LOCATION TULARGO NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, gypsic, mesic Ustic Haplogypsids
TYPICAL PEDON: Tulargo loam--rangeland. (Colors are for
dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark
yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine granular
structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and
nonplastic; many very fine roots; 5 percent pebbles;
strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear
smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
A2--6 to 15 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam,
dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium
subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable,
slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots;
5 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent; moderately
alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 11 inches
thick)
Bw--15 to 21 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loam, brown
(7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure;
slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly
plastic; common fine roots; 10 percent pebbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); abrupt smooth
boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
Bky--21 to 40 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) clay loam, light
brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky
structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and
slightly plastic; common fine roots; many medium irregular
masses and threads of gypsum and calcium carbonate; 10
percent pebbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline
(pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 25 inches thick)
By--40 to 48 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) loam, brown (7.5YR
5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky
and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many fine crystals of
gypsum; 10 percent pebbles; violently effervescent;
moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 30
inches thick)
C--48 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly
loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard,
friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 30 percent
pebbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH
8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, New Mexico; about 6 miles
south of Carrizozo; 500 feet east, 2,300 feet north of the
SW corner of Sec. 24, T. 8 S., R. 10 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the
soil moisture control section December through March and
July through September.
Soil Temperature: 52 to 57 degrees F.
A horizon: Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam
B horizon: Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist
Chroma: 2 through 6
Texture: loam, clay loam
Percent gypsum: greater than 40 percent on a weighted
average
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Purgatory series in the same
family. Competing series in other families are
Alamogordo,
Orla,
Reeves, and
Yesum. Purgatory soils have a paralithic
contact between 20 and 40 inches. Alamogordo, Orla, Reeves,
and Yesum soils have a thermic temperature regime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tulargo soils are on alluvial plains at
the base of mountains. Slopes are dominantly 0 to 8
percent. Elevation ranges from 5,000 to 6,500 feet.
Average annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches, but has
ranged to 16 inches in some places. Average annual
temperature is about 50 to 57 degrees F. Average frost-free
period is about 160 to 190 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Andergeorge
and
Gabaldon soils. Andergeorge soils are on gravelly
ridges and are loamy-skeletal. Gabaldon soils have a mollic
epipedon and are in old stream channels.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff;
moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Tulargo soils are used for grazing and
wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly black
grama, cholla, snakeweed, and yucca species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Tulargo soils are of moderate
extent in southcentral New Mexico.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lincoln County, New Mexico, 1981.
REMARKS: DIAGNOSTIC HORIZONS AND FEATURES RECOGNIZED IN
THIS PEDON ARE:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 15 inches
Cambic horizon: 15 to 21 inches
Gypsic horizon: 21 to 48 inches