LOCATION PAYAN                   CO+NM

Established Series
Rev. JPP/GB/TWH/KLS
04/2018

PAYAN SERIES

The Payan series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in slope alluvium or colluvium weathered from multi-colored, non-calcareous shale and sandstone. Payan soils are on hillslopes, ridges, and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 65 percent. The mean annual air temperature is about 8.9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, superactive, mesic, shallow Aridic Haplustepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Payan cobbly sandy clay loam, on a southwest facing, complex, 30 percent slope in pinyon-juniper woodland at an elevation of 1,859 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on May 6, 1987 the soil was moist from 0 to 46 cm.

A--0 to 13 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) cobbly sandy clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; 5 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 18 cm thick)

Bw--13 to 30 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist and crushed; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 41 cm thick)

C--30 to 46 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist and crushed; massive; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent paragravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)

Cr--46 to 71 cm; gray shale, weathered in upper part.

TYPE LOCATION: Archuleta County, Colorado; about 3 km east of Arboles, Colorado, located about 91 meters south and 61 meters east of the northwest corner of Sec. 15, T. 32, R. 5 W.; Allison USGS quad.; Lat. 37 degrees, 01 minute, 29 seconds; Long. 107 degrees, 23 minutes, 08 seconds.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 8.3 to 11.1 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 15.0 to 20.0 degrees C.
Depth to paralithic contact: 25 to 51 cm

Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4, dry or moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: sandy clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction (pH): 6.6 to 7.8

Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR to 5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: clay, clay loam, sandy clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction (pH): 6.6 to 7.8

C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR to 5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: clay, clay loam, sandy clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent
Paragravel content: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction (pH): 6.6 to 7.8

Cr horizon: unconsolidated non-calcareous shale bedrock

COMPETING SERIES: None listed.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hillslopes, ridges, and mountain slopes
Elevation - 1,830 to 2,290 meters
Slopes - 3 to 65 percent
Parent material - slope alluvium or colluvium derived from multi-colored, non-calcareous shale and sandstone
Mean annual air temperature - 7.2 to 10.0 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation - 330 to 410 mm
Precipitation pattern - wettest months are July and August, while May and June are driest and receive the least amount of precipitation
Frost-free period - 100 to 130 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; high runoff; slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists of twoneedle pinyon, Utah juniper, big sagebrush, mountain mahogany, antelope bitterbrush, Gambels oak, serviceberry, Indian ricegrass, western wheatgrass, Junegrass, and muttongrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado and northern New Mexico. LRR D; MLRA 36; moderate extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Archuleta County, (Archuleta County Area), Colorado, 1989.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Cambic horizon: 13 to 30 cm (Bw horizon)
Paralithic contact: 46 cm to unconsolidated shale bedrock

Payan soils have a mesic temperature regime and are in an ustic soil moisture regime bordering on aridic.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.