LOCATION CELACY             NM
Established Series
Rev. TEH/WRJ/RJA
06/2006

CELACY SERIES


The Celacy series consists of moderately deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils formed mainly in alluvium and eolian material derived from interbedded sandstone and shale on bedrock controlled plains and mesa tops. The slopes are 0 to 10 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 13 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Celacy fine sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 3 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thin platy and weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

BA--3 to 8 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and common very fine roots; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)

Bt--8 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few thin clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)

C--22 to 28 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) fine sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; 20 percent coarse fragments; slightly alkaline. (6 to 12 inches thick)

2Cr--28 to 34 inches; interbedded soft sandstone and shale.

TYPE LOCATION: Catron County, New Mexico; about 15 miles north of Pietown in the SW 1/4, NW 1/4, Section 36, T. 3 N., R. 12 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil Moisture - The soil moisture control section is moist in some part during the 120 days following the winter solstice and is moist in all parts less than 25 percent of the time the soil temperature at 20 inch depths is above 41 degrees F. Aridic ustic moisture regime.

Soil Temperature - 50 to 54 degrees F.

Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches.

Depth to the base of the Bt horizon - 10 to 28 inches.

Rock Fragments - 0 to 15 percent, dominantly gravel on a weighted average.

A horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: Loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam

Bt Horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6 moist or dry
Texture: Loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam

C Horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 4 through 8
Texture: Sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam

In some pedons, a Bk horizon is recognized in the position of the C horizon.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arnor (NM), Arwite (WY), Augustine (NM), Bigbow (KS), Bosonoak (NM), Carri (AZ), Celavar (NM), Dalhart (OK), Deekay (WY), Dermala (NM), Elwop (WY), Evpark (NM), Flugle (NM), Fort Collins (CO), Gateson (WY), Goesling (NM), Iwela (NM), Lykorly (AZ), Navajita (NM), Nyjack (NM), Oldwolf (WY), Olnest (CO), Orlie (NM), Parkelei (NM), Pinitos (NM), Rauzi (WY), Ribera (NM), Rockybutte (WY), Stoneham (CO), Toluca (MT) and Wagonhound (WY) series. Arnor and Dermala soils have greater than 15 percent rock fragments. Arwite, Bigbow, Dalhart, Deekay, Elwop, Fort Collins, Gateson, Oldwolf, Olnest, Rauzi, Rockybutte, Stoneham, Toluca, and Wagonhound soils receive most of the annual precipitation in the spring and fall and are in LRR-E or LRR-G. Arnor, Arwite, Augustine, Bigbow, Bosonoak, Dalhart, Deekay, Dermala, Fort Collins, Flugle, Goesling, Iwela, Lykorly, Navajita, Olnest, Orlie, Parkelei, Pinitos, Rauzi, Rockybutte, Stoneham, Toluca and Wagonhound soils are very deep. Carri, Evpark soils have a lithic contact at moderate depths. Celavar soils are continuously moist in some part from November through March. Nyjack soils have have gravelly (pumice) C horizons and are over tuff bedrock have gravelly (pumice) C horizons and are over tuff bedrock. Ribera soils have segregated calcium carbonate in the lower part of the solum.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Celacy soils are formed in alluvium and eolian material derived from sandstone and shale on bedrock controlled plains, mesatops, and small alluvial fan terraces. Elevations are 6,000 to 7,400 feet. Slopes are 0 to 10 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 48 to 52 degrees F, and the frost-free period is 115 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Flugle, and Goesling soils and the Jacee soil. Jacee soils have more than 35 percent clay in the Bt horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium; permeability is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: Celacy soils are used for livestock grazing and wood products. Present vegetation is pinyon-juniper savanna with an understory of blue grama, bottlebrush squirreltail, and broom snakeweed.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern New Mexico. This series is moderately extensive. MLRA 35.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Catron County, New Mexico, 1983.

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

Ochric Epipedon - The zone from the surface to a depth of about 8 inches (A, BA Horizons).

Argillic Horizon - The zone from about 8 to 22 inches (Bt horizon).

Paralithic Contact - The boundary at about 28 inches (Cr horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data: New Mexico State University, S78NM003-2.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.