LOCATION CHIVATO NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, frigid Typic Haplusterts
TYPICAL PEDON: Chivato clay--in rangeland on a concave surface of less than 1 percent slope at an elevation of 8,400 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; few (<1 percent) cobble and stone sized volcanic bombs occur on the surface; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)
Bss1--2 to 13 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; weak medium and coarse angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; many pressure faces; few slickensides; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bss2--13 to 40 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; many pressure faces; many slickensides; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary.
Bss3--40 to 52 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; many pressure faces; few slickensides; few fine distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) moist redox concentrations; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Bssg--52 to 65 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; many pressure faces; few slickensides; common fine distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) moist redox concentrations and dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist redox depletions; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4). (The combined thickness of the B horizons is 58 to 81 inches)
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; Marquez Quadrangle; about 4.1 miles north-northwest of Marquez, New Mexico; 107 degrees 19 minutes 59 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 22 minutes 9 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The SMCS is usually moist, in some part, for more than 90 cumulative days from May through October. It is usually dry, in all parts, for less than 90 cumulative days during the same period. It is continuously moist in some part November through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Typic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 42 to 47 degrees F
Particle size control section: 60 to 80 percent clay
Vertic Properties:
gilgai: microrelief ranges up to 6 inches cracks: 0.5 inches in width; range from surface to 30 inches or more in depth pressure faces: many from 2 to 30 inches deep slickensides: few to common from 2 to 30 inches deep
Redoximorphic features occur below 40 inches
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Salinity: 0 to 2 mmhos
Sodicity: SAR 0-1
Bss1 and Bss2 horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Salinity: 0 to 2 mmhos
Sodicity: SAR 0 to 1
Bss3 and Bssg horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Salinity: 0 to 2 mmhos
Sodicity: SAR 0 to 1
Redoximorphic features:
Redox concentrations Redox depletions
Depth: 3 to 40 inches 20 to 50 inches
Quantity: few to many
Size: fine and medium fine and medium
Contrast: distinct or prominent distinct
Hue: 2.5YR through 10YR 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 6 moist 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 8 moist 0 to 2 moist
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competitors.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Chivato soils formed in lacustrine materials derived from basalt associated with Quaternary and Tertiary basaltic flows in the Mount Taylor volcanic field. Chivato soils are in depressions and playas on lava plateaus. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. Elevations range from 8,100 to 8,600 feet. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches. The frost free period is 90 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Apark and Canoneros soils on lava plateaus and cinder cones; and the Seco soils on valley floors. The Apark soils have less than 35 percent clay in the particle size control section and lack vertic properties. The Canoneros soils are shallow to a lithic contact with basalt. The Seco soils have an argillic horizon and do not crack to the surface.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, negligible runoff, and very slow permeability. Occasional brief ponding.
USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for rangeland. Present vegetation is western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central, New Mexico. MLRA 35 & 39, LRR-D This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Puerco Reconnaissance Survey, 1940.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Vertic properties: Gilgai microrelief ranges up to 6 inches. Cracks are 0.5 inches in width, and range from the surface to 30 inches or more in depth. Slickensides are few to common from 2 to 30 inches or more.
The type location moved to McKinley Co., NM in 1994. This soil was reclassified based on lab data in April 2001.
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Full characterization sampling 7/92--NSSL S92NM031-2-(1-5).