LOCATION TINTERO NMInactive Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Tintero fine sandy loam--in rangeland on a convex east facing slope of 4 percent at an elevation of 6,745 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium, common fine, and many very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bt--4 to 16 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium, fine, and very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; common distinct clay films bridging sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 26 inches thick)
Bk1--16 to 48 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; violently effervescent; calcium carbonate occurs as few fine irregular soft seams; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 37 to 51 inches.)
Bk2--48 to 65 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) loamy fine sand, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6). (The combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 37 to 51 inches.)
TYPE LOCATION: McKinley County, New Mexico; Bluewater Quadrangle; about 3.2 miles southeast of El Tintero; 107 degrees 53 minutes 49 seconds west longitude, 35 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The SMCS is usually dry, in all parts, 105 to 160 cumulative days from April through October. It is usually moist, in some part, 50 to 105 cumulative days during the same period. It is intermittently moist in some part November through April. The period of maximum precipitation is July through October. The soil is driest during May and June. Ustic aridic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 51 to 56 degrees F
Particle-size control section: 10 to 18 percent clay and greater than 50 percent sand
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6 moist
Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Chroma: 4 or 6 moist
Textures: fine sandy loam or sandy loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Bk horizons:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 moist
Textures: fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loamy fine sand
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Salinity: EC of less than 1 mmhos/cm
COMPETING SERIES: Current competitors are the Betonnie (NM), Bijou (CO), Davishat (NM), Terro (WY), Terry (CO) and Vonalee (WY) series. Betonnie soils are slightly cooler and receive more effective winter moisture. Bijou, Terro, Terry, and Vonalee soils typically have yellower hues. Terro and Terry soils have lithic or paralithic contacts at depths of 20 to 40 inches. In addition, Bijou, Terro, Terry, and Vonalee soils are in LRR-G and are more moist in May and June
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Tintero soils formed in eolian material and alluvium, fan alluvium, and slope alluvium derived from sandstone and are on mesas, cuestas and fan terraces. Slopes are 1 to 10 percent. Elevations range from 6,200 to 7,100 feet. The mean annual temperature is 49 to 54 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 10 to 13 inches. The frost free period is 120 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sparank, San Mateo, Venadito and Zia soils on flood plains and alluvial fans; and the Flugle, Fragua, and Penistaja soils on fan terraces. The Sparank and Venadito soils have more than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and lack argillic horizons. The Zia soils lack argillic horizons. The Flugle, Penistaja and San Mateo soils have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. The Fragua soils receive more than 12 inches of average annual precipitation.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, low to medium runoff, and moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This series is used for rangeland and urban development. The present vegetation is fourwing saltbush, sand sagebrush, winterfat, western wheatgrass, blue grama, Indian ricegrass, sand dropseed, and galleta
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central New Mexico. MLRA 35, LRR-D. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McKinley County Area, New Mexico; McKinley County and Parts of Cibola and San Juan Counties, 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 4 inches. (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 4 to 16 inches. (Bt horizon)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy Tenth Edition, 2006.