LOCATION KIMERA                  CO

Established Series
Rev. LAN
01/2014

KIMERA SERIES

The Kimera series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium and eolian deposits derived from sedimentary rock. Kimera soils are on plains, interfluves, ridges, fans, and hills. Slopes range from 0 to 9 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 330 millimeters (13 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 11 degrees C (52 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Kimera loam, on a west-facing, 5 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 1,434 meters(4,705 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on August 23, 2002 the soil was moist from 0 to 10 centimeters.

A--0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine to medium roots; 1 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. ( 8 to 15 centimeters thick)

Bw--10 to 36 centimeters (4 to 15 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; violently effervescent, 7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (20 to 46 centimeters thick)

Bk1--36 to 71 centimeters (15 to 28 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; 2 percent fine, distinct, irregular carbonate masses throughout; violently effervescent, 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Bk2--71 to 119 centimeters (28 to 47 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; 17 percent fine distinct irregular carbonate masses throughout; violently effervescent, 18 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.

Bk3--119 to 145 centimeters (47 to 57 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few patchy faint pressure faces on vertical faces of peds; 5 percent medium distinct irregular carbonate masses throughout; violently effervescent, 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk1, Bk2 and Bk3 horizons is 79 to 124 centimeters)

Bk4--145 to 200 centimeters (57 to 79 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 4 percent medium distinct irregular carbonate masses throughout; violently effervescent, 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Las Animas County, Colorado; about 5 miles south of Ninaview, Colorado; located about 500 feet north and 350 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 26, T. 28 S., R. 52 W., Sixth Principle Meridian; Plug Hat, Colorado USGS topographic quadrangle; UTM zone 13, 658456e 4159890n; latitude 37 degrees 34 minutes 21 seconds N. and longitude 103 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds W., NAD 1983

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture:
The soil moisture control section: moist March through May and intermittently moist May through August. Driest December through February
Moisture regime: aridic bordering on ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 9 to 12 degrees C (48 to 54 degrees F)
Mean summer soil temperature: 20 to 24 degrees C (68 to 75 degrees F.)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 0 to 15 centimeters (0 to 6 inches)
Depth to calcic horizon: 28 to 61 centimeters (11 to 24 inches)
Thickness of the calcic horizon: 30 to 49 inches

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Sand content: 30 to 50 percent, with more than 30 percent fine and
coarser sand
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 8 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Bw horizon(where present):
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loam, clay loam, silt loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Bk1, Bk2 and Bk3 horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam, clay loam, silt loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 35 percent, averaging 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 35 percent, with at least one horizon having 15 percent or greater calcium carbonate equivalent
EC (dS/m): 0 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 8
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline

Bk4 horizon: (Bky in some pedons)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 25 percent
EC (dS/m): 1 to 8
Gypsum: 0 to 5 percent
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 5
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Abra(AZ), Bighams(AZ), Bowdish(CO), Copeman(WY), Creel(NM), Darvey(NM), Hernandez(NM), Honlu(UT), Kitipes(UT), Molen(UT), Peachsprings(AZ), and Xenmack(NM) series
Abra soils: are dry in May and June, and have a mean soil temperature of 13 to 14 degrees C (56 to 58 degrees F.)
Bighams, Creel, and Xenmack soils: have a paralithic contact at depths of 51 to 100 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Bowdish and Molen soils: have a lithic contact at depths of 51 to 100 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Copeman soils: have a lithologic discontinuity and average more than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section
Darvey soils: are moist December through February and the depth to the calcic horizon is greater than 61 centimeters (24 inches).
Hernandez soils: have a mean annual temperature of 8 to 9 degrees C (46 to 48 degrees F), and are drier in May and June.
Honlu soils: average 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section.
Kitepes soils: have less than 30 percent fine and coarser sand in the control section
Peachsprings soils: average 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in some part of the control section

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium and eolian deposits derived from sedimentary material
Landform: plains, interfluves, fans, ridges, hills
Slopes: 1 to 9 percent
Elevation: 1,219 to 1,829 meters (4,000 to 6,000 feet)
Mean annual temperature: 10 to 12 degrees C (50 to 54 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 254 to 356 millimeters (10 to 14 inches)
Precipitation pattern:
Peak period: May through August
Driest period: December through February
Frost-free period: 125 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Oterodry, Villedry, and Wilid series.
Oterodry soils have a coarse-loamy particle size control section and are on the summits and shoulders of hillslopes. Villedry soils have a coarse-loamy particle size control section and are on plains.
Wilid soils have argillic horizons and are on plains.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: Well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: moderately high or high

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat; the primary vegetation is blue grama, galleta, western wheatgrass, yucca, sand dropseed, sideoats grama, and broom snakeweed. (ESD: R069XY006CO Loamy Plains)

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: southeastern Colorado; LRR G, MLRA 69; large extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Las Animas County, Colorado, Las Animas County Area Soil Survey Area, Colorado 2007. The name is coined.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 t to 200 centimeters (0 to 79 inches).
Particle-size control section: The zone from 25 to 100 centimeters (10 to 40 inches). (part of the Bw, Bk1, and part of the Bk2 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches). (A horizons)
Cambic horizon: The zone from 10 to 38 centimeters (4 to 15 inches). (Bw horizons)
Calcic horizon: The zone from 38 to 145 centimeters (15 to 57 inches). (Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons)
Other features: ustic aridic moisture regime

This soil was previously identified as part of the Kim series. This series was established as a result of documentation demonstrating the presence of a calcic horizon (with visible segregated lime).

The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is identified in lab data pedon #S03CO071004.

Taxonomic Version: Eleventh Edition, 2010

ADDITIONAL DATA:

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.