Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Major Land Resource Area 055C
Major Land Resource Area
Accessed: 04/16/2026
Previous
Sections
Next
Next steps
-
1
Select an ecological site
Select an ecological site using the list, keys, photos, briefcase, or quick search option located on this page. -
2
Explore the ecological site description
Next, learn more about the selected ecological site and its characteristic dynamics by browsing the ecological site description and exploring alternative state and transition model formats.
Ecological site list
Tools
Search
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Sort by
id
name
stage
Viewing 20 of 25
View all
Ecological site map
Basemap
Topo
Road
Aerial
Hybrid
Find me
Find point
Full screen
Zoom in to display soil survey map units for an area of interest, and zoom out to display MLRAs. Select a map unit polygon to view ecological sites correlated to that map unit. View a brief description of an ecological site by clicking on its name in the map popup. Soil survey correlations may not be accurate, and ecological site classification of a location should always be verified in the field. Each selection may require the transfer of several hundred KB of data.
Briefcase
Add ecological sites and Major Land Resource Areas to your briefcase by clicking on the briefcase (
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
Ecological sites
Major Land Resource Areas
Ecological site photos
Tools
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Type
Image size
Done
Filters
Interactive key
Precipitation
Frost free days
Elevation
Slope
Landform
Parent material origin
Parent material kind
Soil texture
Run-off Landscape Position (Upland, normally convex short slopes)
Normal Landscape Position (Upland, slopes normally linear, except sandy/sands sites can have complex slopes)
Run-in Landscape Position (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions)
Other Landscape Position (Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in)
Dig a hole to 20 inches & is there a root restricting layer within 10 inches of soil surface?
Yes - Very Shallow
R055CY016SD – Very Shallow
R055CY016SD – Very Shallow
No - Is there a root restricting layer within 10-20 inches of soil surface
No - Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) of the surface
Yes - What is the root restricting layer?
Yes - Thin Upland
R055CY012SD – Thin Upland
R055CY012SD – Thin Upland
No - See "Normal Landscape Site"
Gravel (greater than 15% by volume)-- Shallow to Gravel
R055CY014SD – Shallow To Gravel
R055CY014SD – Shallow To Gravel
Bedrock (siltstone, shale, mudstone, sandstone, etc.)
Soil effervesces with acid (10% HCL) within 6 inches of the soil surface.
R055CY024SD – Shallow Limy
R055CY024SD – Shallow Limy
The soil does not effervesce with acid within 6 inches of the soil surface and the soil texture is in the Clayey family particle size.
R055CY017SD – Shallow Clay
R055CY017SD – Shallow Clay
Dig a hole to 20 inches & is there a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches of the surface?
Yes - See "Other Landscape Position"
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Clay, Silty Clay (>55% clay) Surface with clayey subsoil
Yes - Dense Clay
R055CY018SD – Dense Clay
R055CY018SD – Dense Clay
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Clay, Silty Clay (40-55% clay) or Loamy Surface with clayey subsoil.
Yes - Clayey
R055CY011SD – Clayey
R055CY011SD – Clayey
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam
Yes - Loamy
R055CY010SD – Loamy
R055CY010SD – Loamy
No -What is the surface and subsoil texture? Sandy Loam, Fine Sandy Loam, Loamy Very Fine Sand
Yes - Sandy
R055CY009SD – Sandy
R055CY009SD – Sandy
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Sand, Loamy Sand, Loamy Fine Sand
Yes - Sands
R055CY008SD – Sands
R055CY008SD – Sands
Observe the soil profile to a depth of 60 inches. Is there evidence of a permanent water table (water table that persists longer than the wettest part of the growing season typically until the month of August) within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
Yes - Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
No - Is there evidence of a permanent water table (water table that persists longer than the wettest part of the growing season typically until the month of August) within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
Yes - Saline Lowland
R055CY007SD – Saline Lowland
R055CY007SD – Saline Lowland
No - Linear Meadow
R055CY002SD – Linear Meadow
R055CY002SD – Linear Meadow
Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) the surface?
No - Does water flow into and over/through the site?
No - Subirrigated
R055CY003SD – Subirrigated
R055CY003SD – Subirrigated
Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
Yes - Saline Subirrigated
R055CY036SD – Saline Subirrigated
R055CY036SD – Saline Subirrigated
No - Limy Subirrigated
R055CY006SD – Limy Subirrigated
R055CY006SD – Limy Subirrigated
No - "See Other Landscape Position"
Yes - Does it have flooding frequency?
Yes - Loamy Floodplain
R055CY040SD – Loamy Floodplain
R055CY040SD – Loamy Floodplain
No-- What is the soil texture?
Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam-- Loamy Overflow
R055CY020SD – Loamy Overflow
R055CY020SD – Loamy Overflow
Clay, Silty Clay (40-55% clay) or Loamy Surface with clayey subsoil-- Clayey Overflow
R055CY021SD – Clayey Overflow
R055CY021SD – Clayey Overflow
Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches of the surface?
Yes - Is it a closed depression?
No - Is the area in a basin or closed depression with no outlet
No - Is there a claypan (columnar structure) within 4 inches of the surface?
