LOCATION JICARILLA NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Typic Argiaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Jicarilla clay loam, on a west aspect planar slope in grassland at an elevation of 7520 feet. When described on July 12, 1999, the soil was moist from 3 to 80 inches (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine roots; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bt1--3 to 21 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many very fine roots; common faint clay films on ped faces; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 18 inches thick)
Bt2--21 to 32 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films on ped faces; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Btg1--32 to 42 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films on ped faces; slightly effervescent; common coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary.
Btg2--42 to 60 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) sandy clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; weak fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; few faint clay films on ped faces; many coarse prominent yellowish brown(10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary.
2Cg--60 to 80 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) stratified sandy clay loam with thin strata of loamy sand layers, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; single grain and weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; slightly effervescent; many coarse prominent yellowish brown(10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, about 1.2 mile east of La Jara Lake, located about 1750 feet west, 200 feet north, southeast corner Sec 32, T 30 N, R 1 W. Cordova Canyon USGS quad; lat. 36 45 43 N. and long. 107 degrees 57 minutes 19 seconds W., NAD 27 .
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is affected by precipitation that is evenly distributed throughout the year with the exception of a significant peak during July and August, and a significant decrease from April through June. June is the driest month. (Ustic moisture bordering on aridic.)
Mean annual soil temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 58 to 62 degrees F
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 46 inches
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 40 to 80 inches to stratified materials
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 40 to 80 inches
Depth to endosaturation: 20 to 40 inches from March to June.
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 36 to 45 percent
Sand content: 15 to 35 percent fine and coarser sand
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent sandstone gravel
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Rock fragments: less than 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline
Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry , 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 2
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: less than 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline
Btg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 2
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: less than 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline
2Cg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 6 dry, 2 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay
Clay content: 25 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: less than 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: The current competitors are the
Badger,
Lindaas, and
Mustinka series.
Badger, Lindass, and Mustinka: formed in glacial lacustrine and till parent materials.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: fine textured mixed alluvium derived from sandstone and shale
Landform: valley floors, drainageways, and low stream terraces
Slopes: 0 to 4 percent
Elevation: 6,750 to 8,000 feet
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F
Mean summer temperature: 59 degrees to 62 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 16 to 20 inches
Precipitation pattern: Precipitation falls mostly during the months of November through March and July through October. June is the driest month. Total snowfall averages about 4 to 5 feet with snowmelt lasting into April. The soil, however, is saturated with water due to run-on moisture from spring snowmelt.
Frost-free period: 80 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Hesperus,
Suposo, and
Tottles soils.
Hesperus and Suposo are on higher valley slopes and do not have a water table.
Tottles soils are in swales and depressions and do not have argillic horizons, and have higher water tables.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly to somewhat poorly drained; low runoff; slow permeability. The water table fluctuates, but is typically within 40 inches of the surface during spring runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: The major uses are livestock grazing and grass hayland. The native plant community is Kentucky bluegrass, sedges, rushes, and iris.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Central New Mexico; MLRA 48A. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, Jicarilla Area, Parts of Rio Arriba and Sandoval Counties Soil Survey, 2000.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 3 to 23 inches. (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 32 inches. (A, Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 3 to 60 inches
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations from 0 to 80 inches.
Endosaturation: The presence of endosaturation at 20 to 40 inches deep from March to June.
Taxonomic Version: Eighth Edition, 1998