LOCATION ASPARAS NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Calcidic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Asparas loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
All--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (l0YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (l0YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; weakly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
Al2--2 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (l0YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (l0YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine and very fine roots; weakly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to l0 inches thick)
B2lt--7 to l3 inches; brown (l0YR 4/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to l0 inches thick)
B22t--l3 to 24 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; many moderately thick clay films
on faces of peds; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to l2 inches thick)
B23tca-24 to 34 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few moderately thick clay films on ped faces; common soft masses of carbonates less than onefourth inches in diameter; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (7 to l2 inches thick)
Cca--34 to 40 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many soft masses and threads of carbonates; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, New Mexico; about l-l/2 miles west of the Sterrett ranch headquarters, NE l/4, sec. 28, T. 4 S., R. l7 E; about 300 feet southwest of a stock pond.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 25 to 40 inches, and the thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from l0 to 20 inches. The solum is moderately alkaline throughout. The mean annual soil temperature is about 52 to 57 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches.
The Al horizon has hue of 7.5YR or l0YR, value of 3 through 5, and 2 or 3 moist, and a chroma of 2 or 3. The texture of the Al horizon is loam or clay loam. The structure is subangular blocky or granular and is platy in the upper two inches of some pedons. The Al horizon is noncalcareous or weakly calcareous.
The B2t horizon has hue of 7.5YR or l0YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 2 through 4. The upper part of the B2t horizon has moist is colors with values and chromas of 2 or 3. The texture of the B2t horizon is loam or clay loam with an average clay content of less than 35 percent. The B2t horizon is calcareous, and some pedons contain secondary carbonate concretions, threads, and soft masses in the lower part.
The Cca horizon has hue of l0YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4 or 5 dry or moist. It is loam, light clay loam, or silty clay loam. It has many threads and soft masses of secondary carbonates, and calcium carbonate equivalent is l5 to 25 percent in some part of the horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ascalon, Bresser, Budmayr (T), Capulin, Cottier (T), Critchell (T), Dagflat, Featherlegs, Hargreave, Harlan, Kirtley, Lavate, Noden, Palmer Canyon (T), Rosebud, Ryegate, Satanta, Sugardee, Wages, and Wolf series. Ascalon and Bresser soils are underlain by sandy loam or loamy sand and lack calcic horizons. Budmayr, Featherlegs, Palmer Canyon, and Sugardee soils are underlain by gravelly or cobbly materials at depths shallower than 40 inches. Capulin, Dagflat, Hargreave, Kirtley, Rosebud, and Ryegate soils are underlain by bedrock at depths shallower than 40 inches. Cottier, Wages and Wolf soils have sola less than 20 inches thick. Critchell, Lavate, Noden, and Satanta soils lack calcic horizons. Harlan soils have hue of 5YR or 2.5YR in the B2t horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Asparas soils are on broad, nearly level valleys with slopes that are dominantly 0 to 3 percent. They have formed in alluvium from surrounding limestone-dominated landscapes. The elevation is 5,000 to 7,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation is l2 to l7 inches and the mean annual air temperature is 50 to 55 degrees F. The frostfree season is about l50 to l70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Darvey (proposed), LaFonda, Manzano, and Partri series. Darvey, LaFonda, and Manzano soils lack argillic horizons. Partri soils have more than 35 percent clay throughout the argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for range. Small isolated areas have been farmed in the past, but no areas are known to be under cultivation at present. The vegetation is tobosa, alkali sacaton, vine-mesquite, winterfat, apacheplume, and cholla.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern and southcentral New Mexico. The soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lincoln County Area, New Mexico, l975.