LOCATION PENAPON NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Penapon very cobbly loam--forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 11 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many worm casts; 20 percent pebbles, 30 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bk1--11 to 21 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many worm casts; 45 percent pebbles and 15 percent cobbles; carbonate deposits on bottoms of rocks; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
Bk2--21 to 48 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many medium, few fine and very fine roots; 50 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; many fine and medium soft masses and nodules of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
Bk3--48 to 65 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) extremely gravelly loam; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, fine and very fine roots; 60 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; many large soft masses and nodules of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bk4--65 to 78 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) extremely gravelly loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 60 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; weakly cemented by calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, New Mexico; in Ruidoso; 200 feet east from end of Dipaolo Drive in SW1/4, SW1/4, sec. 25, T. 11 S., R. 13 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section December through April and July through October. Typic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 47 to 54 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon: 10 to 20 inches thick
Depth to calcic horizon: 10 to 20 inches
A horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Rock fragments: 30 to 60 percent pebbles, cobbles, or stones
Bk horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture: loam or clay loam with 18 to 35 percent clay and less than 35 percent sand, with 35 to 70 percent rock fragments dominated by pebbles and cobbles Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Zaster series. Zaster soils are moderately deep to San Andreas limestone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Penapon soils are on steep mountain slopes. They formed in alluvial - colluvial material derived from limestone. Slopes range from 8 to 75 percent. Elevation ranges from 6,000 to 7,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 18 to 24 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 45 to 52 degrees F. The average frost-free period is about 100 to 140 days. These soils are mainly on north aspect. Precipitation occurs mainly as showers during July through September.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Docdee, Monjeau, Paco, and Tortugas soils. Docdee soils are shallow and are in higher positions in the landscape than Penapon soils. Monjeau soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 40 inches and are in higher positions in the landscape than Penapon soils. Paco soils are in a fine family and are in lower positions in the landscape than Penapon soils. Tortugas soils are shallow and are adjacent to Penapon soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Penapon soils are used for urban development, woodland, and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation includes ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, big bluestem, little bluestem, and mountain muhly.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Penapon soils are of small extent in the southcentral mountains of New Mexico. MLRA 39.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lincoln County, New Mexico, 1981.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 11 inches
Calcic horizon: 11 to 78 inches