LOCATION KERMIT NM+TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Siliceous, thermic Typic Torripsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Kermit fine sand, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; single grained with thin bedding planes in upper 2 inches; loose; common very fine roots, very porous; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
A2--4 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sand, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; single grained; loose; few fine roots; very porous; few dark organic stains; noncalcareous; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
C1--12 to 32 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; single grained; loose; few fine and coarse roots; very porous; neutral; diffuse smooth boundary. (18 to 48 inches thick)
C2--32 to 84 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 5/8) moist; single grained; loose; weakly coherent where wet; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Eddy County, New Mexico; 60 feet west of an oil field road which is .4 mile north of the county road along the south side of Sec. 14, T.16S., R.30E.; 103 degrees, 56 minutes, 12 seconds west longitude; 32 degrees, 55 minutes, 12 second north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - the moisture control section is usually dry in all parts more than three-fourths of the time that the soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. The driest period is from October through May. Typic aridic moisture regime.
Soil temperature - 59 to 72 degrees F.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline but noncalcareous throughout.
Rock fragments - less than 15 percent, mainly pebbles.
A horizon
Hue - 5YR through 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 6.
C horizon
Hue 5YR through 10YR
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma: 4 through 8.
Texture: sand or fine sand with 4 to 10 percent silt plus clay.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Sandridge (CA) series. The Sandridge series is effervescent throughout and is moist mainly in the winter.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Kermit soils are on nearly level to undulating and hummocky upland plains, alluvial fans, and valley side slopes. The soils formed in noncalcareous, deep, sandy material that has often been reworked by wind. Sand dunes, coppice mounds, and blowout areas are common surface features. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent. Elevation ranges from 2450 to 3900 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches, most of the precipitation is received during the summer. The Thornthwaite P-E Index is generally less than 20. Mean annual temperature ranges from about 57 degrees to 70 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from about 190 to 230 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Berino, Cacique, Largo, Maljamar, Penwell, Pyote and Wink soils. Berino and Maljamar, Pyote soils have argillic horizons. Cacique soils have argillic horizons and petrocalcic horizons. Largo soils have more than 18 percent clay in the control sections. Wink soils have calcic horizons. Penwell soils are intergrading to an ustic moisture regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; very slow runoff; very rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Native rangeland is the principal use with minor amounts of recreation and wildlife. Native vegetation consists of a sparse cover of sand bluestem, little bluestem, giant sand dropseed, threeawn, sand sage, Harvard oak, mesquite, and yucca.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern New Mexico and southwestern Texas. The series is extensive. MLRA 42.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ward County, Texas, 1969.
REMARKS: Type Location was changed from Ward County, Texas to Eddy County, New Mexico in an area more suitable for its classification. The Kermit soils were formerly included with the Tivoli series but are now separated on soil moisture and mineralogy.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 12 inches. (A horizon)
Silicious mineralogy - based on a reported weatherable mineral content of less than 3 percent.
ADDITIONAL DATA: 681100-681103, Riverside Lab., 1968.