Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Major Land Resource Area 061X
Major Land Resource Area
Accessed: 04/16/2026
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Ecological sites
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precipitation
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Precipitation
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Elevation
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Landform
Parent material origin
Parent material kind
Soil texture
RANGELAND (Soils usually have a mollic epipedon, lack an O horizon and do not have an E horizon. Rangelands may have conifer encroachment but are not Forest Sites).
RUN-OFF LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Upland, normally convex short slopes > 6 percent, Shoulder).
NORMAL LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Upland, slopes normally linear, 1 to 6 percent except sandy/sands sites can have complex slopes, Back slope, Summit, Foot slope).
RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS [Valley Bottomlands, Drainageways (not depressions), Toe slopes].
Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches minimum. Is there root restrictive layer within 10 inches of the soil surface?
Yes. Very Shallow
No. Is there a root restricting layer within 10-20 inches of the surface?
West LRU
R061XY176WY – Very Shallow (VS) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY176WY – Very Shallow (VS) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Rest of MLRA
R061XY016SD – Very Shallow
R061XY016SD – Very Shallow
No. Is the soil > 20 inches in depth with a thin surface layer (< 3” ) and effervesce at or near the surface (within 6” )?
Yes. Is the soil surface 10 to 20 inches with a Clay loam, Silty clay loam, Sandy clay loam or Silty texture (0.5-1.75” ribbon)?
Yes. Thin Upland
No. See “Normal Landscape Positions”
North LRU
R061XN012SD – Thin Upland-North (18-22" PZ)
R061XN012SD – Thin Upland-North (18-22" PZ)
South LRU
R061XS012SD – Thin Upland-South (16-18" PZ)
R061XS012SD – Thin Upland-South (16-18" PZ)
Yes. Shallow Loamy
No. Is the soil surface Sandy loam or Loamy sand texture (0.25-0.5” ribbon)?
North LRU
R061XN024SD – Shallow Loamy-North (18-22" PZ)
R061XN024SD – Shallow Loamy-North (18-22" PZ)
South LRU
R061XS024SD – Shallow Loamy-South (16-18" PZ)
R061XS024SD – Shallow Loamy-South (16-18" PZ)
West LRU
R061XW162WY – Shallow Loamy-West (16-20" PZ)
R061XW162WY – Shallow Loamy-West (16-20" PZ)
Yes.
R061XW166WY – Shallow Sandy-West (16-20" PZ)
R061XW166WY – Shallow Sandy-West (16-20" PZ)
No. Is the soil derived from shale with weathered shale chips below 4” in the soil profile and the soil is calcareous, clayey surface texture (>1.75” ribbon)?
Yes. Shallow Clayey
No. On upland landscape.
Is the soil mod. deep or deep and have many (> 35%) coarse fragments (rocks) at or near the surface and throughout the soil profile?
West LRU
R061XY158WY – Shallow Clayey (SwCy) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY158WY – Shallow Clayey (SwCy) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Rest of MLRA
R061XY017SD – Shallow Clayey
R061XY017SD – Shallow Clayey
Yes. Is mountain mahogany prevalent throughout the site?
No. See “Normal Landscape Positions”
Yes.
R061XS044SD – Rocky Hills-South (16-18" PZ)
R061XS044SD – Rocky Hills-South (16-18" PZ)
No.
R061XY029SD – Stony Hills
R061XY029SD – Stony Hills
Dig hole to 20 inches. Is there a root restrictive layer?
Yes. See “Run-Off Landscape Positions”
No. Determine the surface and subsoil textures. Clay or Silty Clay (40 to 55% clay) Surface (>1.75” ribbon) and Clayey Subsoil?
Yes.
Determine the surface and subsoil textures. Loam, Silt loam, Silty, Clay Loam, Sandy clay loam, Very fine sandy loam (0.5 – 1.75” ribbon)?
North LRU
R061XN011SD – Clayey-North (18-22" PZ)
R061XN011SD – Clayey-North (18-22" PZ)
South LRU
R061XS011SD – Clayey-South (16-18" PZ)
R061XS011SD – Clayey-South (16-18" PZ)
West LRU
R061XW104WY – Clayey-West (16-20" PZ)
R061XW104WY – Clayey-West (16-20" PZ)
Yes. Is the site an old stream terrace?
