LOCATION PORTALES NM+TX

Established Series
Rev. RM-TCB
09/2022

PORTALES SERIES

The Portales series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils. These soils formed in medium to moderately fine textured, calcareous, lacustrine sediments of Pleistocene age. These soils are on nearly level to very gently sloping concave plains associated with playa lake basins. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 483 mm (19 in) and the mean annual temperature is about 15 degrees C (59 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Calciustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Portales loam, on a nearly level, slightly concave playa terrace, 0.5 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of about 1,460 m (4,790 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 38 cm (0 to 15 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots, common fine pores; about 10 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness is 13 to 41 cm [5 to 16 in].)

Bk1--38 to 89 cm (15 to 35 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; about 18 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Bk2--89 to 109 cm (35 to 43 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; about 31 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness is 38 to 115 cm [15 to 45 in].)

Bkk1 --109 to 152 cm (43 to 60 in); light gray (10YR 7/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; about 55 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline. (Thickness is 38 to 110 cm 15 to 43 in].)

Bkk2 --152 to 203 cm (60 to 80 in); very pale brown (10YR 8/2) clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; about 51 percent calcium carbonate by volume in the form of masses and finely disseminated carbonates; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Quay County, New Mexico; 2 miles east of McAlister on New Mexico Highway 312, north 3.2 2 miles on county road, east 1 mile on private road, 0.5 mile south on private road, 0.25 mile east to windmill, then east-southeast to southeast bench of playa or 1500 ft north and 800 ft west of the SE corner of Sec 25, T. 6N., R. 30E.; Weber City, New Mexico USGS quad; Latitude: 34 degrees, 42 minutes, 42 seconds N.; Longitude: 103 degrees, 42 minutes, 27 seconds, W., NAD 1987.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 180 but less than 205 days, cumulative, in normal years. July through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through June.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 19 degrees C (59 to 66 degrees F).
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 in).
Depth to calcic horizon: 15 to 50 cm (6 to 20 in).
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in).
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent silicate clay.

Ap or A horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, clay loam
Secondary calcium carbonate: less than 3 percent by volume mainly in the form of nodules and finely disseminated carbonates.
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline

Bw horizons (where present):
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam, clay loam
Secondary calcium carbonate: less than 3 percent by volume mainly in the form of nodules and finely disseminated carbonates.
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline

Bk horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 8, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 5
Texture: loam, clay loam
Secondary calcium carbonate: 10 to 50 percent by volume in the form of nodules, masses, and finely disseminated carbonates.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 40 percent
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline

Bkk horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 6 to 8, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 5
Texture: loam, clay loam
Secondary carbonate: 50 to 70 percent by volume in the form of masses, nodules and finely disseminated carbonates
Calcium carbonate by weight: 40 to 60 percent
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Mansic, Murray, and Pep and Snyder series. Similar soils include the Arch, Drake, and Lenorah series.
Mansic series: have less than 10 percent calcium carbonate accumulations or other masses of segregated calcium carbonate in the Bk horizon and are 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 in) deep to the zone of lime segregation.
Murray series: do not have a cambic horizon and occur on piedmont slopes and fan terraces.
Pep series: has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR.
Snyder series: are in a slightly moister climate and support a different plant community.
Arch series: has carbonatic mineralogy.
Drake and Lenorah series: have an ochric epipedon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: medium to moderately fine textured, calcareous, mixed eolian sediments derived from the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age.
Landform: on slightly concave plains associated with playa lake basins, slightly convex playa terraces, slightly concave playas and footslopes and toeslopes of playa sideslopes.
Slope: 0 to 3 percent.
Mean annual air temperature: 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 62 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitation: 432 to 533 mm (17 to 21 in).
Elevation: 793 to 1,555 m (2,600 to 5,100 ft).
Frost-free period: 185 to 220 days.
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 30 to 34

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This includes the similar Arch, Drake, Lenorah, and Pep series, and Lazbuddie, Lockney, Lofton, and Zita series.
Arch series: are on similar landscape positions but have carbonatic mineralogy.
Drake series: are on linear or curvilinear dunes and do not have a mollic epipedon.
Lazbuddie and Lockney series: are on similar landscape positions and have 40 to 60 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Lenorah series: are on similar landscape positions but do not have a mollic epipedon.
Pep series: has convex surfaces, redder hues, and are on sideslopes along draws and above playas.
Lofton and Zita series: are on similar landscape positions and are noncalcareous in the upper 7 in.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Moderate permeability. Runoff is negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes and very low on 1 to 3 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION: Widely used for dryland and irrigated crop production. Principal crops grown are cotton, grain sorghum, and wheat. Climax native vegetation is mainly mid and short grasses and includes blue grama, sideoats grama, and buffalograss, with lesser amounts of vine-mesquite, western wheatgrass, galleta or tobosa, silver bluestem, wild alfalfa, and prairieclover with a light to moderate overstory of mesquite.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA-77C in LRR H) of eastern New Mexico and western Texas. They are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Roosevelt County (Roosevelt County SCD Survey), New Mexico, 1940.

REMARKS: This is a Benchmark Series.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 38 cm (0 to 15 in). (A horizon)
Calcic horizon: 89 to 203 cm (35 to 80 in). (Bk2, Bkk1, Bkk2 horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: KSSL Data available: S53TX-305-060, S53TX-305-061, S95TX-305-004 (Lynn County, Texas)

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.