LOCATION CHUNKMONK NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Chunkmonk very gravelly fine sandy loam--in a pinyon-juniper woodland on a southwest facing, convex-linear, 2 percent slope at an elevation of 7,180. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.) The surface is covered with 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles. Fragments are dolomitic limestone and calcareous sandstone.
A--0 to 1 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; 45 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles (all rock fragments are limestone); slightly effervescent; few very fine and fine masses of calcium carbonate; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Btk1--1 to 4 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) very cobbly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few faint clay films bridging sand grains; 15 percent gravel, 45 percent cobbles (all rock fragments are limestone); strongly effervescent; common fine and medium masses of calcium carbonate; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary.
Btk2--4 to 8 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) gravelly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few faint clay films bridging sand grains; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles (all rock fragments are limestone); violently effervescent; common fine and medium masses and few fine concretions of calcium carbonate; 28 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (8.2); abrupt wavy boundary.
Btk3--8 to 10 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, and coarse roots; few distinct clay films bridging sand grains; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles (all rock fragments are limestone); violently effervescent; many fine and medium masses, and few fine and medium concretions of calcium carbonate; 38 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (The combined thickness of the Btk horizons is 6 to 15 inches)
R--10 inches; San Andreas limestone.
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; Upper Nutria Quadrangle; about 2 miles northeast of the village of Upper Nutria; about 700 feet north and 2,300 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 5, T. 12 N., R. 16 W.; 108 degrees 32 minutes 52 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 17 minutes 32 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The SMCS is usually moist, in all parts, for less than 90 cumulative days from April through October. It is usually dry, in some part, for more than 120 cumulative days during the same period. It is continuously moist in some part November through April, but not moist in all parts for 45 consecutive days from January through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 48 to 51 degrees F
Particle size control section: 10 to 25 percent clay
Depth to lithic contact: 8 to 20 inches to dolomitic limestone
Depth to calcic horizon: 2 to 14 inches
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
A horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 dry, or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Rock fragments: 25 to 60 percent total; (fragments are limestone and sandstone)
15 to 50 percent gravel,
0 to 20 percent cobbles
0 to 1 percent stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Btk horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Textures: loam or clay loam
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent total (fragments are limestone and sandstone)
15 to 25 percent gravel
20 to 50 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 38 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Longburn (CO), Nees (CO), Obeknob (NM), and Timpoweap (UT) series. The Longburn soils have 10YR hues and formed in Cliffhouse sandstone on Mesa Verde. Nees soils have 10YR hues and formed in diorite and similar igneous rocks on Sleeping Ute Mountain. Obeknob soils have 10YR hues and formed in monzonite. Timpoweap soils formed in limestone of the Moenkopie Formation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Chunkmonk soils formed in eolian material and slope alluvium derived from sandstone and Permian dolomitic limestone on dipslopes and summits of cuestas and mesas. Slopes are 2 to 10 percent. Elevations range from 7,000 to 7,700 feet. The mean annual temperature is 46 to 49 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 13 to 16 inches. The frost free period is 100 to 135 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Losegate, Owlrock, and Tuces soils. Losegate and Tuces are moderately deep, fine textured soils on cuesta dipslopes and escarpments. The shallow, frigid Owlrock soils are on dipslopes of cuestas.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to high runoff, and moderate to moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for wood products and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is a pinyon and juniper woodland with an understory of blue grama and muttongrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central, New Mexico; MLRA 35, 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 0 to 1 inch. (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 1 to 10 inches. (Btk1, Btk2, and Btk3 horizons)
Calcic horizon: The zone from 4 to 10 inches. (Btk2 and Btk3 horizons)
Lithic contact: 10 inches-- San Andreas limestone (R horizon
Calcium carbonate equivalent was determined by the field gas volumetric method.
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.