LOCATION FROLIC             NM+UT WY
Established Series
Rev. GWA/BDS
02/1999

FROLIC SERIES


The Frolic series is a member of the fine-loamy, mixed family of Cumulic Haploborolls. Typically, Frolic soils have a dark grayish brown very fine sandy loam a horizon, a dark grayish brown loam and sandy clay loam B horizon, and a brown fine sandy loam C1 horizon.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Hapludolls

TYPIFYING PEDON: Frolic very fine sandy loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A11--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine pores; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)

A12--6 to 15 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocks parting to strong fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine pores; mildly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)

B21--15 to 28 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky and moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores and many very fine pores; mildly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 22 inches thick)

B22--28 to 35 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; few very fine and fine common medium roots; common fine tubular pores; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

C1--35 to 42 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common fine distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) mottles; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; hard, friable; few roots; few very fine tubular pores; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

C2--42 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles and many medium to large distinct pink (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; hard, friable; few fine tubular pores; neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Colfax County, New Mexico; about 3 miles south of Eagle Nest; 500 feet northwest along Sixmile creek from its junction with U.S. 64.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 42 degrees to 47 degrees F., mean summer soil temperature is 59 degrees to 63 degrees F. The solum is 20 to 50 inches thick. A water table is at depths of 3 to 5 feet. There are thin discontinuous lenses and pockets of sand and gravel. The A1 horizon has dry value of 3 or 4, moist value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is very fine sandy loam or loam. The B2 horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam or sandy clay loam and has 20 to 30 percent clay.

COMPETING SERIES AND THEIR DIFFERENTIAE: These are the Brycan, Jodero, McGaffey, Nutrioso and Straw series. Brycan, Jodero and Nutrioso soils lack mottles within 40 inches of the surface. McGaffey soils have hue redder than 7.5YR. Straw soils are calcareous throughout the control section.

SETTING: The Frolic soils are in swales and fans at elevations of 8,000 to 10,500 feet. Slopes are 1 to 5 percent. The soils formed in medium to moderately coarse textured alluvium derived from acid igneous and sedimentary rocks. The climate is continental with a mean annual temperature of 40 degrees to 45 degrees F.; mean summer temperature of 57 degrees to 61 degrees F. Annual precipitation is 16 to 19 inches with more than half falling during the frost-free season. The growing season is less than 90 days.

PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cypher, Moreno and Morval soils. Cypher soils have a lithic contact at depths of 10 to 20 inches. Moreno and Morval soils have argillic horizons and are well-drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability above the water table which fluctuates from 3 to 5 feet below the surface.

USE AND VEGETATION: Crop production, range, wildlife habitat, recreation and watershed. Vegetation is sedges, clover, Junegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, western wheatgrass, iris and geranium.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern New Mexico. This series is inextensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colfax County, New Mexico, 1974.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U. S. A.