Determine the surface and subsoil textures. Sandy loam, Fine sandy loam, Loamy very fine sand (0.25-0.5” ribbon)?
No. Loamy - North (R061XN010SD), Ly - South (R061XS010SD), Ly - West (R061XY122WY).
Yes. Loamy Terrace (R061XY022SD).
R061XY022SD – Loamy Terrace
R061XY022SD – Loamy Terrace
North LRU
R061XN010SD – Loamy-North (18-22" PZ)
R061XN010SD – Loamy-North (18-22" PZ)
South LRU
R061XS010SD – Loamy-South (16-18" PZ)
R061XS010SD – Loamy-South (16-18" PZ)
West LRU
R061XW112WY – Loamy-West (16-20" PZ)
R061XW112WY – Loamy-West (16-20" PZ)
Yes. Sandy
No. Soil surface and subsoil textures are Sand, Loamy sand, Loamy fine sand (no ribbon)?
West LRU
R061XY150WY – Sandy (Sy) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY150WY – Sandy (Sy) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Rest of MLRA
R061XY009SD – Sandy
R061XY009SD – Sandy
Yes. Sands
No. See “Run-In Landscape Positions”
West LRU
R061XY146WY – Sands (Sa) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY146WY – Sands (Sa) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Rest of MLRA - Sands (R060A008SD).
Observe the soil to a depth of 60 inches. Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 1 to 2 feet of the surface and the site is dominated by hydrophytes?
Yes. Wet Land (R061XY002SD).
No. Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
Yes. Does the soil have visible salt crystals within 6 inches?
No. Is the site on a low stream terrace adjacent to a stream? There may be a seasonal water table present (>5 feet of the surface).
Yes. Saline Subirrigated
No.
R061XY003SD – Subirrigated
R061XY003SD – Subirrigated
West LRU
R061XY142WY – Saline Subirrigated (SS) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY142WY – Saline Subirrigated (SS) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Rest of MLRA - Saline Subirrigated (R060AY036SD).
Yes. Lowland
No. Does the site occasionally flood?
LRU West
Rest of MLRA
R061XY042SD – Lowland
R061XY042SD – Lowland
Not saline
R061XY128WY – Lowland (LL) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY128WY – Lowland (LL) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Saline
R061XY138WY – Saline Lowland (SL) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY138WY – Saline Lowland (SL) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Yes. Overflow
No. Start Over.
West LRU
R061XY130WY – Overflow (Ov) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
R061XY130WY – Overflow (Ov) 15-19" Precipitation Zone, Black Hills
Rest of MLRA
R061XY020SD – Overflow
R061XY020SD – Overflow
Long term average mean annual precipitation
- No filter
- 40 – 50cm (16 – 20in)
- 50 – 60cm (20 – 24in)
—
cm
Long term average frost free days
- No filter
- 90 – 110days
- 110 – 130days
—
days
- No filter
- 800 – 1000m (2600 – 3300ft)
- 1000 – 1200m (3300 – 3900ft)
- 1200 – 1400m (3900 – 4600ft)
- 1400 – 1600m (4600 – 5200ft)
—
m
- No filter
- 0 – 3%
- 3 – 5%
- 5 – 10%
- 10 – 15%
- 15 – 20%
- 20 – 25%
- 25 – 30%
- 30 – 35%
- 35 – 40%
- 40 – 45%
- 45 – 50%
- 50 – 60%
- 60 – 70%
—
%
- No filter
- Alluvial fan
- Drainageway
- Escarpment
- Fan
- Flood plain
- Hill
- Hogback
- Mountain slope
- Oxbow
- Paleoterrace
- Plain
- Plateau
- Ridge
- Stream terrace
- Terrace
- No filter
- Igneous and metamorphic
- Limestone and sandstone
- Sandstone and shale
- Sandstone, unspecified
- Shale, unspecified
- No filter
- Alluvium
- Colluvium
- Eolian deposits
- Residuum
Soil surface texture
- No filter
- Clay
- Clay loam
- Fine sand
- Fine sandy loam
- Loam
- Loamy fine sand
- Loamy sand
- Silty clay
- Silty clay loam
- Silt loam
- Sandy loam
- Very fine sandy loam
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Ecological site keys
MLRA 061X - Black Hills Foot Slopes - Rangeland (LRU's N-North, S-South, W/WY-West, and Y-Common), and Black Hills Foot Slopes - Forest Land (Low Elevation < 6,200').
