LOCATION ELIDA NM+TX
Established Series
TAC-TCB-RM
05/2016
ELIDA SERIES
The Elida series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in sandy, eolian and alluvial sediments in the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. These soils occur on gently undulating plains. Mean annual precipitation is 406 mm (16 in), and mean annual temperature is 16 degrees C. (61 degrees F). Slope ranges from 1 to 5 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, siliceous, active, thermic Ustic Calciargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Elida fine sand on concave, 1 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 1,310 m (4,297 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 8 cm (0 to 3 in); brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sand, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots throughout; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
A2--8 to 25 cm (3 to 10 in); brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sand, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots throughout; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons is 15 to 51 cm [6 to 20 in].)
Bt1--25 to 41 cm (10 to 16 in); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; common distinct and discontinuous clay films on ped surfaces; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--41 to 76 cm (16 to 30 in); brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; many distinct and continuous clay films on ped surfaces; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Bt3--76 to 97 cm (30 to 38 in); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; many distinct and continuous clay films on ped surfaces; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt4--97 to 124 cm (38 to 49 in); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loamy fine sand, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; common faint and discontinuous clay films between sand grains; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 51 to 102 cm [20 to 40 in].)
Bkk1--124 to 164 cm (49 to 65 in); pink (7.5YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; about 60 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates throughout; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Bkk2--164 to 184 cm (65 to 72 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots throughout; about 55 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates throughout; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bkk horizons is 51 to 102 cm [20 to 40 in].)
Btk--184 to 216 cm (72 to 85 in); 60 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and 40 percent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) sandy clay loam, 60 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) and 40 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; many distinct and continuous clay films on ped surfaces; about 35 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates throughout; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Roosevelt County, New Mexico; from the intersection of U.S. Highway 84 and Highway 267 in Melrose; about 12.3 miles west on U.S. 84 Roosevelt County Road AV; 3.2 miles south on Roosevelt County Road AV to private road; 0.6 miles east on private road; 35 ft south in rangeland; NW of NE of Section 19; T2N, R30E of Section 19, Township 2N, Range 30E. Latitude: 34 degrees, 23 minutes, 25.8 seconds N; Longitude: 103 degrees, 49 minutes, 57.8 seconds W; Krider, New Mexico USGS quad; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 205 but less than 270 days, cumulative, in normal years. November through April normally is the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in May through October.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C. (59 to 64 degrees F).
Depth to argillic horizon: 15 to 51 cm (6 to 20 in).
Depth to calcic horizon: 50 to 152 cm (30 to 60 in).
Particle-size control section: 10 to 18 percent silicate clay. Clay content decreases by more than 20 percent from the maximum within 152 cm (60 in) of the surface.
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
A horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 5
Texture: fine sand, loamy fine sand
Effervescence: none
Reaction: neutral
Bt horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: averages 5 to 20 percent
Effervescence: none to very slight
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Bk or Bkk horizons:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 6 to 8, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: averages 10 to 25 percent silicate clay
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: 20 to 60 percent by volume in the form of masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates
Calcium carbonate by weight: 10 to 40 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
Btk horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: averages 10 to 25 percent silicate clay
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: 3 to 30 percent by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates
Calcium carbonate by weight: 5 to 25 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no soil series in the same family. Similar soils also include the
Amarose (T-NM),
Jalmar,
Triomas and
Vestwells (T-NM) series.
Amarose and
Triomas soils: have more than 18 percent silicate clay in the particle size control section.
Jalmar and
Vestwells soils: have a sandy surface more than 51 cm (20 in) thick and a loamy particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: sandy eolian and alluvial sediments in the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age.
Landform: gently undulating plains.
Slopes: 1 to 5 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C. (57 to 63 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 356 to 432 mm (14 to 17 in).
Frost-free period: 180 to 220 days.
Elevation: 762 to 1,402 m (2,500 to 4,600 ft).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 22 to 26.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar
Amarose (NM),
Penwell,
Triomas and
Milsand series and the
Arch,
Berwolf,
Delphos (NM),
Douro,
Drake,
Eunice (NM),
Gomez,
Ratliff and
Roswell series.
Amarose,
Berwolf and
Triomas soils: are on similar landscape positions.
Arch and
Gomez soils: are on lower landscape positions, do not have argillic horizons and are moist in the soil moisture control section for longer periods.
Delphos and
Ratliff soils: are on lower landscape positions and do not have argillic horizons.
Douro and
Eunice soils: are on similar landscape positions and have petrocalcic horizons.
Drake soils: are on higher landscape positions, do have an argillic horizon and are moist in the soil moisture control section for longer periods.
Milsand,
Penwell and
Roswell soils: are on higher landscape positions and do not have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained and moderate permeable. Surface runoff is negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes, very low on 1 to 3 percent slopes, and low on 3 to 5 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for crop production but also used for livestock grazing. Principal crops grown are cotton and grain sorghum. Climax native vegetation is tall and mid grasses, with tall grasses tending to dominate. This site is dominated by little bluestem and sand bluestem along with taller dropseed species. The remainder is mid and short grasses such as sideoats grama, sand dropseed, hooded windmillgrass, sand lovegrass, sand paspalum, fall witchgrass, hairy grama, needle and thread, and perennial threeawn. Sand sage, shinoak, and skunkbush are also present. This soil has been correlated to the Sandy (R077DY046TX) range site in MLRA-77D.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77D in LRR H); of eastern New Mexico. The soil is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: MLRA-77 Soil Survey Update; Roosevelt County, New Mexico, 2016
REMARKS: The Elida series was formerly included in the Spantara series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in) A horizons.
Argillic horizon: 25 to 124 cm (10 to 49 in) and 184 to 216 cm (72 to 85 inches) Bt and Btk horizons.
Calcic horizon: 124 to 216 cm (49 to 85 in) Bkk and Btk horizons.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL data available: S08NM041001 (Roosevelt County, New Mexico).
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.