LOCATION GRIER NM
Established Series
Rev. RAH-LWH-TCB
09/2023
GRIER SERIES
The Grier series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in calcareous, loamy alluvial materials associated with the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. These soils are on level to nearly level playa benches. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 406 mm (16 in) and mean annual temperature is about 16 C (61 degrees F)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, calcareous, thermic Typic Endoaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON:Grier clay--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 10 cm (0 to 4 in); dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay loam; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots and common medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary (Thickness is 8 to 25 cm [3 to 10 in].)
Bw1--10 to 33 cm (4 to 13 in); light gray (5Y 7/1) and gray (5Y 5/1) clay loam; light gray to gray (5Y 6/1), and dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; violently effervescent ; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary.
Bw2--33 to 46 cm (13 to 18 in); light gray to gray (5Y 6/1) clay loam; gray (5Y 5/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; violently effervescent ; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 30 to 90 cm [12 to 35 in].)
Bgk1--46 to 71 cm (18 to 28 in); gray (5Y 6/1) sandy clay loam; dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few fine distinct pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) iron concentrations; few angular cylindrical masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); clear smooth boundary.
Bgk2--71 to 89 cm (28 to 35 in); light gray (5Y 7/1) sandy clay loam; gray (5Y 6/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few fine distinct yellow (2.5Y 7/6) iron concentrations; few angular cylindrical masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); clear smooth boundary.
Bgk3--89 to 165 cm (35 to 65 in); light gray (5Y 7/1) clay loam; light gray (5Y 7/1) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common fine distinct pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) iron concentrations; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bgk horizon is 43 to 94 cm [17 to 37 in].)
Bgk4--165 to 203 cm (65 to 80 in); light gray (5Y 7/1) clay loam; light gray (5Y 7/1) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; very few distinct yellow (2.5Y 7/6) iron concentrations; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION:Curry County, New Mexico: From the intersection of U. S. Highways 60 and 84 and New Mexico State Highway 267; south 9.6 km (6 miles) on New Mexico State Highway 267; west 2.4 km (1.5 miles) on Curry County Road 5; northwest 2.4 km (1.5 miles) on ranch road; site is 101 m (330 ft) south of road. 21 m (70 ft) south and 747 m (2450 ft) east of the NW corner of section 2, T. 1N, R. 31E. Latitude: 34 degrees, 20 minutes, 46 seconds N; Longitude: 103 degrees, 39 minutes, 43 seconds W; Tule Lake, New Mexico USGS quad; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The soil moisture control section is usually moist with a water table at depths of 46 to 91 cm (18 to 36 in)
Soil Temperature 15 to 17 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F)
Particle size control section - 20 to 35 percent non- carbonate clay with 12 to 20 percent clay size carbonate.
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 7, 3 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: clay loam
Bw horizons:
Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma 1 or 2
Textures: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Bgk horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 6 or 7, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Textures: clay loam or clay
Redoximorphic features: very few to few 2.5Y 7/4, 7/6, 8/2, 8/4 redox concentrations.
COMPETING SERIES:There are no series in the same family. Similar soils include theCedarlake,
Chapel,
Lamesa, andYellowlake series.
Chapel soils: have more than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and do not have endosaturation.
Cedarlake soils: have more than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and a salic horizon.
Lamesa soils: have an argillic horizon and a hue of 7.5YR or redder.
Yellowlake soils: have more than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and a natric horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy alluvial sediments derived from the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age.
Landform: on low level benches in playas or basins below the surrounding plain.
Slopes: range from 0 to 2 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 63 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 381 to 457 mm (15 to 18 in)
Frost-free period: 180 to 205 days.
Elevation: 1,036 to 1,341 m (3,400 to 4,400 ft)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:These are theArch,Drake,Randall, andPortalesseries.
Arch,DrakeandPortalessoils: are on higher positions and are well drained.
Randallsoils: occupies the lowest portion of the playa, have a clay particle-size control section, and are poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is very slow.
USE AND VEGETATION:Used mainly for rangeland or wildlife habitat. The natural plant community is a mixture of salt tolerant grasses and grass-like plants, forbs, and shrubs. Vegetation includes alkali sacaton, Texas dropseed, creeping muhly, joint tail, sedge and rushes, inland saltgrass and occasionally some western wheatgrass. Forbs includes portulaca sp., kochia, smartweed, dock and annual forbs. Woody species include salt cedar, Tamarix and Baccharis being the two most prevalent species. In areas of standing water, cattails may be present. The established plant community may fluctuate due mainly to the degree of salinity and the hydrology. This soil has been correlated to the Wet Saline (077CY689TX) range site in MLRA-77C.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77C in LRR H) of eastern New Mexico and possibly western Texas. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE:Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED:Curry County, New Mexico, 2007
REMARKS:This series was formerly included with the Church series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 10 cm (0 to 4 in) (A horizon)
Aquic moisture regime: low chroma and high value matrix.
Endo feature: saturated all layers not perched.
ADDITIONAL DATA:NSSL data from Curry County, NM (S90NM-009-003).
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.