LOCATION NORTEZ CO

Established Series
Rev. ABP/DKR/TWH
01/2023

NORTEZ SERIES

The Nortez series consists of moderately deep to sandstone, well drained soils that formed in eolian deposits derived from sandstone. Nortez soils are on mesas, ridges, and hills. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Typic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Nortez loam on a 6 percent northwest slope in Gambel's oak, sage and grass. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 2 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak thick platy structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

A2--2 to 6 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 15 inches thick)

BA--6 to 10 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bt1--10 to 13 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common faint clay films on the faces of peds; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (2 to 20 inches thick)

Bt2--13 to 31 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) clay, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many distinct clay films on the faces of peds; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)

2R--31 inches; hard Dakota sandstone.

TYPE LOCATION: Dolores County, Colorado; located about 8 miles north of the community of Dove Creek; about 800 feet west and 45 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 29, T. 42 N., R. 18 W.; Joe Davis Hill, Colorado USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 52 minutes 50 seconds N. and long. 108 degrees 51 minutes 46 seconds W., NAD27

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: ustic
Mean annual soil temperature: 42 to 47 degrees F
Depth to lithic contact: 20 to 40 inches to sandstone
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 7 to 16 inches

Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent

A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent sandstone channers, flagstones and stones
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6 dry or moist
Texture: clay or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent sandstone channers, and flagstones, mainly above the bedrock contact.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

C horizon when present:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent sandstone channers and flagstones mainly above the bedrock contact.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Absarokee, Acree, Brolliar, Delson, Herm, Morapos, Peninsula, Pramiss, Reget, Ricot, Tamaneen, Tomasaki, Tukuhnik, and Work soils.

Absarokee soils have a calcic horizon.

Acree, Delson, Herm, Morapos, Peninsula, Ricot, Tamaneen, Tomasaki, Tukuhnik, and Work soils do not have a lithic or paralithic contact with bedrock above a depth of 40 inches.

Brollier soils are derived from basalt and have basalt rock fragments.

Reget and Pramiss soils have paralithic contacts with shale at a depth of 20 to 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: eolian deposits over hard sandstone
Landform: mesas, ridges, and hills
Slopes: 0 to 25 percent
Elevation: 7,000 to 9,000 feet
Mean annual temperature: 40 to 47 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 15 to 20 inches
Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with July and August being slightly wetter and June being slightly dryer.
Frost-free period: 70 to 100 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Granath, Pramiss, Ormiston, and Fivepine series. Granath soils do not have bedrock above 60 inches. Ormiston soils do not have bedrock above a depth of 40 inches and are skeletal. Fivepine soils have a lithic contact above a depth of 20 inches. All of these are on similar landforms.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, medium to very high runoff, slow permeability

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing, wildlife habitat, and woodland. Native vegetation at the type location is Gambel's oak, sagebrush, wild crab apple, and western wheatgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Colorado. LRR E, MLRA 48A. This series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Dolores County, San Miguel Area, Colorado. 1987.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 10 inches. (A1, A2, and BA)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 10 to 31 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2)
Lithic contact feature: The contact with hard sandstone at 31 inches. (2R)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 30 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2)

Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Series classified according to Eighth Edition, 1998.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab sampled NSSL S83CO-033-003

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.