LOCATION CALLADITO          NM
Established Series
Rev. SAZ/WWJ
10/2008

CALLADITO SERIES


The Calladito series consists of very deep, excessively drained, rapidly permeable soils that formed in eolian materials derived from sandstone. Calladito soils form dunes on fan remnants, stream terraces, and on dipslopes and summits of cuestas and mesas. Slopes range from 1 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 9 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 49 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Ustic Torripsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Calladito loamy fine sand--rangeland on an east facing, convex, 2 percent slope at an elevation of 6,600 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 2 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy fine sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine granular structure; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium and common fine and very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)

C1--2 to 26 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy fine sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; loose, very friable, nonplastic and nonplastic; few medium and common fine and very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

C2--26 to 65 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium, fine and very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).

TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; Starlake Quadrangle; about 3 miles northwest of Starlake trading post; about 1100 feet east and 650 feet south of the northwest corner of Sec. 29 T. 20 N, R. 6 W.; 107 degrees 29 minutes 45 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 56 minutes 28 seconds north latitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil Moisture: The SMCS is usually dry, in all parts, 105 to 160 cumulative days from April through October. It is usually moist, in some part, 50 to 105 cumulative days during the same period. It is intermittently moist in some part November through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Ustic aridic moisture regime.

Soil Temperature: 48 to 55 degrees F.

Particle-size control section: 2 to 10 percent clay

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 6 moist
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 6 moist
Texture: loamy fine sand or loamy sand
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Curtis Siding (WY), Dwyer (WY), Karval (CO), Mido (UT), Orpha (WY), Pensom (AZ), Pinavetes (NM), Tullock (WY), Valent (CO), and Wigton (CO) series. Curtis Siding soils are inactive. Dwyer, Karval, Orpha, Valent, and Wigton soils are moist in the soil moisture control section during May and June. Mido soils have hues redder than 7.5YR and a higher precipitation range. Pensom soils are deep to sandstone. Tullock soils are moderately deep. Pinavetes soils have soil temperatures of 53 to 57 degrees F., 10 to 14 inches precipitation, and are effervescent in the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Calladito soils formed in eolian materials derived from sandstone. Calladito soils form dunes on stream terraces, fan remnants, and on dipslopes and summits of cuestas and mesas. Slopes are 1 to 8 percent. Elevations range from 6,300 to 6,800 feet. The mean annual temperature is 46 to 53 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 8 to 10 inches. The frost free period is 100 to 145 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Betonnie, Councelor, Doakum, Elias, and Eslendo soils. The Betonnie and Councelor soils are very deep, coarse-loamy, on fan remnants and stream terraces. The Doakum soils are very deep, fine-loamy, on fan remnants. The Elias soils are very deep, fine textured, on fan remnants and knolls. The Eslendo soils are shallow on summits of ridges and mesas.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained, negligible runoff, and rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for rangeland. The present vegetation is Indian ricegrass, big sagebrush, blue grama, sand dropseed, and rubber rabbitbrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central, New Mexico; MLRA 35, LRR-D. This series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: McKinley County Area, New Mexico; McKinley County and Parts of Cibola and San Juan Counties, 2001.

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

Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to about 2 inches (A horizon)

Psamment feature - texture of loamy fine sand or coarser in all subhorizons below 10 inches (C1 and C2 horizons)

Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999.

Updated competing section June 12, 2008, CEM


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.