LOCATION TAPICITO NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Ustic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Tapicito very fine sandy loam, on a north facing, planar, 1 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 6700 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on June 9, 1999, the soil was moist from 3 to 39 inches.
A--0 to 3 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist. weak fine platy structure; soft very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bw--3 to 7 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. ( 3 to 5 inches thick)
C1--7 to 22 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) stratified very fine sandy loam and sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0) clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C2-- 22 to 39 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) stratified fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, and nonplastic. few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary
C3-- 39 to 52 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) stratified loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, and nonplastic; few very fine roots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.
C4-- 52 to 80 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) stratified loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; hard friable nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly effervescent; few fine carbonate filaments; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, Jicarilla Area Soil Survey ; about 3.5 miles north of state highway 44 and 537 intersection ; about 1690 feet north and 600 feet west of the SE corner Sec. 8 T. 24 N., R. 4 W.; Otero Store USGS quad; lat. 36 degrees 19 minutes 20 seconds N. and long. 107 degrees 16 minutes 35 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is moist from February through April and intermittently from July to October for less than 90 consecutive days; aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 50 to 52 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 66 to 68 degrees F
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 0 to 9
Particle-size control section (weighted average): Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Sand content: 45 to 85 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Size: gravel
Kind: sandstone
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 4
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
EC (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
SAR: 0 to 10
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry or moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 6, 4 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy sand
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cameo (CO), Clarkelen (WY), Glenberg (CO), and Innacutt (NM) series. Potential competitors not yet updated to the current version of Taxonomy are the Colorow (CO), Kornman (CO), Radnik (AZ), and Redbank (WY) series. Cameo soils have hue of 2.5Y and contain up to 25 percent or more coarse fragments in the particle size control section. Clarkelen, Glenberg, and Kornman soils are moist in some part of the moisture control section for more than 15 days in June. In addition, Kornman soils have A horizons which have been abnormally enriched by nitrogen and phosphorus. Colorow soils have water tables which fluctuate between 4 and 8 feet, and have oxidized iron colored redox features at depths between 40 and 60 inches. Innacutt soils contain 10 to 25 percent mica in coarse silt to fine sand fractions and 5 to 10 percent coarse fragment in the particle size control section. The Innacutt soil have mean annual soil temperature that range from 52 to 54 degrees. Radnik soils have mean annual soil temperature of 54 to 57 degrees F. Redbank soils have C horizons with hues of 10R to 5YR.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tapicito soils are on stream terraces. Slope gradients range from 0 to 3 percent. Elevation ranges from 6450 to 7200 feet. The soil formed in coarse textured mixed alluvium derived from sandstone and shale. At the type location the average annual precipitation is 12 inches, with peak periods of precipitation in the winter and July through October. June and July are the driest months. The mean annual temperature is 47 to 53 degrees F. The frost free period is 115 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Canada, and Kwakina series. The Canyada, soils are clayey in the upper part of the particle size control section and are on higher stream terraces. Kwakina soils are sandy and are on similar positions. Riverwash occurs in arroyos below Tapicito.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, low runoff, moderately rapid permeability. These soils are subject to rare flooding from July through October.
USE AND VEGETATION: Tapicito soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Present vegetation is big sagebrush, grama, galleta, sand dropseed and scattered cottonwood trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 36; The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Arriba County, Jicarilla Area, Parts of Rio Arriba and Sandoval Counties Soil Survey.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone between 0 to 7 inches (A, Bw horizon)
Entisol feature - Lack of diagnostic epipedon or diagnostic subsurface horizons.
Fluventic feature - Alluvial stratification and irregular organic-carbon distribution
Taxonomic Version: Second Edition, 1999