LOCATION ELIAS NM+UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Natrargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Elias fine sandy loam--rangeland (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
E--0 to 1 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine pores; 5 percent siderite pebbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
Btn1--1 to 3 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate fine prismatic structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and non-plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); abrupt smooth boundary.
Btn2--3 to 10 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and non-plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 5 percent siderite pebbles; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 3 to 18 inches thick)
Bkn1--10 to 18 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine pores; slightly effervescent; few fine irregular masses of calcium carbonate; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bkn2--18 to 33 inches; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) sandy clay loam, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; slightly effervescent; few fine irregular masses of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (11 to 19 inches thick)
Bkn3--33 to 65 inches; pale olive (5Y 6/4) clay loam, olive (5Y 5/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8). (28 to 35 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; Pueblo Alto Trading Post Quadrangle; about 3.5 miles east of Pueblo Alto Trading Post; 107 degrees 30 minutes 43 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 57 minutes 24 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The SMCS is usually dry, in all parts, 105 to 160 cumulative days from April through October. It is usually moist, in some part, 50 to 105 cumulative days during the same period. It is intermittently moist in some part November through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Ustic aridic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 48 to 55 degrees F
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent clay
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 5 to 15 inches.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 14 percent
E horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Texture: sandy clay loam or loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent siderite pebbles
Reaction: moderately to strongly alkaline
Salinity: non-saline
Sodicity: SAR 5 to 10
Btn horizon
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam, or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent siderite pebbles
Reaction: strongly to very strongly alkaline
Salinity: non-saline to slightly saline
Sodicity: SAR 13 to 40
Calcium carbonate equivalent: less than 10 percent
Bkn horizon
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loamy sand, loamy fine sand, very fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent siderite pebbles
Reaction: moderately to very strongly alkaline
Salinity: very slightly to slightly saline
Sodicity: SAR 13 to 30
Calcium carbonate equivalent: less than 15 percent
Some pedons have C horizons below the Bkn horizon
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Bunkwater (CO) and Firstview (CO) series. Bunkwater soils have hues redder than 10YR in the Bt horizon. Firstview soils are in LRR-G, have higher annual average precipitation and are more moist in May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Elias soils formed in alluvium and fan alluvium derived from shale and sandstone and are on knolls and fan terraces and fan remnants on valley sides. Slopes are 1 to 6 percent. Elevations range from 6300 to 6,800 feet. The mean annual temperature is 46 to 53 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 9 to 13 inches. The frost free period is 100 to 145 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Betonnie, Blancot, Councelor, Doakum, Starlake, and Tsosie soils on fan and stream terraces; the Eslendo soil on ridges; and the Mespun soils on dunes. All these soils, except for Starlake, lack a natric horizon. Starlake soils are fine textured.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff, and slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for livestock grazing. The present vegetation is alkali sacaton, galleta, black greasewood, mound saltbush, and few scattered big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central and northwest New Mexico; MLRA 35 & 36, LRR-D. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jicarilla Apache Reservation, Parts of Rio Arriba and Sandoval Counties, New Mexico; 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from the surface to a depth of 1 inch. (E horizon)
Natric horizon: The zone from 1 to 10 inches. (Btn1 and Btn2 horizons)
Salinity: Very slightly to slightly
Sodicity: SAR greater than 13 in the natric horizons
Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy Ninth Edition, 2003.