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<br />a depth of about 31 inches is very pale brown sandy
<br />loam. In places it contains thin seams of crystal-
<br />line gypsum and numerous small sandstone fragments.
<br />The soils of this series have a moderate intake
<br />rate and moderate permeability. Surface runoff is
<br />medium. The wind erosion hazard is slight. In
<br />places there is deep gullying from water erosion.
<br />The entire acreage is used as range. The main
<br />grasses are blue grama and gall eta. Cholla and
<br />pricklypear cactus are thick in places.
<br />The Kim soils in Otero County are mapped only in
<br />an undifferentiated group with Wiley soils.
<br />Typical profile of Kim loam in an area of range,
<br />at the southeast corner of sec. 25, T. 27 S., R.
<br />54 W,
<br />
<br />A--O to 4 inches, light brownish-gray (lOYR 6/2)
<br />loam, dark grayish brown (IOYR 4/2) when moist;
<br />weak, thin, platy structure that parts to
<br />weak, fine, crumb; soft when dry, very friable
<br />when moist; strongly calcareous; abrupt,
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />AC--4 to 11 inches, pale-brown (lOYR 6/3) loam,
<br />brown (IOYR 5/3) when moist; weak, coarse,
<br />prismatic structure; soft when dry, very fri-
<br />able when moist; strongly calcareous; clear,
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />Clull to 16 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 7/3)
<br />loam, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; weak, me-
<br />dium, prismatic structure; slightly hard when
<br />dry, very friable when moist; strongly cal-
<br />careous; clear, wavy boundary.
<br />C2--l6 to 31 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 7/4)
<br />loam, yellowish brown (lOYR 5/4) when moist;
<br />weak, coarse, prismatic structure; slightly
<br />hard when dry, very friable when moist;
<br />strongly cal careous; gradual, smooth boundary.
<br />C3--3l to 60 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 7/4)
<br />sandy loam, light yellowish brown (lOYR 6/4)
<br />when moist; massive; slightly hard when dry,
<br />very friable when moist; an abundance of fine
<br />crystalline gypsum and numerous small sand-
<br />stone fragments; strongly calcareous.
<br />
<br />The texture of the various horizons ranges from
<br />silt loam to fine sandy loam. Sandstone rock under-
<br />lies these soils at a depth ranging from 40 inches
<br />to many feet.
<br />Kim soils are associated with Wiley and Traves-
<br />silla soils. They are somewhat like the Wiley soils
<br />but they lack a B horizon and are less silty.
<br />
<br />Kim and Wiley loams, I to 9 percent slopes
<br />(Kme) .--This undifferentiated group is located on
<br />nearly level to sloping areas of the non irrigated
<br />uplands in the vicinity of sandstone outcrops and
<br />canyons. Areas are up to 1,000 acres in size. Kim
<br />soils are on fans and slopes below sandstone bluffs,
<br />and Wiley soils are mostly on ridges above the
<br />bluffs. About 60 percent of each area is Kim loam,
<br />and about 40 percent is Wiley loam. There are small
<br />inclusions of Harvey-Stoneham loams, 0 to 3 percent
<br />slopes, and Travessilla-Rock outcrop complex.
<br />
<br />14
<br />
<br />The Kim soil in this unit has the profile de-
<br />scribed as typical for the series. The Wiley soil
<br />in this unit has the profile described as typical
<br />for the Wiley series.
<br />These soils have a high water-holding capacity
<br />and a moderate intake rate. The wind erosion haz-
<br />ard is slight to moderate when these soils are in
<br />native vegetation.
<br />All of the acreage is used as range. The princi-
<br />pal vegetation is blue grama, galleta, sand drop-
<br />seed, muhly, alkali sacaton, western wheatgrass, and
<br />cholla and pricklypear cactus. The main management
<br />problems are maintaining good range condition and
<br />reducing erosion. (Nonirrigated capability unit
<br />VI e-; Loamy Plains range site)
<br />
<br />Komman Series
<br />
<br />The Kornman series consists of deep, well-drained
<br />soils that have a thick loamy surface layer over
<br />sandy loam. They are extensive soils in the irri-
<br />gated part of the county.
<br />In a typical profile the highly fertile surface
<br />layer, about 13 inches thick, is grayish-brown loam
<br />that becomes thick and dark from use of muddy irri-
<br />gation water. It is hard and cloddy when dry but
<br />friable when moist. The upper 7 inches of the sub-
<br />stratum is brown limy sandy loam that is hard when
<br />dry but very friable when moist. The material be-
<br />tween depths of 20 and 56 inches is pale-brown
<br />stratified loamy sand and sandy loam. It has a soft
<br />or loose consistence when dry and is easily pene-
<br />trated by plant roots. Below a depth of 56 inches
<br />is yellowish-brown clay loam that is firm when
<br />moist and contains a few lime concretions.
<br />The surface layer has a medium to moderately slow
<br />intake rate and moderate water-holding capacity.
<br />It is highly fertile. The substratrun, low in fer-
<br />tility, has moderately rapid permeability and low
<br />water-holding capacity. There is a moderate water
<br />erosion hazard on slopes of more than about I per-
<br />cent.
<br />Komman soils are well suited to all locally
<br />adapted crops. These soils require more frequent
<br />irrigation than soils that have a finer textured
<br />layer below the surface layer.
<br />Kornman soils in Otero County are mapped only in
<br />three undifferentiated soil groups with Neesopah
<br />soils.
<br />Typical profile of Komman loam in an irrigated
<br />field, 0.28 mile east and 0.08 mile south of the
<br />center of sec. 22, T. 23 S., R. 56 W.
<br />
<br />Ap--O to 7 inches, grayish-brown (lOYR 5/2) loam,
<br />very dark grayish brown (lOYR 3/2) when moist;
<br />weak, coarse, subangular blocky structure that
<br />parts to weak, fine, crumb; hard when dry,
<br />friable when moist; strongly calcareous, pH
<br />7.7; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />Ap2--7 to 13 inches, grayish-brown (lOYR S/2) loam,
<br />very dark grayish brown (lOYR 3/2) when moist;
<br />weak, coarse, subangular blocky structure that
<br />parts to moderate, medium, angular blocky;
<br />
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