LOCATION SPARHAM NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Aridic Ustifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Sparham clay loam--grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky, plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)
C1--7 to 20 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; common medium prominent, strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C2--20 to 29 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
C3--29 to 47 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) silty clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C4--47 to 53 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky, very plastic; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
C5--53 to 75 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky, very plastic; 10 percent fine pebbles; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Sandoval County, New Mexico; 1 mile northwest of Cuba, New Mexico; 1,500 feet south and 1,100 feet east of the northwest corner of Sec. 20, T. 21 N., R. 1 W.; 106 degrees, 58 minutes, 18 seconds west longitude; 36 degrees, 02 minutes, 14 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Continuously moist, in most years, in some part of the soil moisture control section November through April and intermittently moist July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Aridic ustic moisture regime
Soil temperature - 48 to 57 degrees F.
Thin stratification is common and organic matter content decreases irregular with depth.
Calcium carbonate equivalent - Less than 15 percent
Rock fragments - Less than 15 percent
Redoximorphic features - redox concentrations and depletions close to the surface are believed to be caused by a relic watertable.
Depth to salts - (when present) - 20 to 35 inches.
Depth to water table - Typically 6 feet or more but in some pedons 4 to 5 feet.
A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 6 moist. (when crushed moist value is less than 3.5, thickness is less
than 7 inches).
Chroma: 1 through 4 dry.
Texture: Clay loam silty clay loam, silty clay, silt loam or clay.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.
C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 3 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 4 dry and 1 through 6 moist.
Textures: Stratified clay loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay or clay. There are strata of textures as coarse as loamy sand.
Clay content: 35 to 59 percent weighted average.
Reaction: slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
Sodicity: SAR of 5 to 30.
Salinity: EC of 2 to more than 16 mmhos/cm
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competitors.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sparham soils formed in alluvium and stream alluvium on flood plains on valley floors and alluvial fans on valley sides. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Average annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 16 inches. The precipitation is as low as 8 inches in areas where the water table or frequency of flooding contributes to the soil moisture. Mean annual temperature ranges from 46 to 55 degrees F., and the average frost-free season ranges from 100 to 160 days. Elevations range from 5,500 to 7,500 feet. Seasonal high water table typically is below 6 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Menefee and Vessilla soils. The Menefee and Vessilla soils are shallow to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low to high runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing, irrigated agriculture, and community development. Present vegetation is alkali sacaton, fourwing saltbush, galleta and blue grama.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern New Mexico. MLRA 35, LRR-D. This soil is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cibola County, New Mexico, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Fluventic feature - Lack of diagnostic horizons and having stratification and irregular decrease in organic matter. (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 horizons)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.