LOCATION LOSMARIOS NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, mesic Ustic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Losmarios extremely cobbly sandy clay loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 6 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine discontinuous irregular pores, 40 percent cobbles and 30 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 6 inches thick)
2Bw--6 to l8 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine discontinuous irregular pores; l0 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)
2Bk--l8 to 29 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine continuous tubular pores; strongly effervescent; few fine calcium carbonate accumulations; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (11 to 20 inches thick)
2C--29 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine discontinuous irregular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico; approximately 1 mile south and 1.8 miles east of the north end Rio Chama, Piedra Lumbre Grant boundary, state plane coordinates 1,924,000 feet north and 417,200 feet east; 106 degrees, 31 minutes, 46 seconds west longitude; 36 degrees, 17 minutes, 16 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some parts of the SMCS November through March and July through September. The driest months are May and June.
Soil Temperature: 50 to 53 degrees F.
Control section - Percent clay: 45 to 60 percent.
A horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Rock fragments: 65 to 85 percent.
B horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: clay or silty clay.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent.
C horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Camino and Litle series. The Camino soils contain 35 to 45 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have yellower hues. The Litle soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a paralithic contact. In addition, Litle soils in the Western Great Plains LRR-G (MLRAs 70/77) and are more moist in May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Losmarios soils are on terrace risers. These soils formed in alluvium derived from shale and sandstone. Slopes range from l0 to 35 percent. Elevations are 6,100 to 6,800 feet. Precipitation averages l0 to 12 inches per year. The mean annual air temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F., and the frost-free period is l20 to l40 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Penistaja, Scholle and Silver soils. These soils have argillic horizon and are on terrace treads.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Losmarios soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is blue grama, galleta, cholla, scattered juniper and pinyon.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern New Mexico. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, l989.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 6 inches (A horizon).
Cambic horizon - the zone from about 6 to l8 inches (Bw horizon).
A discontinuity occurs between the surface layer and the subsoil.
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.