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<br />SO1L SURVEY
<br />mostly from the weathering of volcvric rorla, mainly
<br />quartz latite and rhynlite. Dfost of this material was
<br />transj)orterl a comparatively short distance. The gyp-
<br />sum occurring in some of these soils n'as derived from
<br />sulfides and sulfates in the volcanic rocks.
<br />Parent material for many of the soils consists of
<br />thick beds of gravelly, cobbh~, and sand)' alluvium that
<br />in places has a thin mantle of medium texhued mate-
<br />rial. LI some places the medium texhn'ed material is
<br />embedded with gravel and cobbles. ]derrick, Dunul,
<br />Garita. Crayhoint. Norte, Quamon, Platoro, and San
<br />Arcacio soils formed in this type of parent material.
<br />This material covers most of the alluvial fans and
<br />terraces and extends onto the valley floor. The material
<br />was deriver) from a Inrge varieh' of volrmic rocks and
<br />deposited mostly during the Pleistocene noel Iiolocene
<br />epochs (G,15).
<br />Cunbarrel and i\fosca soils formed in moderately
<br />coarse textured or coarse textured alluvium on the Rio
<br />Grande f:m and Good plain in the eastern p;u't of the
<br />survey area This parent material weatherer) from vol-
<br />canic rocks and tt'as rlepositerl during the Pleistocene.
<br />Hooper, Arena. and San Luis soils formed in the
<br />fine textured to medium textured alluvium that over-
<br />lies sandy ;Illuvium. This nultcrial, dcpositerl on old
<br />Oood plains during the Pleistocene. ~t'as rlericed from
<br />the weathering of volcanic rocks that contain large
<br />amounts of sodium.
<br />Fulcher and Joda'o soils farmer) in alluvium weath-
<br />ered from nearby marvel. Fulcher sails formed in fine
<br />textured material, and Jodero soils in medium textured
<br />material. This is material tt•cathered mainly from
<br />quartz latite and rhyolite rocks and transl)orted only
<br />a short disL:mce.
<br />Seitz soils fm'merl in fmc textured stony slope-wash
<br />material tt•eathered from vole:uric rack, mainly rhvo-
<br />lite, andesite, and latite. 'T'his material teas moved a
<br />short distance rlownslope by water and gravity.
<br />Celeste, Embargo, Empedrnrlo, Tolnuur, and Travel-
<br />ers soils fm'med in material mostly tt'cathered in place
<br />from Tertiarc volcanic rocks consisting of rhyolite,
<br />andesite, qu:utz latite, and basalt. The vre:Ithercd ma-
<br />terial is medium textured to talc textured :Ind contains
<br />large amounts of stmles. S~nne areas contain large
<br />am OUil is Of Ilnle.
<br />Climate
<br />Climate influences the physical and chemical weath-
<br />ering of parent material :mrl affects the rite of biologi-
<br />cal activity. Soil temperature :Ind mnlsture are Lhe
<br />main factors, but wind velnciLv and humirlitc have a
<br />significant influence. Generally, soil-forming processes
<br />are more active when temperatures mr harm and
<br />moisture is adequate but nr,t excessive. The high water
<br />table in part of the sun'ep area afl'ecls the soil climate
<br />and creates climates that ;u'e not norm:Il far Lhe survey
<br />area.
<br />The climate of the P.io Grande County Area is of ttvo
<br />general types. The cold, dl;v mountain galley has cool
<br />summers and cold «•inters. The lower part oC the valley
<br />is cooler and drier, and the upper part near the foot-
<br />hills is slightly warmer. At ALmte 1'ista, in the lower
<br />part of the valley at an elevation of about 7.650 feet,
<br />the average annual temperature is about -11`' r, the
<br />average summer temperature i
<br />average annual precipitation is
<br />Norte, at the edge of the footh
<br />7,900 feet, the average annual
<br />93°, the average summer tempi
<br />and average annual precipitatiol
<br />The mountainous part of the J
<br />ceives more moisture. The averag
<br />is about 35°, the average summer
<br />40° to 50°, and average annual
<br />15 to 20 inches. Average snowfall
<br />35 inches, and in the mountain
<br />inches.
