LOCATION NUTREEAH NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nutreeah clay loam--in idle cropland on a linear surface of 1 percent slope at an elevation of 6,755 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
Ap1--0 to 5 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; strong medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 7 inches thick)
Ap2--5 to 10 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; common prominent clay films on faces of peds; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 16 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular and common medium tubular pores; common prominent clay films on faces of peds; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 21 inches thick)
Bt2--16 to 24 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; common prominent clay films on faces of peds; slightly effervescent; few fine irregular soft filaments of calcium carbonate; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 21 inches thick)
Btz--24 to 40 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) clay, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; common fine clusters of salt crystals; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 43 inches thick)
C--40 to 65 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/6) and few fine faint gray mottles; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; few small slickensides and few pressure faces; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6). (17 to 20 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, Zuni Indian Reservation, New Mexico; Upper Nutria Quadrangle; about .3 miles south-southwest of Lower Nutria village; 108 degrees 35 minutes 30 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 15 minutes 8 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The SMCS is usually moist, in all parts, for less than 90 cumulative days from April through October. It is usually dry, in some part, for more than 120 cumulative days during the same period. It is continuously moist in some part November through April, but not moist in all parts for 45 consecutive days from January through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 48 to 53 degrees F
Particle-size control section: 35 to 55 percent clay
Depth to salt crystals: 20 to 35 inches
Water table: Seasonal high intermittent below 40 inches during March through June
A horizon:
Value: 3 to 5 dry
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Bt horizons:
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: clay loam or clay
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Salinity: The upper part is non-saline. The lower part is very slightly saline (EC of 2 to 4).
Sodicity: SAR of 0 to 5
C horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: clay loam or clay
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Salinity: EC of 2 to 8 mmhos/cm
Sodicity: SAR of 0 to 5
COMPETING SERIES: Current competitors are the Conchovar (NM), Irwin (KS), Knifehill (NM), Lubbock (KS), Millpaw (NM), Ruidoso (NM), and Tully (KS) series. Irwin, Knifehill, Lubbock, Millpaw and Tully soils have hues yellower than 5YR. Conchovar soils have a water table. Ruidoso soils have surface colors yellower than 5YR, lack salt accumulations and have temperatures above 54 degrees F. Irwin, Lubbock, and Tully soils are in LRR-H and are moist in May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Nutreeah soils formed in alluvium and stream alluvium derived from sandstone and shale on valley floors. A seasonal high water table is present below 40 inches from April to July. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 6,600 to 7,000 feet. The mean annual temperature is 46 to 51 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 13 to 16 inches. The frost free period is 100 to 135 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Concho, Sparham and Venzuni soils on valley floors and flood plains; and the Hosta and the Silcat soils on valley sides and fan terraces. The Concho soils have hues yellower than 5YR. The Silcat, Sparham and Venzuni soils lack argillic horizons. Hosta soils lack a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, medium runoff, and very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cropland and pasture.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central New Mexico. MLRA 35, LRR-D. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McKinley County Area, New Mexico; McKinley County and Parts of Cibola and San Juan Counties, 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface to depth of 40 inches.
Pachic feature - The mollic epipedon is greater than 20 inches thick.
Argillic horizon - The zone from 10 to 40 inches. (Bt1, Bt2 and Btz horizons)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999.