LOCATION POQUITA NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, thermic Ustic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Poquita very fine sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 2 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
A2--2 to 6 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Bw--6 to 15 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 18 inches thick)
Bk1--15 to 24 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/8) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; common fine masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
Bk2--24 to 53 inches; light red (2.5YR 6/6) clay loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; common fine masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (11 to 29 inches thick)
2Bk3--53 to 60 inches; light red (2.5YR 6/6) loamy fine sand, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine
pores; few fine masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Chaves County, New Mexico; .15 mile south of U.S.G.S. elevation under K92, and 200 feet east; NW1/4, SW1/4, Sec. 1, T. 5 S., R. 22 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section December through March and May through September.
Soil Temperature: 59 to 64 degrees F.
Depth to calcic horizon: 15 to 30 inches
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent clay
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Bw horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 2.5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6
Bk horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 2.5YR
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: loam or clay loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 30 percent
2Bk horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 2.5YR
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Conchas, Hoban, Quay, Reagan, and Stovall series. Conchas soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Hoban soils have a gypsic horizon at 40 to 60 inches. Quay soils do not have a lithologic discontinuity. Reagan soils have hue of 7.5YR or yellower in the particle-size control section. Stovall soils have a calcic horizon between 6 and 15 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Poquita soils are in broad valleys or on rolling hills. They formed in calcareous alluvium derived from "redbed" formations. Slope ranges from 0 to 5 percent. Average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 14 inches; average annual temperature ranges from 58 to 62 degrees F. The frost-free period ranges from 180 to 210 days. Elevation ranges from 3,700 to 4,700 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alama, Conger, Holloman, Reeves, and the competing Reagan soils. Alama soils do not have a calcic horizon. Conger soils are less than 20 inches to a petrocalcic horizon. Holloman and Reeves soils have gypsic mineralogy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is negligible on slopes less than 1 percent and very low on 1 to 5 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland. Present vegetation includes tobosa, blue grama, burrograss, broom snakeweed, walkingstick cholla, small soapweed, and mesquite.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern New Mexico. Poquita soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chaves County (North Part), New Mexico, 1981.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 6 inches. (A horizon)
Cambic horizon: 6 to 15 inches. (Bw horizon)
Calcic horizon: 15 to 53 inches. (Bk horizons)