LOCATION NUSMAG                  NM+CO

Established Series
Rev. MWR/TWH/KLS
04/2018

NUSMAG SERIES

The Nusmag series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from shale. Nusmag soils are on stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 432 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 6.1 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, frigid Vertic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Nusmag clay loam-Rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 5 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine discontinuous vesicular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

Bw--5 to 46 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual smooth boundary. (36 to 48 cm thick)

C--46 to 152 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, 14 kilometers west and 6 kilometers south of Chama; Horse Lake USGS quad; New Mexico State Plane coordinates 648,736 meters north and 107,472 meters east; Lat. 36 degrees, 50 minutes, 59 seconds N; Long. 106 degrees, 45 minutes, 06 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 5.5 to 8.3 degrees C.
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 41 to 61 cm with an irregular decrease in organic carbon within the mollic epipedon
Depth to endosaturation: 1 to 2 meters during the months of March through June
Linear extensibility: 6.0 to 8.0 percent (estimated)

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 40 to 55 percent

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3
Gravel content: 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: Less than 15 percent, slightly to strongly effervescent.
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4

B horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3
Gravel content: 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: Less than 15 percent, slightly to strongly effervescent.
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4

C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Gravel content: 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: Less than 15 percent, slightly to strongly effervescent.
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4

COMPETING SERIES:
Arosa (NM) - do not have endosaturation

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces
Elevation - 2,500 to 2,440 meters
Slopes - 0 to 3 percent
Parent material - alluvium derived from shale
Mean annual air temperature - 4.4 to 7.2 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation - 400 to 460 mm
Frost-free period - 80 to 100 days
A seasonal water table (endosaturation) is usually present during the months of March through June.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; low runoff; very slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Nusmag soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is western wheatgrass, Kentucky bluegrass and annual forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North central New Mexico, south central Colorado; LRR D, E; MLRA 36, 48A; moderate extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, 1989.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 46 cm (A and Bw horizons)
Vertic feature is based on estimated linear extensibility

Nusmag soils have a frigid temperature regime and are in an ustic soil moisture regime with a typic subclass.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data NSSL S81NM-039-007

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.