I.
RANGELAND (Soils usually have a mollic epipedon, lack an O horizon and do not have an E horizon. Rangelands may have conifer encroachment but are not Forest Sites).
A.
RUN-OFF LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Upland, normally convex short slopes > 6 percent, Shoulder).
1
Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches minimum. Is there root restrictive layer within 10 inches of the soil surface?
i.
Yes. Very Shallow
ii.
No. Is there a root restricting layer within 10-20 inches of the surface?
a.
No. Is the soil > 20 inches in depth with a thin surface layer (< 3” ) and effervesce at or near the surface (within 6” )?
1)
Yes. Thin Upland
2)
No. See “Normal Landscape Positions”
b.
Yes. Is the soil surface 10 to 20 inches with a Clay loam, Silty clay loam, Sandy clay loam or Silty texture (0.5-1.75” ribbon)?
1)
Yes. Shallow Loamy
2)
No. Is the soil surface Sandy loam or Loamy sand texture (0.25-0.5” ribbon)?
b)
No. Is the soil derived from shale with weathered shale chips below 4” in the soil profile and the soil is calcareous, clayey surface texture (>1.75” ribbon)?
(1)
Yes. Shallow Clayey
(2)
No. On upland landscape.
Is the soil mod. deep or deep and have many (> 35%) coarse fragments (rocks) at or near the surface and throughout the soil profile?
(a)
Yes. Is mountain mahogany prevalent throughout the site?
(b)
No. See “Normal Landscape Positions”
B.
NORMAL LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Upland, slopes normally linear, 1 to 6 percent except sandy/sands sites can have complex slopes, Back slope, Summit, Foot slope).
1
Dig hole to 20 inches. Is there a root restrictive layer?
i.
Yes. See “Run-Off Landscape Positions”
ii.
No. Determine the surface and subsoil textures. Clay or Silty Clay (40 to 55% clay) Surface (>1.75” ribbon) and Clayey Subsoil?
a.
Yes.
b.
Determine the surface and subsoil textures. Loam, Silt loam, Silty, Clay Loam, Sandy clay loam, Very fine sandy loam (0.5 – 1.75” ribbon)?
1)
Yes. Is the site an old stream terrace?
a)
No. Loamy - North (R061XN010SD), Ly - South (R061XS010SD), Ly - West (R061XY122WY).
2)
Determine the surface and subsoil textures. Sandy loam, Fine sandy loam, Loamy very fine sand (0.25-0.5” ribbon)?
a)
Yes. Sandy
b)
No. Soil surface and subsoil textures are Sand, Loamy sand, Loamy fine sand (no ribbon)?
(1)
Yes. Sands
(b)
Rest of MLRA - Sands (R060A008SD).
(2)
No. See “Run-In Landscape Positions”
C.
RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS [Valley Bottomlands, Drainageways (not depressions), Toe slopes].
1
Observe the soil to a depth of 60 inches. Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 1 to 2 feet of the surface and the site is dominated by hydrophytes?
i.
Yes. Wet Land (R061XY002SD).
ii.
No. Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
a.
Yes. Does the soil have visible salt crystals within 6 inches?
1)
Yes. Saline Subirrigated
b)
Rest of MLRA - Saline Subirrigated (R060AY036SD).
b.
No. Is the site on a low stream terrace adjacent to a stream? There may be a seasonal water table present (>5 feet of the surface).
1)
Yes. Lowland
a)
LRU West
2)
No. Does the site occasionally flood?
a)
Yes. Overflow
b)
No. Start Over.
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.
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