LOCATION HICKMAN NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Aridic Ustifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Hickman loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thin platy and weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common fine and very fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
C1--3 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, sticky and plastic; common fine and very fine roots; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
C2--12 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable; sticky and plastic; common fine roots; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
C3--19 to 32 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
C4--32 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Catron County, New Mexico; about 3 miles south of Quemado, New Mexico in the NE 1/4, NW 1/4, sec. 13, T. 1 N., R. 16 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Continuously moist, in most years, in some part of the soil moisture control section November through April and intermittently moist July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Soil temperature: 49 to 56 degrees F.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments by volume: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
A horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: very fine sandy loam, loam, silty clay loam, clay loam or sandy clay loam
C horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam or silty clay loam
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aparejo (NM), Haverson (CO), Hysham (MT), Ramper (CO) and Rockypoint (WY) series. Aparejo soils have redder hues. Ramper soils have visible secondary carbonates. Hysham soils are strongly or very strongly alkaline with pH greater than 8.5. In addition, Haverson, Hysham, and Rockypoint soils are in LRR-G and are more moist in May and June
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elevations are 6,000 to 7,600 feet. Hickman soils are on valley floors and flood plains. Slopes are 0 to 6 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 12 to 16 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 47 to 54 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 100 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Catman, Flugle, Goesling, Jacques, and the competing Pietown soils. Catman and Jacques soils have more than 35 percent clay. Flugle and Goesling soils have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for livestock grazing. Native vegetation is alkali sacaton, giant sacaton, blue grama and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Westcentral New Mexico. MLRA 35. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Catron County, New Mexico; 1983.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from the surface to a depth of about 3 inches. (A horizon)
Entisol feature: An ochric epipedon and the lack of diagnostic horizons. (A, C1, C2, C3, C4 horizons)
Fluventic feature: Stratification and an irregular decrease in organic matter within the pedon. (A, C1, C2, C3, C4 horizons)