LOCATION LEMITAR NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Lithic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Lemitar very cobbly sandy loam on a south facing convex slopes of l4 percent on a hill--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) very cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; 30 percent cobbles and 20 percent pebbles; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--2 to l0 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very cobbly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; few thin clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent cobbles and 20 percent pebbles; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to l2 inches thick)
Btk--l0 to l2 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very cobbly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few thin clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent cobbles and 25 percent pebbles; slightly effervescent; lime segregated as fine seams and coating the underside of coarse fragments; neutral; abrupt irregular boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
2R--l2 inches; hard consolidated tuff.
TYPE LOCATION: Socorro County, New Mexico; 44 miles southwest of Socorro on old U.S. 85; l575 feet east and l800 feet south of the NW corner, sec. 3l, T. 8 S., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Moist in some part during December and January and intermittently during July, August and September after convective storms. Typic aridic moisture regime.
Depth of soil to bedrock: 8 to l4 inches.
Clay content: 24 to 30 percent
Depth to calcium carbonate: 6 to l2 inches.
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or l0YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Fine earth fraction: loam or sandy loam
Rock fragments: l5 to 30 percent cobbles, 20 to 30 percent pebbles by volume Clay content: l8 to 24 percent
Bt horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or l0YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Fine earth fraction: loam or clay loam
Rock fragments: l5 to 25 percent cobbles, and 20 to 30 percent pebbles by volume
Clay content: 24 to 30 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Artillery (CA), Bosa (AZ), Newera (NV), Pasopeak (CA) and Zibate (NV) series. Artillery, Newera, Pasopeak, and Zibate soils are in the Mohave Desert (MLRA 30) and receive most of the precipitation in the winter they are moist for less than 20 days in the summer. Bosa soils are slightly to moderately alkaline.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lemitar soils are on summits and shoulder slopes of hill, cuestas and hogbacks and have slopes ranging from 5 to 20 percent. They formed in alluvium from tuff or granite. Elevations range from 5000 to 7250 feet. Average annual precipitation ranges from 8 to l0 inches; average annual temperature ranges from 59 to 64 degrees F., and the average frost-free period is l80 to 2l0 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Caliza, Laborcity, Nickel, Nolam, Pilabo and Puertecito soils. Caliza soils are skeletal. Laborcita soils have a calcic horizon. Nickel soils have a skeletal control section. Nolam soils have an argillic horizon. Pilabo soils have a mollic epipedon. Puertecito soils have a mesic temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The major use of this soil is for livestock grazing. Native vegetation is black grama, sideoats grama, galleta, creosotebush and Mormon-tea.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southcentral, New Mexico. Lemitar soils are of small extent. MLRA 42.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Socorro County, New Mexico, l984.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: the zone from 0 to 2 inches. (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: the zone from 2 to l2 inches. (Bt and Btk horizons)
Lithic contact: Hard bedrock at l2 inches.
Mean annual precipitation of 8 to 10 inches is consistent with Typic aridic moisture regime. Reclassified from an Ustic to a Typic subgroup in 2006.