LOCATION KECH NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Kech gravelly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many fine pores; 20 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 7 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; common fine roots; many fine pores; few thin patchy clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bt2--7 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few roots; thin patchy clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds; 20 percent pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Btk--16 to 19 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few thin patchy clay films on vertical faces of peds; few masses of segregated calcium carbonate; rock fragments in the lower part are partially coated with lime; 20 percent pebbles, mainly gneiss; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
R--19 inches; slightly weathered and fractured gneiss.
TYPE LOCATION: Torrance County, New Mexico; approximately 50 feet west and 25 feet north of the SE corner of section 21, T. 6 N., R. 12 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section December through April and July through September.
Soil Temperature: 52 to 56 degrees F.
Depth to bedrock: 10 to 20 inches
Particle-size control section: Percent clay--20 to 35 percent on a weighted average. Rock fragments--cobbles and stones 0 to 10 percent, pebbles 0 to 35 percent. Total rock fragments--less than 35 percent on a weighted average.
A horizon: Hue - 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR Value: 4 through 6 Chroma: 2 through 4 Fine earth fraction: sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam Reaction: neutral through moderately alkaline Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent.
Bt horizon: Hue - 7.5YR or 5YR Value: 4 through 6 Chroma: 2 through 4 Reaction: Neutral through moderately alkaline Calcium carbonate equivalent: less than 15 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Berto (NM), Bond (NM), Bondman (WY), and Frontier (WY) soils. Berto soils have calcic horizons. Bond soils do not have horizons with secondary calcium carbonate accumulations. Bondman soils have soil temperatures ranging from 47 to 50 degrees F. and receive more winter precipitation. Frontier soils have annual soil temperature of 47 to 50 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kech soils are on plateaus, mesas, and buttes. Slopes range from 0 to 40 percent. Elevations range from 5,500 to 7,000 feet. Soils formed in colluvium and alluvium derived from metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Mean annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches but has ranged to 15 inches in the past. Mean annual temperature is about 50 to 54 degrees F., and frost-free period is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clovis soils which occur on upland piedmont fans. Clovis soils lack bedrock at depths of less than 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for rangeland. Common plants are sideoats grama, galleta, black grama, three-awn, blue grama, and little bluestem.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central New Mexico, Northern Arizona, and Southern Colorado. MLRA 70. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Torrance County, New Mexico, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 4 inches
Argillic horizon: 4 to 19 inches
Lithic contact: 19 inches