LOCATION TELESCOPE NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Haplocalcidic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Telescope loamy fine sand - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bw--3 to 19 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)
Bk1--19 to 45 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent; few fine calcium carbonate accumulations; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (22 to 26 inches thick)
Bk2--45 to 60 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 5/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; 5 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent; few fine calcium carbonate accumulations; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Socorro County, New Mexico; 18 miles west and 7 miles north of Magdalena; 1,350 feet west and 250 feet north of the southeast corner, sec. 13, T. 1 S., R. 8 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section July through September and December through April. The soil is driest during May and June. Aridic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 49 to 55 degrees F.
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Reaction: Neutral or mildly alkaline
Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam or sandy loam (less than 15 percent clay) Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent pebbles
Bk horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loamy fine sand, sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Reaction: mildly to moderately alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent: less than 15 percent
Rock fragments: less than 15 percent on a weighted average
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Telescope soils are on plains and hills with slopes of 0 to 10 percent. The soils formed in alluvium and eolian deposits. The mean annual temperature is about 47 to 54 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation is about 12 to 15 inches. Elevation is 6,300 to 7,500. The frost-free period is 120 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Mespun, Harvey, and Penistaja soils. Mespun soils are sandy. Harvey soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Penistaja soils have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used for livestock grazing. Present vegetation is blue grama and sand dropseed.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: San Augustine Plains in Catron and Socorro Counties, south-central New Mexico. The series is of moderate extent. MLRA 35.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Socorro County, New Mexico, 1982.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 3 inches (A horizon).
Cambic horizon: The zone from about 3 to 19 inches (Bw horizon).