Yes - Closed Depression
R055CY019SD – Closed Depression
R055CY019SD – Closed Depression
Yes - Thin Claypan
R055CY015SD – Thin Claypan
R055CY015SD – Thin Claypan
No - Claypan
R055CY013SD – Claypan
R055CY013SD – Claypan
No - Rethink your position and start again
Yes - Does the site pond water for 4 to 8 weeks in the spring or after heavy rain and have a high organic matter content?
Yes - Wet Meadow
R055CY004SD – Wet Meadow
R055CY004SD – Wet Meadow
No - Does the site pond water until early summer and have a high organic matter content?
Yes - Shallow Marsh
R055CY001SD – Shallow Marsh
R055CY001SD – Shallow Marsh
No - Does the site pond water year round in most years and have high organic matter content?
Yes - Deep Marsh
R055CY037SD – Deep Marsh
R055CY037SD – Deep Marsh
No - All other closed depressions or basins that pond water briefly after snowmelt or heavy rain or abnormally wet years.
Yes - Closed Depression
R055CY019SD – Closed Depression
R055CY019SD – Closed Depression
Long term average mean annual precipitation
- No filter
- 60 – 80cm (24 – 31in)
—
cm
Long term average frost free days
- No filter
- 110 – 130days
- 130 – 150days
- 150 – 170days
—
days
- No filter
- 200 – 400m (700 – 1300ft)
- 400 – 600m (1300 – 2000ft)
- 600 – 800m
—
m
- No filter
- 0 – 3%
- 3 – 5%
- 5 – 10%
- 10 – 15%
- 15 – 20%
- 20 – 25%
- 25 – 30%
- 30 – 35%
- 35 – 40%
—
%
- No filter
- Closed depression
- Depression
- Drainageway
- Flood plain
- Hill
- Lake plain
- Moraine
- Outwash plain
- Outwash terrace
- Plain
- Pothole
- Ridge
- Stream terrace
- Swale
- Terrace
- Till plain
- Valley side
- No filter
- Shale, calcareous
- Siltstone, calcareous
- No filter
- Residuum
Soil surface texture
- No filter
- Clay
- Fine sand
- Fine sandy loam
- Loam
- Loamy fine sand
- Sandy clay
- Sandy clay loam
- Silty clay
- Silty clay loam
- Silt loam
Print Options
Sections
Font
A
A
A
A
Other
Print
Ecological site keys
Major Land Resource Area 55C
I.
Run-off Landscape Position (Upland, normally convex short slopes)
A.
Dig a hole to 20 inches & is there a root restricting layer within 10 inches of soil surface?
2
No - Is there a root restricting layer within 10-20 inches of soil surface
i.
No - Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) of the surface
b.
No - See "Normal Landscape Site"
ii.
Yes - What is the root restricting layer?
b.
Bedrock (siltstone, shale, mudstone, sandstone, etc.)
1)
Soil effervesces with acid (10% HCL) within 6 inches of the soil surface.
... R055CY024SD – Shallow Limy
2)
The soil does not effervesce with acid within 6 inches of the soil surface and the soil texture is in the Clayey family particle size.
... R055CY017SD – Shallow Clay
II.
Normal Landscape Position (Upland, slopes normally linear, except sandy/sands sites can have complex slopes)
A.
Dig a hole to 20 inches & is there a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches of the surface?
1
Yes - See "Other Landscape Position"
2
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Clay, Silty Clay (>55% clay) Surface with clayey subsoil
ii.
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Clay, Silty Clay (40-55% clay) or Loamy Surface with clayey subsoil.
b.
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam
2)
No -What is the surface and subsoil texture? Sandy Loam, Fine Sandy Loam, Loamy Very Fine Sand
b)
No - What is the surface and subsoil texture? Sand, Loamy Sand, Loamy Fine Sand
III.
Run-in Landscape Position (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions)
A.
Observe the soil profile to a depth of 60 inches. Is there evidence of a permanent water table (water table that persists longer than the wettest part of the growing season typically until the month of August) within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
1
Yes - Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
2
No - Is there evidence of a permanent water table (water table that persists longer than the wettest part of the growing season typically until the month of August) within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
i.
Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) the surface?
b.
Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
ii.
No - Does water flow into and over/through the site?
a.
No - "See Other Landscape Position"
b.
Yes - Does it have flooding frequency?
2)
No-- What is the soil texture?
a)
Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam-- Loamy Overflow
... R055CY020SD – Loamy Overflow
b)
Clay, Silty Clay (40-55% clay) or Loamy Surface with clayey subsoil-- Clayey Overflow
... R055CY021SD – Clayey Overflow
IV.
Other Landscape Position (Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in)
A.
Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches of the surface?
1
Yes - Is it a closed depression?
i.
No - Is there a claypan (columnar structure) within 4 inches of the surface?
2
No - Is the area in a basin or closed depression with no outlet
i.
No - Rethink your position and start again
ii.
Yes - Does the site pond water for 4 to 8 weeks in the spring or after heavy rain and have a high organic matter content?
b.
No - Does the site pond water until early summer and have a high organic matter content?
2)
No - Does the site pond water year round in most years and have high organic matter content?
b)
No - All other closed depressions or basins that pond water briefly after snowmelt or heavy rain or abnormally wet years.
The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
Accessibility statement