LOCATION ABRAZO                  NM

Established Series
Rev. TLP/JBC/RJA
12/2022

ABRAZO SERIES

The Abrazo series consists of moderately deep, well drained slowly permeable soils that formed in material derived from igneous rocks such as rhyolite and andesite and tuffs. Abrazo soils are on hills, mountainsides, and plains. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 54 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Abrazo very cobbly clay loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; 40 percent cobbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

Bt1--2 to 9 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine and very fine roots; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

Bt2--9 to 20 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky, very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many thick continuous clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)

Bt3--20 to 27 inches; dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) clay, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common thin continuous clay films on faces of peds; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

2R--27 inches; igneous bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Grant County, New Mexico; about one mile east of Bayard in the SE 1/4 NW 1/4 of sec. 7, T. 18S., R. 12 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 49 to 59 degrees F.

Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 20 inches

Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches

Rock fragments in the particle-size control section 0 to 35 percent.

Clay content in the particle-size control section 35 to 50 percent.

Soil moisture aridic ustic moisture regime

A horizon - Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam, loam, or clay loam and cobbly or gravelly modifiers.

Bt horizon - Hue: 5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay, or clay and cobbly or gravelly modifiers.

C horizon (when present) - Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 through 8 dry, 3 through 7 moist
Chroma: 2 through 6
Texture: Clay loam with gravelly, very gravelly, cobbly or very cobbly modifiers.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cantina (NM), Carnero (NM), Celsosprings (NM), Charette (NM), Concho (NM), Cueva (NM), Remunda (NM) and Philmont (NM) series. Carnero soils have free carbonates of lime-coated pebbles in the Bt horizon. Cueva soils have a paralithic contact between 20 to 40 inch depths. Cantina, Celsosprings, Charette, Concho, Remunda and Philmont soils have bedrock deeper than 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Abrazo soils are at elevations of 5,000 to 8,600 feet on plains, hills and mountains with slopes of 2 to 50 percent. The mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 57 degrees F. The average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 16 inches and occurs mainly as thunderstorms in July, August, and September. The frost-free period is 120 to 180 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Luzena, Majada, and Muzzler soils. Luzena and Muzzler soils have bedrock within 20 inches of the surface. Majada soils are skeletal.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for rangeland. Native vegetation is sideoats grama, blue grama, black grama, and threeawn.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West and central New Mexico. The series is moderately extensive. MLRA is 38.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grant County, Central and Southern Parts of Soil Survey Area (8662), New Mexico, 1979.

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

Argillic horizon - The zone from 2 to 27 inches.

Lithic contact - Igneous bedrock at 27 inches.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.