LOCATION POPOTOSA                NM+TX

Established Series
Rev. DPK/WRJ/RJA/WWJ
07/2012

POPOTOSA SERIES

The Popotosa series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in mixed alluvium. Permeability is moderately slow. Popotosa soils are on nearly level floodplains. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 9 inches, and the average annual temperature is about 6l degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Typic Torrifluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Popotosa clay loam--pastureland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 11 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots and few fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)

C1--11 to 17 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)

C2--17 to 29 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loam, brown (7.5 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 14 inches)

2C3--29 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.

TYPE LOCATION: Socorro County, New Mexico, about 1 mile west of Las Nutrias; T. 3 N., R. l E. (projected) l780 feet east and l530 feet north of the southwest corner of section 25.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture - Intermittently moist in the soil moisture control section during July-August and December-January. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.

Depth to contrasting layer (2C): 20 to 34 inches

Some pedons have thin strata of contrasting material in the upper and lower portions of the l0 to 40 inch control section.

A, Ap, and C horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, l0YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, loam
Clay content: l8 to 35 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline

2C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, l0YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: sand, coarse sand, loamy fine sand, fine sand
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Popotosa soils are on floodplains. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,400 to 3,000 feet. The average annual precipitation is 8 to 11 inches. The average annual air temperature is 58 to 67 degrees F. The average frost-free period is 180 to 240 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Armijo, Belen, Gila, and Saneli soils. Armijo soils have more than 35 percent clay in the control section. Belen soils are clayey over loamy. Gila soils are coarse-loamy. Saneli soils are clayey over sandy or sandy skeletal.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Popotosa soils are used for rangeland and where irrigated for cultivated crops and pastures. Native vegetation includes alkali sacaton, giant sacaton, vine mesquite, tobosa, and inland saltgrass. Alfalfa and corn are common irrigated crops.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Popotosa soils are of small extent in central New Mexico and west Texas. This soil occurs in LRR-D, MLRA 42.

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:

Fluvent feature: An irregular decrease in organic carbon.

Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010

Revised for the correlation of Hudspeth County, Texas (Main Part) and Culberson County, Texas (Main Part); July, 2012, NMS

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.