Gravel, Stone and Soil Delivery in Rio Rancho, NM

Loamy fine sand that shifts

The USDA soil survey maps Grieta-Sheppard loamy fine sands, 2 to 9 percent slopes, at the ZIP's center point. The Grieta series covers 55 percent of that map unit. Its top mineral layer is loamy fine sand, a soft, light soil made mostly of fine sand grains with a little silt and clay to hold it together.^[1]

The survey rates the Grieta soil well drained and places it in hydrologic group B, moderate infiltration. Rain soaks in at a steady pace instead of pooling, which is good for beds and lawns. The flip side is that loose fine sand has little strength of its own. Tires sink into it, and wind can lift it from bare patches and drop it against fences and walls.^[1]

Shrink-swell in the top 100 cm is rated moderate, at 4.5 percent. The soil moves a little as it wets and dries, enough to nudge pavers or a thin slab over the years, so a compacted base under any hard surface pays off.^[1]

Loose sand also changes how materials behave once they arrive. A load of stone dumped straight onto bare loamy fine sand slowly sinks and mixes with the soil, especially under foot traffic. Fabric laid first keeps the two apart, and a firm edge stops the stone from drifting outward. On any slope within the 2 to 9 percent range of the map unit, those edges matter even more, since loose stone moves downhill a little each time it rains.^[1]

High-desert weather at Rio Rancho #2

Weather normals come from the NOAA station at Rio Rancho #2, NM, about 7 miles away. It averages 9.5 inches of precipitation a year. That is a dry total, and on sandy ground it means beds dry out fast and bare soil turns loose and dusty between storms.^[2]

The station logs 116 days a year when the low reaches 32 F or colder. Cold nights are common, and water that collects in a low spot on a drive can freeze and loosen the top stones. Most freezes on dry sand do little harm, since there is not much water in the ground to form ice.^[2]

At Rio Rancho #2 the median last spring freeze falls on April 8, and the median first fall freeze comes on November 1. Plant tender annuals and vegetables after the April date, and finish mulching beds before the November date.^[2]

The ground at the center point stands 5,820 feet above sea level.^[3]

Firming up a sandy driveway

Sand needs confinement and binding to carry a car. Start by scraping away loose surface sand and any plants, then wet and compact the native ground with a plate compactor. Lay a woven fabric over it. On loamy fine sand, fabric keeps the base from sinking into the soft soil and stops sand from working up into the stone.^[1]

Build the base with Road Base in thin lifts, wetting each lift and packing it until it stops moving. The fines in Road Base bind the angular stone together, which is exactly what loose sand lacks. Crushed Concrete makes a good stand-in. For the surface, 3/4" Crushed Stone or Driveway Gravel locks well and resists rutting. Set metal, timber or stone edging along both sides, because on soft sand the edges of a drive spread first. A slight crown keeps rain moving toward the sides.^[1]

For a parking pad that holds a trailer or a work truck, add a lower course of 1-1/2" Crushed Gravel or #4 Crushed Stone under the Road Base. The larger stone spreads the weight across the soft sand and drains any melt that soaks in on cold nights. Asphalt Millings make another sturdy surface for a pad, packing into a firm, dark layer that resists the wind.^[1],[2]

Stone Dust Screenings or Pea Gravel on sand

For paths and patios on sandy ground, two surfaces cover most needs. Stone Dust Screenings are fine crushed stone with a lot of dust. Wetted and tamped over a firm base, they bind into a hard, smooth surface that resists blowing and stays put under a wheelbarrow. They suit main walks, a patio for a table and chairs, and the floor of a garden shed. On loamy fine sand, a layer of Road Base under the screenings stops the path from sinking.^[1],[2]

Pea Gravel is round and loose, and it never binds. Water passes straight through it, it feels soft underfoot, and it suits a sitting area, a play corner or the space under a bench. On sand it needs a firm edge and fabric below, or it slowly mixes into the soil. Decomposed Granite gives a middle option, firming up like screenings while keeping a natural tan color. Where people walk daily, choose a binding surface. Where water should drain and nobody wheels a load, Pea Gravel or 3/8" Crushed Stone works well.^[1],[2]

Dry yards with rock and mulch

With 9.5 inches of precipitation a year at the station, a lawn needs steady watering, and many owners replace part of it with stone. #57 Crushed Stone and 3/4" Crushed Stone make a durable cover around shrubs, River Rock shapes a dry stream bed, and Riprap holds a slope where storm water runs fast. Lay fabric under each to hold back weeds and blowing sand.^[1],[2]

Planting beds on loamy fine sand drain well but hold few nutrients. Blend Compost into the top layer, or fill raised beds with Garden Soil or Topsoil mixed with Compost. A thick layer of Brown Shredded Mulch or Wood Chips keeps the sand from drying out and stops wind from blowing soil off the bed. Black Shredded Mulch and Red Mulch give the same cover in other colors.^[1]

Timing helps a dry yard take root. Plant shrubs and perennials after the April freeze date so they have the warm months to grow roots, and water them deeply but not daily. Well-drained sand lets water sink fast, which encourages deep roots when each watering is generous. A layer of mulch over the root zone keeps that moisture in the ground longer between waterings.^[1],[2]

Homes in ZIP 87124 and the NMDOT base standard

Census figures show 23,482 housing units in ZIP 87124. Rio Rancho counts 41,908 units in total.^[4]

Detached single-family houses make up 80 percent of homes in ZIP 87124, compared with 88 percent for Rio Rancho.^[4]

The median home in ZIP 87124 was built in 1991, while the Rio Rancho median is 2000. Owners occupy 79 percent of the occupied homes in the ZIP.^[4]

The New Mexico Department of Transportation sets its base standard as Base Course, Type I, under Section 303 of its Standard Specifications for Highway and Bridge Construction. It describes the graded stone layer under state roads.^[5]

ZIP 87124 is in Sandoval County, and Gravel Valet also delivers to Albuquerque.^[5]