LOCATION RALPHSTON NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Torriorthentic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Ralphston loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine, very fine and few medium roots; common fine interstitial pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--2 to 7 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common medium, few very fine and coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bw2--7 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine, very fine and coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
C1--13 to 20 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine, very fine, and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C2--20 to 25 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine, very fine, and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
2C3--25 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, nonsticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Catron County, New Mexico; northwest 1/4, southwest 1/4, southwest 1/4, sec. 3, T. 1 N., R. 17 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section July through September and December through April. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 49 to 56 degrees F.
Depth to stratified ash deposits: 20 to 30 inches
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent cinders
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent clay, more than 35 percent fine sand or coarser
A horizon
Value - 3 or 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam or loam
B horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam or sandy clay loam
C horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam or clay loam
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Connerton (WY), Nucla (CO), and Tarryall (CO) series. The Connerton soils have hue of 5YR or redder. Tarryall soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic or paralithic contact. Nucla soils have less than 35 percent fine sand or coarser.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Ralphston soils are on hills and ridges. Slopes range from 1 to 9 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from volcanic ash and other volcanic materials. The average annual precipitation is about 12 to 15 inches; the average annual temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F. The average frost-free season is 115 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Amenson, Albinas, and Flugle. Amenson soils have a petrocalcic horizon. Albinas soils have a thick mollic epipedon. Flugle soils have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium. Moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Ralphston soils are primarily used for grazing. Present vegetation is pinyon, juniper, blue grama, bottlebrush squirreltail, and rabbitbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Ralphston soils are moderately extensive in west-central New Mexico. MLRA 35.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Catron County, New Mexico, 1982.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 13 inches