LOCATION QUIMERA                 NM+CO

Established Series
Rev. MWR/RJA/TWH/KLS
03/2018

QUIMERA SERIES

The Quimera series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in colluvium from interbedded sandstone and shale. Quimera soils are on hillslopes. Slopes are l5 to 35 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 432 mm. The mean annual temperature is about 6.7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Lithic Ustorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Quimera very channery clay loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 8 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very channery clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine discontinuous pores; 55 percent channers; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 8 cm thick)

Bw--8 to 23 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few medium, fine and very fine roots; common very fine continuous tubular pores; 5 percent channers; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 15 cm thick)

BC--23 to 38 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few medium and fine roots; common very fine continuous tubular pores; 10 percent channers; strongly effervescent with disseminated calcium carbonates; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

C--38 to 43 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; massive; hard, firm, very sticky and moderately plastic; few medium and fine roots; few very fine continuous tubular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated calcium carbonates; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 10 cm thick)

2R--43 cm; hard calcareous sandstone and interbedded shale.

TYPE LOCATION: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico; 2.4 kilometers north of Lumberton on the Edith Road, then 0.8 kilometers east; New Mexico state plane coordinates 660,288 meters north, 93,696 meters east; Lat. 36 degrees, 55 seconds, 36 minutes N. and Long. 106 degrees, 55 minutes, 36 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 6.7 to 8.3 degrees C.

Particle-size control section (weighted averages):
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent channers
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent

Depth to lithic contact: 25 to 51 cm
Depth to base of the Bw horizon: 13 to 23 cm
Calcium carbonate equivalent: Less than l5 percent

A horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent channers
Reaction (pH): 6.6 to 7.8

Bw horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent channers
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 10 percent
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4

BC or C horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 4 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist
Texture: Clay loam or clay
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent channers
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4

COMPETING SERIES: None listed.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hillslopes
Elevation - 2,060 to 2,260 meters
Slopes - l5 to 35 percent
Parent material - colluvium derived from interbedded sandstone and shale
Mean annual air temperature - 6.1 to 7.2 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation - 400 to 460 mm
Frost-free period - 80 to 100 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is big sagebrush, bottlebrush squirreltail, galleta, western wheatgrass and scattered Rocky Mountain juniper.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central New Mexico and southwestern Colorado; LRR D, E; MLRAs 36, 48A; small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, l989.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Cambic horizon: 8 to 23 cm (Bw horizon)
Lithic contact: 43 cm to hard calcareous sandstone and/or shale bedrock (R layer)

This soil is an Entisol because the base of the cambic is above a depth of 25 cm.

Quimera soils have a frigid temperature regime and are in an ustic soil moisture regime with a typic subclass.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.