LOCATION EICKS NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Eicks loam - rangeland (Colors are for dry conditions unless otherwise stated)
A-- 0 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, moderate thin platy and moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky; abundant fine and very fine roots and pores; 10 percent fine gravel; slightly alkaline, noncalcareous; clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
BA-- 3 to 15 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky; many fine and very fine roots and pores; 25 percent fine gravel; slightly alkaline, noncalcareous; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
2Btb1-- 15 to 25 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly clay, common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots and pores; thick clay films in the few fine and very fine tubular pores and on surfaces of gravel; 35 percent fine gravel; slightly alkaline, noncalcareous; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
2Btb2-- 25 to 65 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) stratified gravelly loams and clay loam with mottles as above horizon, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist, massive, hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; moderately thick clay films on surfaces of gravel; 45 percent fine gravel; moderately alkaline, weakly calcareous on some gravel faces and along ped faces where present.
TYPE LOCATION: Hidalgo County, New Mexico; East center of NW-1/4 of SW-1/4, sec. 3, T. 33 S. R. 20 W., 50 feet west of road.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The smcs is usually moist, in all parts, for less than 90 cumulative days from April through October. It is usually dry, in some part, for more than 120 cumulative days during the same period. It is continuously moist in some part November through April, but not moist in all parts for 45 consecutive days from January through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during April and May. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent in the particle size control section.
Soil temperature: 59 degrees F. to about 70 degrees F.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline and typically is leached of carbonates.
A and BA horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 3.
2Btb1 horizon
Hue: 10YR to 2.5Y.
Value: 3 to 5 dry and 2 to 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
2Btb2 horizon
Hue: 10YR to 2.5YR.
Value: 3 to 5 dry and 2 to 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: stratified gravelly sand, silt, and clay with an average texture of gravelly light clay loam; some small iron and manganese concretions are commonly found in the 2Btb1 and the 2Btb2 horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Earp (AZ) and Hurds (TX) series. The Earp soils have thin A horizons, and C horizons consisting of pebbles, cobbles and stones at 20 to 36 inches. (may be a contrasting layer). The Hurds soils are slightly acid to neutral and receive 16 to 25 inches of precipitation mainly in the spring,
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Eicks series occurs on very broad, gently sloping lake plain of Pleistocene age. The surface soil appears to be reworked alluvium and Bt appears to be developing in lacustrine sediments. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation of about 14 to 16 inches and a mean annual air temperature 57 to 60 degrees F. (The series is apparently borderline between the thermic and mesic temperature families). Elevation ranges from 5,000 to 5,500 feet. Frost-free period is 160 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Cloverdale, Anamite, and Forrest series. The Anamite soils lack argillic horizons; the Forrest series contain between 15 and 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section and lack mollic epipedons; the Cloverdale series are non-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: These soils are well drained; permeability is slow. Runoff is low.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for native rangeland. The principal vegetation is blue grama, three awns, black grama, cane beardgrass, ring muhly, traces of sideoats grama, and buffalo grass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are small extent in southwestern New Mexico. MLRA 41.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hidalgo County, New Mexico, 1967.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 15 inches (A,
2A and 3A horizons).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 15 to 62 inches (Bt horizons).
The series needs study to determine if mottles are significant to present genesis, or if relict from lacustrine sediments. The clay in the Bt may not be pedogenic but may be lacustrine in origin.
ADDITIONAL DATA: A site near the type location was sampled (S92-023-001) for characterization. This site had redder colors (5YR) and was clayey-skeletal.