LOCATION TESAJO NM+COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Cumulic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Tesajo very gravelly sandy loam in range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak subangular blocky structure parting to moderate coarse granular; slightly hard, very friable; many fine and medium roots; 60 percent angular gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 30 inches thick)
C--21 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; few coarse roots; 70 percent angular gravel; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Torrance County, New Mexico; southeast 1/4 of sec. 6, T. 7 N., R. 5 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Aridic ustic moisture regime
Soil temperature regime: mesic
Particle-size control section: 10 to 22 percent clay
and 50 to 80 percent sand
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 30 to more than 60 inches
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 20 to more than 60 inches
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 (2 or 3 moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3
Rock fragments: 15 to 60 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 (2 to 4 moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam, loam, or loamy sand
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Cottree (UT) series. Cottree soils have calcium carbonate above 30 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium derived from mixed sources
Landform: alluvial fans, terraces, flood plains, and valley floors
Slopes: 0 to 20 percent
Elevation: 5,000 to 7,100 feet
Mean annual temperature: 46 to 57 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 10 to 16 inches
Frost free period: 100 to 130 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ildefonso, Salas, Santa Fe, Sedillo, Tram, Tres Hermanos, and Vado soils. All these soils lack cumulic horizons. Ildefonso soils have calcic horizons. Salas, Santa Fe, Sedillo, and Tram soils have argillic horizons. Tres Hermanos soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the control section. Vado soils lack mollic epipedons and have annual temperatures warmer than 59 degrees F.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: moderately well to somewhat excessively drained, negligible to low runoff, moderately rapid and rapid permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: Major use is range and some for recreation. Native vegetation is grama grass, snakeweed, yucca, and scattered juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central mountainous areas of New Mexico and southwest Colorado. LRR D, MLRA 36, 38 and 70C. Use in MLRA 70C should be discontinued. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: East Valencia Area, Valencia County, New Mexico. 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Cumulic feature: The zone from 0 to 21 inches. (A)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy Tenth Edition, 2006.