LOCATION BLUEWATER NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bluewater loam--meadow, apparent water table at 50 inches. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and few medium roots; few fine irregular pores; carbonates are disseminated; slightly effervescent (11 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
Btk1--2 to 11 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and few medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films coating faces of peds; carbonates are disseminated and segregated in many very fine translucent calcite crystals; slightly effervescent (13 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary.
Btk2--11 to 28 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine, fine, and few medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films coating faces of peds; carbonates are disseminated and segregated in many very fine translucent calcite crystals; strongly effervescent (19 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary.
Btk3--28 to 50 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films coating faces of peds; few very fine distinct brown 7.5YR 4/4 redox concentrations; common very fine masses of calcium carbonate and many very fine translucent calcite crystals; violently effervescent (28 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.
Btk4--50 to 70 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular pores; common faint clay films coating faces of peds; common fine distinct brown 7.5YR 4/4 redox concentrations; many very fine and fine calcium carbonate concretions; and filaments and many very fine translucent calcite crystals; violently effervescent (11 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Btk horizons is 37 to 78 inches)
Bk--70 to 80 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few fine irregular pores; common fine distinct strong brown 7.5YR 4/6 redox concentrations and few fine faint light gray 10YR 7/1 redox depletions; many very fine and fine calcium carbonate concretions, and masses and many very fine translucent calcite crystals; violently effervescent (26 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0). (0 to 27 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; Pine Canyon Quadrangle; about 0.2 miles west of the Ford ranch headquarters; 108 degrees 11 minutes 25 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 19 minutes 38 seconds north latitude.
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 May and June. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 50 to 55 degrees F
Particle-size control section: 25 to 35 percent clay
Depth to calcic horizon: 10 to 35 inches and 15 to 30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 20 to 40 inches
Depth to water table: 30 to 51 inches
Salinity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Redox Features: Concentrations Depletions
Depth: 23 to 51 inches
Quantity: few to many
Size: very fine and fine very fine and fine
Contrast: distinct faint or distinct
Hue: 5YR to 10YR 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 moist 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 moist 0 to 2 moist
A horizon:
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 14 percent
Btk horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam or clay
Rock (coarse) fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel sized indurated calcium carbonate concretions
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 30 percent
Bk horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Rock (coarse) fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel sized indurated calcium carbonate concretions
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 30 percent
Some pedons have Bt horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Albinas (WY), Farnum (KS), Funmar (KS), Garrett (WY), Haxtun (CO), Jarita (NM), Keya (SD), Ownyate (NM), Prosper (SD), Renner (SD), Sampson (CO), Tracylee (WY), Vosburg (CO), and Wetterdon (WY) series. The Albinas, Garret, Haxtun, Keya, Ownyate, Renner, Sampson, Tracylee, Vosburg, Wetterdon, and Woodly soils do not have redoximorphic features and an apparent water table within 60 inches of the soil surface. Farnum and Funmar soils have warmer mean annual soil temperatures. Jarita soils are moderately deep. Prosper soils have redox depletions within 40 inches of the soil surface and an intermittent water table. In addition, the Albinas, Farnum, Funmar, Garret, Haxtun, Keya, Prosper, Renner, Sampson, Tracylee, and Wetterdon soils are in LRR-G and are moist in May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bluewater soils formed in alluvium and stream alluvium derived from sandstone and shale and are on valley floors. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. Elevations range from 7,200 to 7,600 feet. The mean annual air temperature is 48 to 53 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 13 to 16 inches. The frost free period is 100 to 135 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the fine-textured Fickle, Regracic, and Venzuni soils. Fickle soils are on fan terraces on valley sides. Regracic soils lack a mollic epipedon and are on higher stream terraces. Venzuni soils have vertic properties and are on higher stream terraces. These soils do not have a water table within 60 inches of the soil surface.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained, low runoff, and very slow permeability. Apparent water table at 30 to 51 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for livestock grazing and irrigated pasture. The present vegetation is western wheatgrass, iris, sedges, clovers, bottlebrush squirreltail, and wild barley.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central New Mexico. MLRA 35, LRR-D.. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McKinley County Area, New Mexico; McKinley County and Parts of Cibola and San Juan Counties, New Mexico; 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon (Pachic feature): The zone from the surface to 70 inches. (A and Btk horizons)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 2 to 70 inches. (Btk horizons)
Calcic Horizon: The zone from 11 to 50 inches and 70 to 80 inches. (Btk2, Btk3 and Bk horizons)
Apparent water table at 50 inches.
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.