LOCATION EGHELM CO UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Eghelm loamy fine sand - rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 3 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak very thick platy structure parting to weak thick platy; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
AC--3 to 17 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) stratified 70 percent fine sandy loam and 30 percent loamy fine sand, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; 70 percent platy structure and 30 percent weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
C1--17 to 52 inches; reddish brown (7.5YR 6/6) stratified 55 percent fine sandy loam, 25 percent loamy fine sand, and 20 percent loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (25 to 43 inches thick)
C2--52 to 60 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) stratified loam and silt loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.2). (0 to 15 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Moffat County, Colorado; approximately 17 miles east of Dinosaur, about 600 feet north and 600 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 27, T. 3 N., R. 101 W.; lat. 40 degrees 11 minutes 44 seconds N. and long. 108 degrees 43 minutes 23 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section in most years is moist in all parts for at least 45 consecutive days beginning immediately after March 20. It is dry in all parts for at least 90 consecutive days immediately following June 20. It is moist in some part, but not all parts, for at least 15 cumulative days after October 15 and when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F.; Aridic moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 50 degrees F
Thickness of the Ochric epipedon: 2 to 5 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry or moist
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
C horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry or moist
Texture: highly stratified fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, sand, sandy clay loam, loam, sandy loam, and silt loam.
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Cirac,
Gilco,
Glenton,
Ives,
Juva,
Neskahi, and
Thoroughfare series.
Cirac and Juva: Xeric moisture patterns.
Gilco: Soil moisture control sections that are dry April through June.
Glenton: Not clearly competed.
Ives, Neskahi, and Throughfare: Mean annual soil temperatures greater than 50 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium derived from sedimentary rocks
Landform: flood plains, alluvial fans, and low terraces
Slopes: 0 to 3 percent
Elevation: 4,700 to 6,400 feet
Mean annual temperature: 45 to 49 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 5 to 11 inches
Precipitation pattern: Precipitation is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year.
Frost-free period: 110 to 125 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chipeta, Deaver, Mack, Massadona, Minchey, Schooner, and Tipperary soils. The Chipeta, Deaver, and Massadona soils have fine-textured particle-size control sections. The Mack and Minchey soils are fine-loamy. The Tipperary soils are sandy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well to somewhat excessively drained, very low runoff, moderately rapid permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this unit are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. A few areas are irrigated grass or alfalfa hay. Principal native vegetation is alkali sacaton, galleta, basin wildrye, greasewood, fourwing saltbush, and basin big sagebrush.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah; LRR D, MLRA 34; LRR E, MLRA 47; This series is of moderate extent.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Moffat County, CO., Moffat County soil survey area, 1991.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 3 inches. (A horizon)
Remarks: The soil moisture regime is borderline to xeric because of the snow melt beginning nearly 45 days before the end of the 120 days after the winter solstice. This snow melt moistens all parts of the moisture control section. The moisture control section is also dry in all parts for more than 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice. It, however, is not moist in some part for half the time the soil temperature is above 5 degrees C. or for 90 consecutive days when the soil temperature is above 8 degrees C.
The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Taxonomic Version: Seventh Edition, 1996