LOCATION ALEMEDA NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Alemeda sandy loam, native range (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 4 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary (3 to 7 inches thick).
B1--4 to 9 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine interstitial and tubular pores; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary (1 to 6 inches thick).
B2--9 to 13 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine tubular pores; calcareous with segregated lime as coatings on pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary (2 to 7 inches thick).
2Bk1--13 to 18 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine tubular pores; 45 percent gravel and cobbles; calcareous with segregated lime as many fine and coarse lime masses and coatings on pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary (4 to 10 inches thick).
2Bk2--18 to 26 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few medium roots; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; segregated lime as hard small masses and as coatings on pebbles; 65 percent gravel and cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary (6 to 15 inches thick).
3R--26 inches; basalt bedrock coated with calcium carbonate.
TYPE LOCATION: Bernalillo County, New Mexico; 330 feet east and 550 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 28, T.11 N., R.2 E.; Photo 5484.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock ranges from 20 to 40 inches.
Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 59 degrees to 72 degrees F.
Soil moisture - These soils are dry more than 3/4 of the time in all parts between depths of 6 and 16 inches when the soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. Typic aridic moisture regime.
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
B horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, loam
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent gravel
Structure: weak or moderate medium subangular blocky
2Bk horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 7 to 9 dry, 5 to 8 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: very cobbly sandy loam and very cobbly loam that contains some gravel and stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent; they are usually 1 to 10 inches in diameter, but stones are common.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chamberino (NM), Dime (CA), Nickel (NV), Piquin (NM), Railroad (NV), and Stagecoach (AZ) series. Chamberino, Dime, Nickel, Piquin, and Stagecoach soils are all very deep. Dime, Nickel, and Railroad soils are in the Mohave Desert and are moist in the soil moisture control section for less than 20 days cumulative between July and September. Piquin soils are inactive.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Alemeda soils are on nearly level to rolling slopes on basalt flows of Quaternary age. The soils formed in moderately coarse textured eolian sediments mixed with basalt, gravel, cobbles, and stones and overlying basalt bedrock. Basalt rock outcrops are common. The mean annual temperature is 57 degrees to 65 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches with a definite summer maximum.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Akela, Bluepoint, Madurez, and Wink soils. Akela soils are shallow to bedrock. Bluepoint, Madurez, and Wink soils have no bedrock within a depth of 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Alemeda soils are used mainly for rangeland but some small areas have been developed for urban use. The principal vegetation is mesa dropseed, blue grama, galleta, snakeweed, winterfat, annual weeds, and scattered juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alemeda soils are inextensive in central New Mexico. MLRA 42.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Valencia County (East Valencia Area), New Mexico, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 4 inches (A horizon)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 13 to 26 inches (2Bk horizons)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999
Updated competing series section 3/18/08, CEM