Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Major Land Resource Area 042A
Major Land Resource Area
Accessed: 05/11/2026
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Ecological site groups
Major Land Resource Areas
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Additional water
Uplands
Perennial water
042AESG09 – Riparian
042AESG09 – Riparian
Ephemeral water
Subsurface EC>4
042AESG10 – Saline Bottoms
042AESG10 – Saline Bottoms
Subsurface EC<4
Sand >50% & clay <25% for surface and subsurface
042AESG13 – Sandy Bottoms
042AESG13 – Sandy Bottoms
Sand <50% or clay >25% for surface and subsurface
042AESG01 – Bottoms
042AESG01 – Bottoms
>75% bedrock outcrop
042AESG08 – Outcrops
042AESG08 – Outcrops
<75% bedrock outcrop
Surface SAR>8
042AESG11 – Saline Hills
042AESG11 – Saline Hills
Surface SAR<8
Gypsum >5% surface or >10% subsurface
042AESG06 – Gypsum
042AESG06 – Gypsum
Gypsum <5% surface and <10% subsurface
Subsurface EC>8 or surface EC>4
042AESG11 – Saline Hills
042AESG11 – Saline Hills
Subsurface EC<8 & surface EC<4
EC>1.5 surface or >2 subsurface
042AESG12 – Saline Uplands
042AESG12 – Saline Uplands
EC<1.5 surface & <2 subsurface
Slope >35% & >40% surface rock
042AESG02 – Breaks
042AESG02 – Breaks
Slope <35% or <40% surface rock
Depth <30cm
042AESG16 – Very Shallow
042AESG16 – Very Shallow
Depth 30-55 cm
042AESG15 – Shallow
042AESG15 – Shallow
Depth >55cm
Rock >30% surface or >30% subsurface
042AESG04 – Deep Rocky
042AESG04 – Deep Rocky
Rock <30% surface & <30% subsurface
Clay >30% surface or >35% subsurface
042AESG03 – Clay Uplands
042AESG03 – Clay Uplands
Clay <30% surface & <35% subsurface
Sand >75% or texture is loamy sand or sandier in surface & subsurface
042AESG14 – Sandy Uplands
042AESG14 – Sandy Uplands
Sand <75% & texture is sandy loam or finer in surface & subsurface
Clay <20% or texture is sandy loam or sandier in surface
042AESG07 – Loamy Uplands
042AESG07 – Loamy Uplands
Clay >20% & texture is sandy clay loam or finer in surface
042AESG05 – Finer Uplands
042AESG05 – Finer Uplands
Additional water
Uplands
Perennial water - 041XESG09
Ephemeral water
Subsurface EC >4 - 040XESG10 Saline Bottoms
Subsurface EC <4
Sand >50% & clay <25% for surface and subsurface - 040XESG13 Sandy Bottoms
Sand <50% or clay >25% for surface and subsurface - 040XESG01 Bottoms
Surface SAR >8 - 041XESG62 Thornscrub Saline Hills
Surface SAR <8
Gypsum >5% surface or >10% subsurface
Gypsum <5% surface or <10% subsurface
Elevation - <2500 ft - 083BESG54 Gypsum Desert
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft
042AESG33 – Gypsum Thornscrub
042AESG33 – Gypsum Thornscrub
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 042BESG55 Gypsum Semi-Desert Grassland
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft
042AESG69 – Gypsum Madrean Woodland
042AESG69 – Gypsum Madrean Woodland
Subsurface EC >8 or surface EC >4 - 041XESG62 - Thornscrub Saline Hills
Subsurface EC <8 and surface EC <4
EC >1.5 surface or >2 subsurface
EC <1.5 surface and <2 subsurface
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG58 Desert Saline Uplands
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 041XESG39 Thornscrub Saline Uplands
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG65 Semi-Desert Grassland Saline Uplands
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG66 Madrean Woodland Saline Uplands
Slope >35% & >40% surface rock
Slope <35% or <40% surface rock
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG17 Thornscrub Breaks
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 038XESG18 Semi-Desert Grassland Breaks
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 038XESG19 Madrean Woodland Breaks
Depth <30cm
Depth: 30-55cm
Depth >55cm
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG61 Very Shallow Desert
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG46 Very Shallow Thornscrub
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft
042AESG47 – Very Shallow Semi-Desert Grassland
042AESG47 – Very Shallow Semi-Desert Grassland
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft
042AESG48 – Very Shallow Madrean Woodland
042AESG48 – Very Shallow Madrean Woodland
Elevation - >6000 ft - 070BESG49 Very Shallow Temperate Forest
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG60 Shallow Desert
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG42 Shallow Thornscrub
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft
042AESG43 – Shallow Semi-Desert Grassland
042AESG43 – Shallow Semi-Desert Grassland
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 038XESG44 Shallow Madrean Woodland
Elevation - >6000 ft - 070BESG45 Shallow Temperate Forest
Rock >30% surface or >30% subsurface
Rock <30% surface and <30% subsurface
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG25 Deep Rocky Thornscrub
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft
042AESG26 – Deep Rocky Semi-Desert Grassland
042AESG26 – Deep Rocky Semi-Desert Grassland
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG27 Deep Rocky Madrean Woodland
Elevation - >6000 ft - 070BESG28 Deep Rocky Temperate Forest
Clay >30% surface or >35% subsurface
Clay <30% surface and <35% subsurface
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG51 Desert Clay Uplands
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG21 Thornscrub Clay Uplands
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG22 Semi-Desert Grassland Clay Uplands
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 038XESG23 Madrean Woodland Clay Uplands
Elevation - >6000 ft - 038XESG24 Temperate Forest Clay Uplands
Sand >75% or texture is loamy sand or sandier in surface & subsurface
Sand <75% or texture is sandy loam or finer in surface & subsurface
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 042CESG40 Thornscrub Sandy Uplands
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 042BESG41 Semi-Desert Grassland Sandy Uplands
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG68 Madrean Woodland Sandy Uplands
Clay<20% or texture is sandy loam or sandier in surface
Clay >20% or texture is finer than sandy loam in surface
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG34 Thornscrub Loamy Uplands
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG35 Semi-Desert Grassland Loamy Uplands
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG36 Madrean Woodland Loamy Uplands
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft
042AESG29 – Thornscrub Finer Uplands
042AESG29 – Thornscrub Finer Uplands
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG30 Semi-Desert Grassland Finer Uplands
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 070BESG31 Madrean Woodland Finer Uplands
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Ecological site group keys
MLRA 42A
I.
