LOCATION NUMA               CO

NUMA SERIES

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Numa clay loam in a cultivated area. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 30 centimeters (0 to 12 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) light clay loam, (slightly darker than) dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to fine granules; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; primary peds are hard, firm; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (25 to 51 centimeters (10 to 20 inches) thick)

Ck1--30 to 43 centimeters (12 to 17 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) heavy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; peds are hard, firm; some visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring mostly as large concretions 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 centimeters (0 to 6 inches) thick)

Ck2--43 to 76 centimeters (17 to 30 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) heavy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 5 percent gravel; much visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as concretions in thin seams and streaks, and in finely divided marl-like forms and as coatings on gravel fragments; calcium carbonate equivalent about 20 percent; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (25 to 51 centimeters (10 to 20 inches) thick)

Ck3--76 to 152 centimeters (30 to 60 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as concretions and in thin seams and streaks; less calcium carbonate in this horizon than in the horizon above; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Prowers County, Colorado; 61 meters (200 feet) west of E1/4 Sec. 4, T. 23 S., R. 42 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the calcic horizon: 25 to 102 centimeters (10 to 40 inches)
Exchangeable sodium: 0 to 15 percent in a major part of the control section and there is no subhorizon as much as 3 inches thick above a depth of 20 inches that exceeds 15 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent and mainly 1/2 to 10 inches in diameter
Subhorizons redder than 7.5YR occur in some pedons, but a major part of the control section above a depth of 102 centimeters (40 inches) has hue of 7.5YR or yellower.
Texture of control section: typically loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Silt content: 5 to 50 percent
Sand content: 20 to 70 percent
Man-made Ap horizons: 10 to 20 inches thick that are medium to moderately fine textured that border mollic epipedons in color, and border anthropic epipedons in nitrogen and phosphorus, characterize these soils
These are the result of long periods of irrigation with silt laden irrigation water accompanied by intense cropping, heavy fertilization, and larger than normal yearly returns of organic matter.

A horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y to 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline (1:5 dilution unbuffered organic dye)

Ck horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y to 7.5YR
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Abra, Bighams Bowdish, Copeman, Creel, Darvey, Hernandez, Honlu, Kimera, Peachsprings and Xenmack series.
Abra and Hernandez soils lack a man-made enriched Ap horizon.
Bighams and Bowdish soils have a paralithic contact at depths of less than 102 centimeters (40 inches).
Copeland soils formed in medium textured alluvial sediments overlying skeletal sediments related to high energy flows.
Creel soils depth to soft sandstone is 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).
Darvey soils have a cambic horizon and in addition are dryer in the spring.
Honlu soils formed in slope alluvium and colluvium derived from sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
Kimera soils formed in alluvium and eolian deposits derived from sedimentary rock.
Peachsprings soils are on fan terraces at elevations of 1311 to 1554 meters (4300 to 5100 feet).
Xenmack soils are on risers of strath terrace remnants at 1707 to 1951 meters (5,600 to 6,400 feet).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: nearly level to gently sloping terraces, flood plains, and alluvial fans.
Slopes: 0 to 6 percent or more
Parent material: thick medium to moderately fine textured alluvium or pedisediments of mixed origin
Mean annual precipitation: 38 centimeters (15 inches) with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and early summer months
Mean annual temperature: 11 degrees C. (52 degrees F.)
Mean summer temperature: 26 degrees C. (79 degrees F.)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Harvey and Neesopah soils.
Harvey soils lack the man-made enriched Ap horizons that characterize the Numa series.
Neesopah soils have an argillic horizon, are moderately coarse textured, and lack a calcic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: well drained
Runoff: low to very low
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: moderately high to high

USE AND VEGETATION: Used as irrigated cropland.
Principal irrigated crops are alfalfa, small grain, corn, sorghum, truck crops, and melons.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Arkansas Valley, Colorado. The series is of small extent.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Prowers County, Colorado, 1963.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon and features recognized in this pedon are:

Soil last updated by the state 4/73.

Modified format by LRM in 7/2006 to include metric conversion and change permeability to saturated hydraulic conductivity.
Updated horizon suffix changing Ca to k. JCR