LOCATION VICTORIO TX

Established Series
ALS
04/2011

VICTORIO SERIES

The Victorio series consists of very shallow and shallow, well drained soils that formed in clayey residuum and colluvium weathered from Permian Limestone and Dolomite bedrock. Slopes range from 25 to 95 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 584 mm (23 in) and the mean annual temperature is about 12 degrees C (54 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Victorio gravelly loam, on a southeast facing 30 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 2,362 m (7,749 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

Oi--0 to 7 cm (0 to 3 in); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly slightly decomposed plant material, black (10YR 2/1), moist; loose, loose; 20 percent subrounded indurated 10 to 75 mm limestone fragments; abrupt smooth boundary. (Thickness of the Oi horizon is 0 to 9 cm [0 to 4 in])

A--7 to 17 cm (3 to 7 in); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) gravelly loam, black (10YR 2/1), moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 30 percent subrounded indurated 10 to 75 mm limestone fragments; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of the A horizon is 4 to 39 cm [2 to 15in])

Bt1--17 to 30 cm (7 to 12 in); brown (7.5YR 4/2) very stony clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2), moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; 30 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 55 percent subrounded indurated 251 to 600 mm limestone fragments; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--30 to 47 cm (12 to 19 in); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) very stony clay, brown (7.5YR 5/4), moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; 35 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 55 percent subrounded indurated 251 to 600 mm limestone fragments; neutral; very abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 10 to 38 cm [4 to 15 in])

R--47 to 72 cm (19 to 29 in); indurated limestone bedrock

TYPE LOCATION: Culberson County, Texas; from the trailhead in Pine Springs campground in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 3.8 miles on the Tejas trail into the high country; site is 0.2 mile east of the trail. (Guadalupe Peak, TX USGS topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 31 degrees, 55 minutes, 09 seconds N; Longitude: 104 degrees, 50 minutes, 25 seconds W; UTM Easting 509798 m, UTM Northing 3538481 m, UTM Zone 13, NAD83.)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths given are measured from the mineral soil surface)
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 18 to 38 cm (7 to 15 in)
Depth to top of argillic: 8 to 18 cm (3 to 7 in)
Depth to limestone bedrock: 18 to 49 cm (7 to 19 in)

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 36 to 49 percent
Rock fragment content: 40 to 80 percent; 5 to 55 percent gravel; 10 to 70 percent cobbles; 0 to 65 percent stones

Oi horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3 dry and moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry and moist
Texture: slightly decomposed plant material

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry, 1 to 3 moist.
Texture of the fine-earth fraction: loam, clay loam, or clay
Clay content: 22 to 43 percent
Coarse fragments: 10 to 65 percent total; 5 to 40 percent gravels; 10 to 50 percent cobbles; 0 to 40 percent stones
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry and moist.
Texture of the fine-earth fraction: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 34 to 54 percent
Coarse fragments: 40 to 80 percent total; 10 to 60 percent gravels; 10 to 50 percent cobbles; 0 to 50 percent stones
Reaction: neutral

R layer:
Fractures: greater that 10cm (4 in) apart
Bedrock kind: indurated limestone and dolomite

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils include Comfort (TX), Dedal (AZ), Ernem (MT), Posant (CO), Raton (NM), Roughcreek (TX) and Sinnigam (MT).
Comfort and Roughcreek soils: have a mean annual soil temperature of 15 degrees C (59 degrees F) or more.
Dedal soils: are derived from igneous parent material.
Ernem, Posant, Raton and Sinnigam soils: have a mean annual soil temperature of 8 degrees C (46 degrees F) or less.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent Material: colluvium and residuum weathered from Permian age limestone and dolomite
Landscape: Mountains
Landform: Mountainsides and Ridges
Slope: 10 to 90 percent
Soil moisture: Typic Ustic soil moisture regime
Mean annual soil temperature: 9.0 to 15.0 degrees C (48 to 59 degrees F)
Mean annual air temperature: 8.0 to 14.0 degrees C (46 to 57 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 508 to 660 mm (20 to 26 inches)
Precipitation pattern: Most precipitation occurs as high intensity rain during afternoon convective thunderstorms from June to September.
Frost-free period: 135 to 250 days
Elevation: 1584 to 2667 m (5196 to 8749 ft.)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Desario (NM) soils and the tentative Bidayu (TX) and Lozen (TX) series.
Bidayu soils: have less than 35 percent clay in the control section and occur on hills at a lower elevation.
Desario soils: have a calcic horizon and occur on hills at a lower elevation.
Lozen soils: have less than 35 percent clay in the control section and occur on similar positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; Runoff is high on 10 to 20 percent slopes; and very high on slopes over 20 percent; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation is Douglas fir, southwestern white pine, ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, knowlton hophornbeam, Utah serviceberry, New Mexico muhly, Arizona fescue, and nodding brome.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: LRR G; Western Great Plains Range and Irrigated Region; MLRA 70C-Central New Mexico Highlands. The soil is not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Culberson County, Texas; 2010. The name is from the Spanish name for the Apache war chief, Biduya, who inhabited this area.

REMARKS:

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Fibric soil material: 0 to 7 cm (0 to 3 in) (Oi horizon)
Mollic epipedon: 7 to 30 cm (3 to 12 in) (A1 and A2 horizons)
Argillic horizon: 17 to 47 cm (7 to 19 in) (Bt horizon)
Lithic contact: 47 cm (19 in) (top of R layer)

ADDITIONAL DATA: None

TAXONOMIC VERSION: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.