contour and
revegetated to the planned land use. Following
reconstruction, land can be used as cropland, pasture,
rangeland, wildlife habitat, recreational areas, woodland,
orchard, or residential or industrial development. The
selected land use determines the reclamation procedures
that will be used, including the kinds of plants that will be
established.
Successful reclamation of strip-mined soils depends on
an understanding of the chemical, physical, and biological
properties of soils. The soil properties generally are altered
as the soil is disturbed. This can affect the alternative land
use and productivity.
The objectives of reclamation are to restore the soil to a
condition capable of its intended use, to prevent
permanent damage, and to control erosion and
sedimentation.
The method of soil reconstruction is important to the
success of reclamation efforts. Methods used in the
removal of overburden and reconstruction of the soil
should provide for the placement of soil material on the
surface that is the best for plant growth and productivity.
Surface mining and reconstruction alter many of the soil
properties and cause an initial increase in erosion
potential, a decrease in fertility, and a strong tendency
to crust. Reclamation problems caused by geologic
materials containing acid-forming pyrites can be avoided
by ensuring these materials are not mixed into the rooting
zone. Testing of chemical properties of the reconstructed
soil is needed to make certain these materials are not
present.
Because of the disturbance of the soils following mining
and reconstruction, the reclamation process generally
requires a larger application of soil amendments, more
plant materials, and more intensive management.
The revegetation of mined lands requires a good
seedbed, adequate amounts of fertilizer, and selection72
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General Soil Map, Limestone County, Texas (Map)
Map displays soil types along with creeks, towns, schools, churches, power transmission lines, oil and gas pipelines, roads, and railroads. Includes legend and symbols. Scale 1:253,440
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Griffin, Edward L.; Sabo, Donald J.; Brezina, Dennis N. & Janak, Edward L. Soil Survey of Limestone County, Texas, book, 1997; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth130231/m1/77/?q=tex-land: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.