LOCATION PIRODEL NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Ustic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Pirodel fine sand-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Al--0 to 2 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sand, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)
A2--2 to 9 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sand, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Bkl--9 to l8 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sand, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; 5 percent pebbles; slightly effervescent; calcium carbonate disseminated and segregated as few medium irregular masses; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 2l inches thick)
Bk2--l8 to 29 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sand, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; looose, nonsticky and nonplastic common very fine and few fine and medium roots; strongly effervescent; calcium carbonate disseminated and segregated as common medium irregular masses; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to l8 inches thick)
2Bkb1--29 to 35 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) sandy loam; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; violently effervescent; calcium carbonate disseminated and segregated in fine seams; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 26 inches thick)
2Bkb2--35 to 54 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) gravelly sandy loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 20 percent pebbles; violently effervescent with disseminated calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 2l inches thick)
2Bkb3--54 to 60 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) gravelly loam, pink (7.5YR 7/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 25 percent pebbles; violently effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Socorro County, New Mexico; about l4 miles north of Bingham; of sec. 2, T. 2 S., R. 5 E. l350 feet west and ll75 feet north of the southeast corner of section.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Particle-size control section: weighted texture is sandy
Depth to buried soil: 25 to 40 inches
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or l0YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sand or loamy fine sand Rock fragments: 0 to l0 percent pebbles
Bk horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or l0YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Rock fragments: 0 to l0 percent pebbles
Texture: fine sand, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand
Percent calcium carbonate: 5 to l0
Buried soil:
Hue: 7.5YR or l0YR
Value: 4 to 8 dry, 3 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Rock fragments: l0 to 30 percent pebbles
Texture: gravelly sandy loam, gravelly loam, gravelly sandy clay loam, sandy loam, loamy sand
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Earlweed (T UT) series. Similar soils are the Cascajo series. Earlweed soils do not have buried B horizons and have subsoil textures that are coarser. The Cascajo soil is sandy-skeletal.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pirodel soils are on hills and fan terraces. Slope ranges from l to l5 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from l0 to l3 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 53 to 57 degrees F. The average frost-free period ranges from l50 to l80 days. Elevation ranges from 5300 to 6700 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clovis, Harvey, Pinavetes and Pinon soils. Clovis soils have an argillic horizon. Harvey is fine-loamy. Pinavetes do not have a calcic horizon. Pinon is shallow to limestone.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderately rapid. Runoff is very low on 1 to 5 percent slopes and low on slopes greater than 5 percent.
USE AND VEGETATION: Pirodel soils are used for livestock grazing. Native vegetation includes juniper, bluestem, black grama, sand dropseed and sand sage.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Pirodel soils are of moderate extent in eastcentral New Mexico.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Socorro County, New Mexico, l984.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 9 inches. (A horizons). When the color and organic carbon content meet the requirements of a mollic epipedon, the moisture requirement is not met.
Calcic horizon: 29 to 60 inches. (Bkb, horizons)
Buried horizon feature: buried horizon at about 29 inches.