LOCATION ARCHMESA CO+NMEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Archmesa loam, on a southeast facing, planar, 10 percent slope in ponderosa pine woodland at an elevation of 8500 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on October 6, 1999, the soil was moist from 0 to 35 inches.
A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
A2--3 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky parting to moderate medium granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 2 percent angular gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common distinct clay films on ped faces; many fine, few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent angular gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. ( 4 to 15 inches thick)
Bt2--21 to 35 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few distinct clay films on ped faces; few fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent flags and 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
R--35 inches; andesite bedrock, weathered in the top 2 inches.
TYPE LOCATION: Archuleta County, Colorado, about 8 miles west of Edith, located 100 feet north and 2900 feet west of the southeast corner of Section 18, T. 32 N., R. 1 W. Edith USGS Quad; lat. 37 degrees 00 minutes 17 seconds N. and long. 106 degrees 59 minutes 36 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is affected by precipitation that is evenly distributed throughout the year with the exception of a significant peak during July and August, and a significant decrease from April through June. June is the driest month. (Ustic moisture regime.)
Mean annual soil temperature: 40 to 45 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 59 to 62 degrees F
Depth to lithic contact: 20 to 40 inches to
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 7 to 16 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Sand content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
Content: 0 to 10 percent
Size: flagstone
Kind: angular andesite
Content: 0 to 10 percent
Size: gravel
Kind: angular andesite
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 12 to 22 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
COMPETING SERIES: Current competitors are the Absarook, Bielenberg, Burtoner, Clancy, Clasoil, Dooley, Empedrado, Fairfield, Farnuf, Felor, Greenway, Gurney, Hangdo, Jeffcity, Kokoruda, Livona, Martinsdale, Maudlin, Meagher, Moen, Moento, Pianohill, Placerton, Reeder, Reedwest, Snakejohn, Tragmon, Trazuni, Ulrant, Vida, Watne, Watrous, Williams, and Yegen series.
Absarook and Watne soils have a calcic horizon.
Bielenberg, Dooley, Empedrado, Fairfield, Farnuf, Felor, Greenway, Gurney, Hangdo, Hyalite, Kokoruda, Livona, Martinsdale, Meagher, Tragmon, Trazuni, Ulrant, Vida, Williams, and Yegen soils do not have bedrock above a depth of 40 inches.
Burtoner, Clancy, Clasoil, Hoppers, Jeffcity, Reeder, Reedwest soils have a paralithic contact.
Placerton and Snakejohn soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 40 to 60 inches.
Maudlin soils have rock fragments of sandstone.
Moen soils have rock fragments of granite.
Moento soils have rock fragments of sandstone.
Pianohill soils have rock fragments of mudflow breccia and have early summer moisture peaks.
Watrous soils have horizons of secondary carbonates.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium and residuum derived from andesite
Landform: mesas
Slopes: 1 to 20 percent
Elevation: 8,200 to 8,600 feet
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 16 to 20 inches
Precipitation pattern: Precipitation falls mostly during the months of November through March and July through October. June is the driest month. Total snowfall averages about 4 to 5 feet with snowmelt lasting into April.
Frost-free period: 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Skyute series. Skyute soils are shallow and are on ridges and breaks.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff, moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The major uses are commercial woodlands and wildlife habitat. The native plant community is ponderosa pine, Gambel's oak, snowberry, nodding brome, Arizona fescue, and mountain muhly. Quaking aspen occurs at higher elevations and in drainageways.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico; LRR E, MLRA 48A ; minor extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Lakewood, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jicarilla Apache Area, New Mexico, 2000. The series was proposed in the Archuleta County Area, Colorado. The name is coined from Archuleta Mesa where the type description is located.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 30 inches. (Bt1, and upper part of Bt2 horizons)
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 10 inches. (A1, A2 horizons)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 10 to 35 inches. (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Lithic contact: The contact with andesite at 35 inches. (R layer)
Remarks: The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Taxonomic Version: Eighth Edition, 1998