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<br />strongly saline with increasing depth. In most
<br />areas, the pH does not exceed 8.6.
<br />Apishapa soils are associated with Limon and Las
<br />Animas soils and with wet phases of the Rocky Ford
<br />soils. The Apishapa soils are most like the Limon
<br />soils. but they are not so well drained and they are
<br />somewhat darker colored.
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<br />
<br />Apishapa loamy sand (0 to 1 percent slopes)
<br />(Aa).--The profile of this soil differs from that
<br />described as typical for the series in having a
<br />light brownish-gray loamy sand surface layer about
<br />15 inches thick. The next layer is dark grayish-
<br />brown clay loam to clay. Below a depth of about 30
<br />inches is wet sand or clay. This soil is on low
<br />terraces of the Arkansas River. Areas are up to 200
<br />acres in size.
<br />The principal inclusion is Glenberg loamy fine
<br />sand, 0 to 1 percent.
<br />Rangeland areas have a water table at a depth
<br />ranging from a few inches to 3 feet. The vegetation
<br />is saltgrass, weeds, and saltcedar. Farmed areas
<br />have been drained. The surface layer is droughty
<br />and low in fertility. There is a high wind erosion
<br />hazard in cultivated areas. (Irrigated capability
<br />unit IIIew-4; nonirrigated capability unit VIw-l;
<br />Salt Meadow range site)
<br />
<br />Apishapa clay (0 to 1 percent slopes) (Ac),--This
<br />soil has the profile described as typical for the
<br />series. It occurs as areas up to 600 acres in size,
<br />mostly on low terraces of the Arkansas River.
<br />The principal inclusions are Rocky Ford silty
<br />clay loam, wet, 0 to 1 percent slopes, and Limon
<br />silty clay, 0 to 3 percent slopes. Total inclusions
<br />account for about 15 percent of each mapped area.
<br />This is a fertile soil. Plant nutrients are not
<br />easily lost by leaching or erosion. Because of the
<br />clayey texture. the soil readily compacts when
<br />tilled. It is poorly aerated below the surface la-
<br />yer and is not well suited to deep-Tooted crops or
<br />to crops having a low salt tolerance. (Irrigated
<br />capability unit Ills-I; nonirrigated capability unit
<br />VIw-l; Salt Meadow range site)
<br />
<br />Baca Series
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<br />
<br />The Baca series consists of deep, well-drained,
<br />nearly level to gently sloping soils that developed
<br />in light-colored limy silt loam or silty clay loam
<br />material. All of these soils are in nonirrigated
<br />parts of the county and are not extensive.
<br />In a typical profile the surface layer, about 5
<br />inches thick, is mainly light brownish-gray loam.
<br />It is soft when dry and very friable when moist.
<br />The subsoil is about 11 inches thick. The upper
<br />part is dark-brown clay loam. The lower part is
<br />pale-brown silty clay loam. Both of these layers
<br />break to vertically elongated pieces about an inch
<br />in diameter. The pieces are hard when dry. The
<br />upper part is firm when moist, and the lower part is
<br />friable when moist. The underlying material is
<br />light yellowish-brown silty clay loam grading to
<br />clay loam.
<br />
<br />Baca soils have a good water-intake rate. moder-
<br />ately slow permeability, a high water-holding capac-
<br />ity, and medium runoff. These are moderately fer-
<br />tile soils that are not readily leached of plant
<br />nutrients. The erosion hazard is slight if these
<br />soils are used as range.
<br />The entire acreage in Otero County is used as
<br />range. The principal grasses are blue grama and
<br />galleta.
<br />Typical profile of Baca loam, 1 to 5 percent
<br />slopes) in an area of native range, 0.2 mile north
<br />and 0.05 mile east of the southwest corner of sec.
<br />18, T. 22 S., R. 55 W.
<br />
<br />All--O to 3 inches, light brownish-gray (IOYR 6/2)
<br />loam. dark grayish browTI (lOYR 4/2) when
<br />moist; weak) thin, platy structure that parts
<br />to weak. very fine, crumb; soft when dry, very
<br />friable when moist; noncalcareous; abrupt,
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />A12--3 to 5 inches, grayish-brown (lOYR 5/2) silt
<br />loam) dark brown (lOYR 4/3) when moist; weak.
<br />medium. platy structure; slightly hard when
<br />dry. very friable when moist; noncalcareous;
<br />clear. smooth boundary.
<br />B2t--5 to 10 inches, dark-brown (IOYR 4/3) clay
<br />loam, dark brown (lOYR 3/3) when moist; moder-
<br />ate, medium, prismatic structure that parts to
<br />moderate) medium, subangular blocky; hard when
<br />dry, firm when moist; thin clay films on sur-
<br />face of soil aggregates; noncalcareous; clear,
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />B3ca--lO to 16 inches, pale-brown (IOYR 6/3) silty
<br />clay loam, bro~n (lOYR 5/3) when moist; moder-
<br />ate. medium) prismatic structure that parts to
<br />moderate) medium, subangular blocky; hard
<br />when dry. friable when moist; thin patchy clay
<br />films on vertical faces of soil peds; strongly
<br />calcareous; gradual, smooth boundary.
<br />Clca--16 to 32 inches, light yellowish-brown (lOYR
<br />6/4) silty clay loam, yellowish brown (lOYR
<br />5/4) when moist; weak. coarse, subangular
<br />blocky structure; hard when dry. friable when
<br />moist; soft medium concretions of segregated
<br />lime; strongly calcareous; gradual. smooth
<br />boundary.
<br />C2--32 to 60 inches) light yellowish-brown (10YR
<br />6/4) gritty clay loam, yellowish brown (lOYR
<br />5/6) when moist; massive; slightly hard when
<br />dry, friable when moist; strongly calcareous.
<br />
<br />The A horizon ranges from 4 to 7 inches in thick-
<br />ness, and the B2 horizon from 3 to 10 inches. Soils
<br />that have the thickest B horizon are mostly in the
<br />southeastern part of the county. There are no re-
<br />strictive layers in the C horizon.
<br />Baca soils are associated with Stoneham, Olney,
<br />Kim, and Wiley soils. They are most like the Wiley
<br />soils. but differ in being slightly finer textured,
<br />darker colored. and lime free in the upper part of
<br />the subsoil. They have a thicker subsoil than
<br />Stoneham soils. Baca soils differ from Olney soils
<br />in having a clay loam subsoil weathered from eolian
<br />silt, whereas Olney soils have a sandy clay loam
<br />subsoil weathered from eolian sand and silt.
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