Additional water
B.
Ephemeral water
2
Subsurface EC<4
II.
Uplands
B.
<75% bedrock outcrop
2
Surface SAR<8
ii.
Gypsum <5% surface and <10% subsurface
b.
Subsurface EC<8 & surface EC<4
2)
EC<1.5 surface & <2 subsurface
b)
Slope <35% or <40% surface rock
(3)
Depth >55cm
(b)
Rock <30% surface & <30% subsurface
(2)
Clay <30% surface & <35% subsurface
(a)
Sand >75% or texture is loamy sand or sandier in surface & subsurface
... 042AESG14 – Sandy Uplands
(b)
Sand <75% & texture is sandy loam or finer in surface & subsurface
National Park Service
I.
Additional water
A.
Perennial water - 041XESG09
B.
Ephemeral water
1
Subsurface EC >4 - 040XESG10 Saline Bottoms
2
Subsurface EC <4
i.
Sand >50% & clay <25% for surface and subsurface - 040XESG13 Sandy Bottoms
ii.
Sand <50% or clay >25% for surface and subsurface - 040XESG01 Bottoms
II.
Uplands
A.
Surface SAR >8 - 041XESG62 Thornscrub Saline Hills
B.
Surface SAR <8
1
Gypsum >5% surface or >10% subsurface
i.
Elevation - <2500 ft - 083BESG54 Gypsum Desert
iii.
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 042BESG55 Gypsum Semi-Desert Grassland
2
Gypsum <5% surface or <10% subsurface
i.
Subsurface EC >8 or surface EC >4 - 041XESG62 - Thornscrub Saline Hills
ii.
Subsurface EC <8 and surface EC <4
a.
EC >1.5 surface or >2 subsurface
1)
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG58 Desert Saline Uplands
2)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 041XESG39 Thornscrub Saline Uplands
3)
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG65 Semi-Desert Grassland Saline Uplands
4)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG66 Madrean Woodland Saline Uplands
b.
EC <1.5 surface and <2 subsurface
1)
Slope >35% & >40% surface rock
a)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG17 Thornscrub Breaks
b)
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 038XESG18 Semi-Desert Grassland Breaks
c)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 038XESG19 Madrean Woodland Breaks
2)
Slope <35% or <40% surface rock
a)
Depth <30cm
(1)
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG61 Very Shallow Desert
(2)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG46 Very Shallow Thornscrub
(5)
Elevation - >6000 ft - 070BESG49 Very Shallow Temperate Forest
b)
Depth: 30-55cm
(1)
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG60 Shallow Desert
(2)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG42 Shallow Thornscrub
(4)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 038XESG44 Shallow Madrean Woodland
(5)
Elevation - >6000 ft - 070BESG45 Shallow Temperate Forest
c)
Depth >55cm
(1)
Rock >30% surface or >30% subsurface
(a)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG25 Deep Rocky Thornscrub
(c)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG27 Deep Rocky Madrean Woodland
(d)
Elevation - >6000 ft - 070BESG28 Deep Rocky Temperate Forest
(2)
Rock <30% surface and <30% subsurface
(a)
Clay >30% surface or >35% subsurface
(1)
Elevation - <2500 ft - 040XESG51 Desert Clay Uplands
(2)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG21 Thornscrub Clay Uplands
(3)
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG22 Semi-Desert Grassland Clay Uplands
(4)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 038XESG23 Madrean Woodland Clay Uplands
(5)
Elevation - >6000 ft - 038XESG24 Temperate Forest Clay Uplands
(b)
Clay <30% surface and <35% subsurface
(1)
Sand >75% or texture is loamy sand or sandier in surface & subsurface
(a)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 042CESG40 Thornscrub Sandy Uplands
(b)
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 042BESG41 Semi-Desert Grassland Sandy Uplands
(c)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG68 Madrean Woodland Sandy Uplands
(2)
Sand <75% or texture is sandy loam or finer in surface & subsurface
(a)
Clay<20% or texture is sandy loam or sandier in surface
(1)
Elevation - 2500-3700 ft - 040XESG34 Thornscrub Loamy Uplands
(2)
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG35 Semi-Desert Grassland Loamy Uplands
(3)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 042BESG36 Madrean Woodland Loamy Uplands
(b)
Clay >20% or texture is finer than sandy loam in surface
(2)
Elevation - 3700-4500 ft - 041XESG30 Semi-Desert Grassland Finer Uplands
(3)
Elevation - 4500-6000 ft - 070BESG31 Madrean Woodland Finer Uplands
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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