LOCATION MONZINGO AZEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Calcigypsids
TYPICAL PEDON: Monzingo fine sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) 35 to 45 percent of the surface is covered with gravel
A--0 to 3 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few fine soft calcium carbonate and gypsum masses; few fine gypsum filaments; violently effervescent, 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bky--3 to 19 inches; 90 percent light brown (7.5YR 6/4) and 10 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; many fine gypsum crystals throughout; common fine soft calcium carbonate and gypsum masses; violently effervescent, 33 percent calcium carbonate equivalent and 15 percent gypsum; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 17 inches thick)
Cdky--19 to 26 inches; 90 percent light brown (7.5YR 6/4) and 10 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive to weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; many fine gypsum crystals throughout; many distinct calcium carbonate and gypsum coatings on ped faces; violently effervescent, 25 percent calcium carbonate equivalent and 15 percent gypsum; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Cky1--26 to 34 inches; 90 percent light brown (7.5YR 6/4) and 10 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine gypsum crystals throughout; many distinct calcium carbonate and gypsum coatings between seams; few distinct manganese coatings between seams; violently effervescent, 20 percent calcium carbonate equivalent and 15 percent gypsum; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary.
Cky2--34 to 45 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine gypsum crystals throughout; many distinct calcium carbonate and gypsum coatings between seams; common distinct manganese coatings between seams; violently effervescent, 2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent and 15 percent gypsum; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Cky horizons is 15 to 25 inches)
C'dky--45 to 55 inches; 50 percent light brown (7.5YR 6/4) and 50 percent brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive to weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many fine gypsum crystals throughout; common fine soft calcium carbonate and gypsum masses; common distinct manganese coatings on ped faces; violently effervescent, 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent and 15 percent gypsum; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
Cy--55 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine gypsum crystals throughout; disseminated calcium carbonate and gypsum; violently effervescent, 11 percent calcium carbonate and 15 percent gypsum; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Cochise County, Arizona; located at a latitude of 31 degrees, 48 minutes, 51 seconds North and longitude of 110 degrees, 11 minutes, 00 seconds West; about 850 feet west and 1800 feet south of the northeast corner of Section 3, T. 19 S., R. 21 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during December - February and for more than 20 days cumulative during July - September. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 62 to 70 degrees F.
Rock fragments: typically nongravelly; some pedons range to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Clay content: less than 18 percent clay in the control section
Depth to calcic horizon: 3 to 20 inches
Depth to gypsic horizon: 3 to 20 inches
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent
Gypsum content: 0 to 5 percent
Bky, Cky and Cy horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, sandy loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 35 percent
Gypsum content: 5 to 20 percent
Cd horizons
Dense sediments that are intergrades between unconsolidated sediments (C material) and soft bedrock (Cr material). These naturally compacted sediments have been subjected to a slow reduction in volume and increase in density from deep water loading in geologic past. These materials easily break down in water and roots can penetrate when moist. They are root restrictive when dry, but do not meet the requirements for densic materials or contact.
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, sandy loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 25 percent
Gypsum content: 5 to 20 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alamogordo (NM), Borderline (AZ), Hobcan (AZ), Monahans (TX) and Ugyp (AZ) series. Alamogordo, Borderline, Monahans, and Ugyp soils do not have Cd horizons. Hobcan soils are dry in the soil moisture control section for less than 20 days cumulative during the summer and occur in the Mohave Desert.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Monzingo soils are on dissected relict lake beds at elevations of 3,600 to 4,100 feet. Slopes range from 5 to 60 percent. These soils formed in mixed alluvium from prehistoric lakes and marshes. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches and occurs as thunderstorms during July to September and as gentle rains during December to February. The mean annual air temperature is 60 to 68 degrees F. The frost-free period is 190 to 260 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Borderline and Ugyp soils. These soils do not have Cd horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation includes whitethorn, creosotebush, desert zinnia, range ratany, black grama, twistflower and fluffgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Arizona. Monzingo soils are of moderate extent. MLRA is 41.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cochise County, Arizona. Soil survey of Cochise County, Arizona, Douglas - Tombstone Part; 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 3 inches (Aky horizon)
Calcic horizon - The zone from 3 to 55 inches (Bky, Cdky, Cky1, Cky2, C'dky horizons)
Gypsic horizon - The zone from 3 to 60 inches (Bky, Cdky, Cky1, Cky2, C'dky, Cy horizons)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006.