LOCATION NOGAL NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Nogal very cobbly sandy clay loam-- rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong very fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; 20 percent pebbles and 35 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--2 to 6 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; many fine, very fine, and medium roots; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--6 to 14 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) clay, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; many medium and few large and fine roots; continuous thick clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
Bt3--14 to 22 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine and common medium and large roots; continuous thick clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Btk--22 to 31 inches; yellow (10YR 7/6) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium and large roots; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; common medium rounded masses of carbonates; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
BC--31 to 40 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium roots; 10 percent soft shale pebbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)
Cr--40 inches; gypsiferous shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, New Mexico; about 2 miles southwest of Capitan; 700 feet east and 200 feet south of the NW corner of SW 1/4, section 18, T. 9 S., R. 14 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The soil moisture control section is moist in all parts 30 to 40 consecutive days during the 120 days following the winter solstice and is moist in all parts about 35 percent of the time when the soil temperature at 20 inch depths is above 41 degrees F. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Depth to the paralithic contact: 20 to 40 inches
Depth to the base of the Bt: 16 to 40 inches
Particle-size control section: rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 0 to 25 percent pebbles
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture: sandy loam, sandy clay loam or very cobble sandy clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent cobbles and 0 to 35 percent pebbles
Bt or Btk horizon
Hue: 2.5Y through 5YR
Value: 3 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 6 moist
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay, gravelly sandy clay, clay or gravelly clay
Bk or BC horizon
Lithochromic colors
Texture: clay loam or clay
Cr horizon
Dominated by shale but includes soft sandstone layers
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Durango (CO), Erramouspe (NM), Fikel (NM), Hosta (NM), Hualapai (AZ), Jacee (NM), Montecito (NM), Paguate (NM), Prater (CO), Teco (NM), Tinian (NM), and Wilmac (NM) series. Durango, Fikel, Hosta, Montecito, Prater and Teco soils are very deep. Erramouspe, Hualapai, and Tovar soils lack secondary carbonates. Jacee and Paguate soils have calcic horizons. Tinian soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact. Wilmac soils were not adequately competed before they were established.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nogal soils are on hills. Slopes range from 1 to 50 percent. Elevation ranges from 6,000 to 7,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 45 to 56 degrees F. The average frost-free period is 130 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bernal, Galestina (T), Remunda, Ruidoso, and Stroupe soils. Galestina, Remunda and Ruidoso soils are deep and on valley bottoms and sides. The Bernal soils are on nearby uplands and have a lithic contact within 20 inches of the surface. Stroupe soils have a lithic contact between 20 to 40 inches and are on uplands.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nogal soils are used for grazing livestock and wildlife habitat. Present vegetation includes pinyon, alligator and oneseed juniper, wavyleaf oak, sideoats grama, and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Nogal soils are of small extent in southcentral New Mexico. MLRAs 35, 39 & 70C.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lincoln County, New Mexico, 1981.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from the surface to a depth of 2 inches (A horizon).
Argillic horizon: The zone from 2 inches to 31 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Btk horizons)
Paralithic contact: Gypsiferous shale at about 40 inches