LOCATION BLUESKY NMEstablished Series
The Bluesky series consists of very shallow and shallow to sandstone, excessively drained, rapidly permeable soils that formed in eolian and alluvial material derived from sandstone. Bluesky soils are on structural benches and on escarpments of mesas and cuestas. Slopes range from 5 to 40 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Lithic Ustipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Bluesky fine sand--on a east facing, convex, 8 percent slope at an elevation of 7,420 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 8 inches thick)
C--5 to 8 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) fine sand, gray (10YR 6/1) moist; single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky and non plastic; common very fine and fine roots; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
R--8 inches; Cowsprings and Entrada Sandstone
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; about 3.4 miles north of Ramah, New Mexico; Ramah Quadrangle; 108 degrees 29 minutes 48 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 11 minutes 10 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The SMCS is usually moist, in some part, for more than 90 cumulative days from May through October. It is usually dry, in all parts, for less than 90 cumulative days during the same period. It is continuously moist in some part November through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Typic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 42 to 47 degrees F
Particle size control section: 1 to 5 percent clay
Reaction: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Depth to a lithic contact: 5 to 20 inches to sandstone
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Textures: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent total
0 to 10 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones.
C horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3, 4, or 6 moist, 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 1, 4, or 6
Textures: fine sand or loamy fine sand
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent total
0 to 25 percent gravel
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competitors.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bluesky soils formed in eolian and alluvial material derived from Jurassic sandstone of the Cowsprings and Entrada formation and are on structural benches on escarpments of mesas and cuestas. Elevations range from 7,100 to 7,700 feet. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches. The frost free period is 90 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bryway, Corzuni, Stozuni, Shoemaker, Trazuni, and Zunalei soils. The Bryway soils are moderately deep on summits and dipslopes of mesas and cuestas. Corzuni, Trazuni, and Zunalei soils are very deep on fan remnants. The Shoemaker soils are moderately deep and on escarpments. The Stozuni soils are shallow and on escarpments.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained, low to medium runoff, and rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Douglas fir, pinyon pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, cliffrose, mountainmahogany, pine dropseed, Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and muttongrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central, New Mexico; MLRA 39, 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 5 inches. (A horizon)
Psamment feature: Texture of loamy fine sand or coarser from the surface to a lithic contact at a depth of about 8 inches. (A and C horizons)
Lithic contact: Sandstone bedrock at 8 inches. (R horizon)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.