<br />Water moving doa•mvard the
<br />calcium carbonate and other sot
<br />sm'face horizon and deposits the'
<br />zoo. Clay particles ^re moved f'.
<br />loner horizons. The low amount c
<br />survey area is reflected in the low
<br />differentiation in hlorlte, Norte, ]
<br />soils and by the thin cola in
<br />Stunner', and Platoro soils. Dto:
<br />sand>' are calcareous at or near
<br />indicates that leaching has been s
<br />as Cunbarrel and Norte soils, 1
<br />readily moves, have carbonates
<br />depth.
<br />Soil moisture influences the am
<br />ration and, subsequently, the amo
<br />returned to the soil. ]n areas w
<br />limited, particularly in the vallt
<br />low foothills, vegetation is spar
<br />soils are relatively low in Conte
<br />because year)}• amounts of veget
<br />soil are small. in the mountains
<br />precipitation results in more veR
<br />ganic matter in the soils.
<br />In areas where the tenter table
<br />part of each year, the normal dm
<br />water through the mil is restricte
<br />solution by ground tenter is precil
<br />or on the surface. Horizons that h
<br />tion of salt are not unusual in
<br />In these areas vegetation is Horn
<br />retarded by salt or alkali.
<br />Plant rtnJ animal li fe
<br />Vegetation, micro-org;utisms, e;
<br />plant noel animal life influence soi
<br />of plvlt cover :Ind micro-mganis
<br />controlled mainly b>'sail temherati
<br />physical :Ind chemical ch:n'acter of
<br />In the Rin Grande Count>' .4rca, nr
<br />limiting factor on reel) rlrainerl sr
<br />ous hart of the Area. moisture
<br />limiting factors on phult grmt'th n
<br />Aiost well drainer) lolls in the e:
<br />formed under a cover of shrubs v
<br />tegetation is siru'se and little plan
<br />to Lhe soil. The content of orgn
<br />about 0.5 to 1.5 percent in the ul
<br />soil. In Uoorl>' drained areas, n'
<br />greater, and there is n dense env
<br />and water-tolerant grasses. These
<br />about GI°, and t}te
<br />lout 7 inches. At Del
<br />Is at an elevation of
<br />emperature is about
<br />rature is about G2°,
<br />is about 8.5 inches.
<br />rea is colder and re-
<br />annual temperature
<br />temperature is about
<br />t•ecipitation is about
<br />itt the valley is about
<br />is as much as 100
<br />nigh the soil leaches
<br />able salts out of the
<br />n in the B or C hori-
<br />om the upper to the
<br />f precipitation in this
<br />degree of soil horizon
<br />.anew, and Cunbarrel
<br />Acacio, Villa Grove,
<br />t soils that are not
<br />he surface. This fact
<br />low. Sandy soils, such
<br />hrough which water
<br />leached to a greater
<br />ant and type of vege-
<br />mt of organic matter
<br />sere soil moisture is
<br />proper and in the
<br />e. Consequently, the
<br />t of organic matter
<br />,lion returned to the
<br />and higher foothills.
<br />oration and more or-
<br />s close to the surface
<br />nw'nrd movement of
<br />1 and salts carried in
<br />itated within the soil
<br />ave a high accumula-
<br />soils of such areas.
<br />^lh- abundant unless
<br />rthwornts, and other
<br />formation. The kind
<br />ns at anv location is
<br />n'e, moisture, and the
<br />the parent material.
<br />Iisture is the greatest
<br />its. In the mnuntain-
<br />ind tempel:ahme are
<br />Id biological activity.
<br />Iles and lou• foothills
<br />d short grasses. The
<br />material is rehn'ned
<br />nic matter averages
<br />her 13 inches of the
<br />oisture supplies are
<br />of sedges. rushes.
<br />a~et soils have higher
<br />
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