LOCATION ARCHMESA CO+NM
Established Series
Rev. TRO-SJJ-KLS
02/2018
ARCHMESA SERIES
The Archmesa series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in slope alluvium over residuum derived from andesite. Archmesa soils are on mesas. Slopes range from 1 to 20 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 475 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 6.0 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Archmesa loam, on a southeast facing 10 percent slope in ponderosa pine woodland at an elevation of 2,590 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on October 6, 1999, the soil was moist from 0 to 90 cm.
A1--0 to 8 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
A2--8 to 25 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky parting to moderate medium granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 2 percent angular gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A1, A2 - 18 to 40 cm)
Bt1--25 to 53 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common distinct clay films on ped faces; many fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent angular gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--53 to 89 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few distinct clay films on ped faces; few fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent flagstones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bt1, Bt2 - 20 to 60 cm)
R--89 cm; hard andesite bedrock, weathered in the top 5 cm.
TYPE LOCATION: Archuleta County, Colorado, approximately 13 kilometers west of Edith, located 31 meters north and 884 meters west of the southeast corner of Section 18, T. 32 N., R. 1 W. Edith USGS Quad; Lat. 37 deg 00 min 17.5 sec N, Lon. 106 deg 59 min 38.6 sec W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 4.4 to 7.2 degrees C
Mean summer soil temperature: 15.0 to 16.6 degrees C
Depth to lithic contact: 50 to 100 cm
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 18 to 40 cm
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Sand content: 25 to 35 percent
A1, A2 horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Clay content: 12 to 22 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent (angular andesite)--0 to 10 percent gravel; 0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 10 percent flagstones; 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
Bt1, Bt2 horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction): loam, clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent (angular andesite)--0 to 10 percent gravel; 0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 10 percent flagstones; 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook (MT) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Beartooth (MT) - are very deep
Beeno (WY) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Bielenberg (MT) - are deep to paralithic contact
Bitterroot (MT) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Bookcliff (UT) - are deep to lithic contact
Bullflat (SD) - are very deep
Burtoner (MT) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Clancy (MT) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Clasoil (MT) - are very deep
Dooley - (MT) - are very deep
Doughty (MT) - are very deep
Empedrado (CO) - are very deep
Fairfield (MT) - are very deep
Farnuf (MT) - are very deep
Farside (MT) - are very deep
Felor (MT) - are very deep
Floak (UT) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Greenway (SD) - are very deep
Gurney (SD) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Hangdo (UT) - are very deep
Hoppers (MT) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Howbert (CO) - are very deep
Hyalite (MT) - are very deep
Jeffcity (MT) - have secondary CaCO3 accumulation
Kokoruda (MT) - are very deep
Livona (ND) - very deep
Martinsdale (MT) - very deep
Maudlin (CO) - have fine sandy loam textures in the A horizons
Meagher (MT) - very deep
Moen (CO) - have granitic rock fragments
Moento (CO) - have sandstone rock fragments
Perrypark (CO) - are very deep
Pianohill (MT) - have angular lahar breccia rock fragments
Placerton (MT) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Reeder (ND) - have a paralithic contact
Reedwest (MT) - have a paralithic contact
Sipple (MT) - are very deep
Snakejohn (UT) - are deep to a lithic contact
Sponseller (AZ) - are slightly to moderately acid in the Bt horizons
Trag (CO) - are very deep
Tragmon (CO) - are very deep
Trazuni (NM) - are very deep
Trujillo (CO) - are very deep
Ulrant (WY) - are deep to a lithic contact
Vida (MT) - are very deep
Watne (MT) - are very deep
Watrous (ND) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Wemple (MT) - are deep to a lithic contact
Williams (ND) - are very deep
Yegen (MT) - are very deep
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - mesas
Elevation - 2,500 to 2,625 meters
Slopes - 1 to 20 percent
Parent material - slope alluvium over residuum derived from andesite
Mean annual air temperature - 5.5 to 7.2 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation - 400 to 500 mm
Precipitation pattern - peak precipitation occurs during July to August with the driest months from April to June.
Frost-free period: 80 to 100 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately slow permeability (1.5-5.0 um/sec).
USE AND VEGETATION: The major uses are commercial woodlands and wildlife habitat. The native plant community is Ponderosa pine, Gamble oak, Snowberry, Nodding brome, Arizona fescue, and Mountain muhly. Quaking aspen occurs at higher elevations and in drainageways.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico; LRR D, E; MLRA 36, 48A; minor extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jicarilla Apache Area, New Mexico, 2000. The series was proposed in the Archuleta County Area, Colorado. The name is coined from Archuleta Mesa where the type description is located.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 25 cm (A1, A2 horizons)
Argillic horizon: 25 to 89 cm (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Lithic contact: 89 cm to andesite bedrock (R layer)
Particle-size control section: from 25 to 75 cm. (Bt1 and upper part of Bt2 horizons)
Archmesa soils are in a frigid temperature regime and have an ustic soil moisture class with a typic subclass.
Remarks: The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.