LOCATION VALNOR NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Valnor fine sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and common very fine roots; few fine vesicular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (2 to 7 inches thick)
BA--6 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few thin clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (7.0); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bt2--21 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse angular blocky; very hard, very firm, sticky and very plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; common thin clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Bt3--27 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse angular blocky; very hard, very firm, sticky and very plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common thin clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
C--31 to 36 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 11 inches thick)
2Cr--36 inches; soft carbonaceous shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Catron County, New Mexico; about 18 miles northeast of Pie Town in Cebolla Canyon and just west of Cebolla Creek in the southeast 1/4, northeast 1/4, sec. 28, T. 4 N., R. 10 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. Typic ustic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 42 to 47 degrees F.
Depth to paralithic contact: 20 to 40 inches
Rock fragments: less than 15 percent on a weighted average
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
BA horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam or sandy clay loam
Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay, or clay
Percent clay: 35 to 45 on a weighted average
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
C horizon
Hue: 2.5Y to 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Reaction: neutral through moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Crow, Dargol, Heckly, Rittel and Zuni series. Crow soils are very deep. Dargol soils have Oi and E horizons. Rittel soils have hues of 2.5Y. Heckly soils are redder than 7.5YR. In addition, the Crow and Rittel soils are in LRR-E and are moist in May and June. Zuni soils are redder than 7.5YR and formed in granite.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Valnor soils are on hills, ridges, plateaus, and mesas underlain by interbedded sandstone and shale. Slopes range from 2 to 25 percent. Elevation ranges from 7,100 to 8,200 feet. Mean annual precipitation is 15 to 20 inches, and mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The average frost-free period is about 90 to 115 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Midnight, Mion, and Vessilla soils. Midnight soils are shallow to a paralithic contact. Mion and Vessilla soils have mesic temperature regimes and are shallow to a lithic or paralithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very high runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Valnor soils are used for grazing and wood production. Present vegetation is blue grama, western wheatgrass, pinyon, Rocky Mountain juniper, and ponderosa pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central New Mexico. MLRA 35 & 39, LRR-D. This series is of moderate extent.
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:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 12 inches
Argillic horizon: 12 to 31 inches
Paralithic contact: at 36 inches
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy Tenth Edition, 2006.