LOCATION LOVINGTON NM
Established Series
Rev. RAH-TCB-TAC
09/2023
LOVINGTON SERIES
The Lovington series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils. These soils formed in calcareous, loamy lacustrine deposits of Quaternary age. Lovington soils are on nearly level playa steps and interdunes. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is 406 mm (16 in), and mean annual temperature is 16 degrees C. (61 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Aridic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON:Lovington clay loam, on a nearly level, linear playa step, 0.5 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of about 1,368 m (4,488 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 21 cm (0 to 8 in); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine roots throughout; less than 2 percent finely disseminated calcium carbonate throughout; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
A2--21 to 43 cm (8 to 17 in); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to strong fine angular block structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many fine roots throughout; less than 2 percent finely disseminated calcium carbonate throughout; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 51 cm [4 to 20 in].)
Bk1--43 to 70 cm (17 to 28 in); brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine roots throughout; about 16 percent calcium carbonate by volume as masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Bk2--70 to 101 cm (28 to 40 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots throughout; about 28 percent calcium carbonate by volume as masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 51 to 110 cm [20 to 43 in].)
Bkk--101 to 203 cm (40 to 60 in); white (10YR 8/1) loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots throughout; about 60 percent calcium carbonate by volume as masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
TYPE LOCATION:Roosevelt County, New Mexico; from the intersection of New Mexico highway 206 and New Mexico highway 114 in Dora; 17.5 miles south on New Mexico highway 206 to Roosevelt County Road 39; 4 miles west on Roosevelt County Road 39 S. to private road; 1 mile west on private road; 870 ft south in rangeland; SW of the SW of S. 24, T. 7 S, R. 34 E. of Section 24, Township 7 S, Range 34 E; Latitude: 33 degrees, 41 minutes, 17 seconds N.; Longitude: 103 degrees, 25 minutes, 35 seconds, W; Milnesand NW, New Mexico USGS quad; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 205 but less than 270 days, cumulative, in normal years. November through April normally are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in May through October.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C. (59 to 64 degrees F).
Depth to calcic horizon: 20 to 75 cm (10 to 30 in).
Particle-size control section: 18 to 30 percent silicate clay.
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, clay loam
Effervescence: slight or strong
Reaction: moderately alkaline
Bw horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Visible secondary carbonates: less than 2 percent by volume as filaments and finely disseminated carbonates
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline
Bk horizons
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 5
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, clay
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: 5 to 50 percent by volume as masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates
Calcium carbonate by weight: 4 to 40 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
Bkk horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 6 to 8, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: loam, clay loam, clay
Visible secondary calcium carbonate: 50 to 70 percent by volume as masses, nodules, and finely disseminated carbonates
Calcium carbonate by weight: 40 to 60 percent
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES:There are no competing series in this family. Similar soils include theChavaro,Delphos,Pep,Portales,Ratliff,Tornero, andVestwells series.
Chavarosoils: have an argillic horizon.
Delphossoils: have less than 18 percent silicate clay in the particle size control section.
PepandPortalessoils: contain less than 90% silica minerals in the particle size control section, have a superactive activity class and are moist in the soil moisture control section for longer periods.
Ratliffsoils: have a superactive activity class and redder colors in subsoil.
Tornerosoils: have higher value and chroma in surface horizon and less calcium carbonate by weight in the control section.
Vestwellssoils: have a sandy surface horizon more than 51 cm (20 in) thick and a loamy particle size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy, calcareous lacustrine deposits of Quaternary age.
Landform: nearly level playa steps and interdunes.
Slope: 0 to 1 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C. (57 to 63 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 356 to 432 mm (14 to 17 in).
Frost-free period: 180 to 220 days.
Elevation: 762 to 1,402 m (2,500 to 4,600 ft).
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 22 to 26.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
This includes theChapel,Potter,Ratliff,Tornero, andVestwells series.
Chapelsoils: are on slightly lower landscape positions and have over 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Pottersoils: are on higher landscape positions and have over 35 percent coarse fragments in the particle size control section.
Ratliff,Tornero, andVestwellssoils: are on higher landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:Well drained and moderate permeability. Runoff is negligible on less than 1 percent slope.
USE AND VEGETATION:These soils are used primarily for rangeland. Native vegetation is mainly mid and short grasses and includes blue grama, black grama, sideoats grama, and buffalograss, with lesser amounts of galleta or tobosa, silver bluestem, threeawn. Woody plants include cholla and yucca. This soil has been correlated to the High Lime (R077DY040TX) range site in MLRA-77D.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77D in LRR H); of eastern New Mexico. The soil is minor in extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE:Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED:MLRA-77 Soil Survey Update; Roosevelt County, New Mexico, 2016
REMARKS:The Lovington series was formerly included in the Portales series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 26 cm (0 to 10 in) A horizons.
Cambic horizon: 26 to 47 cm (10 to 18 in) Bw horizon.
Calcic horizon: 47 to 203 cm (18 to 80 in) Bk horizons.
ADDITIONAL DATA:NSSL Data available: S10NM041007 (Roosevelt County, New Mexico).
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.