LOCATION LITTLEPINE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Littlepine fine sandy loam, on a southeast facing, 12 percent slope in pine trees at an elevation of 7,250 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on July 12, 2000 the soil was moist from 0 to 30 inches.
Oi--0 to 1 inches; slightly decomposed organic material. (0 to 2 inches thick)
A--1 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
E--3 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, non-sticky and non plastic; many fine and medium roots; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium subangular blocks; extremely hard, very firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; few patchy distinct skeletans on vertical faces of peds; common patchy distinct clay films on vertical faces of peds; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--16 to 30 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocks; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and medium roots; common patchy distinct clay films on vertical and top faces of peds; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of Bt horizons are 26 to 45 inches thick)
Bt3--30 to 48 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; common patchy distinct clay films on vertical and top faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
BC--48 to 66 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few patchy distinct pressure faces on vertical faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C--66 to 72 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Las Animas County, Colorado; located about 1,800 feet east and 1,950 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 32, T. 31 S., R. 65 W.; Del Agua USGS quad.; lat. 37 degrees 18 minutes 19 seconds N. and long. 104 degrees 42 minutes 3 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is moist in some part March through August; Ustic moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 40 to 44 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 55 to 59 degrees F.
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 40 to 80 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Sand content: 40 to 55 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Sand content: 50 to 75 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Sand content: 50 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Bt horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Sand content: 40 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
The Bt1 horizon has 5 to 15% skeletans on surface of peds
BC horizon: (if present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Sand content: 55 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy loam, coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 7 to 20 percent
Sand content: 55 to 75 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Alderon (WY),
Allens Park (CO),
Bayerton (WY),
Belltower (MT),
Elbeth (CO),
Elbuck (MT),
Elmark (MT),
Haugen,
Heflin,
Hoyt (MT),
Jemco (CO),
Jemez,
Kunz (UT),
Kwiavu,
Losindios (NM),
Lumpgulch (MT),
Northrim (CO),
Plome (CO),
Rule (CO),
Shoemaker (NM),
Sweetweed (MT), and
Tunitcha (NM) series.
Alderon soils: 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact.
Allens Park soils: 20 to 40 inches to lithic contact.
Bayerton soils: 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact.
Belltower soils: 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact.
Elbeth soils: The argillic horizon extends to more than 60 inches and has a Bw horizon.
Elbuck soils: 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Elmark soils: 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact.
Haugen soils: have accumulations of secondary carbonates.
Heflin soils: have a paralithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Hoyt soils: averages 10 to 35 percent rock fragments in the control section.
Jemco soils: 20 to 40 inches to lithic contact.
Jemez soils: have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Kunz soils: does not have an E horizon and has mollic colors when mixed to a depth of 7 inches.
Kwiavu soils: do not have E horizons and have rock fragments of diorite.
Losindios soils: does not have an E horizon and is drier April through June.
Lumpgulch soils: 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact over a lithic contact.
Northrim soils: do not have E horizons and are presumed to average greater than 5 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Plome and Rule soils: Have hues of 10R to 5YR.
Shoemaker soils: 20 to 40 inches to lithic contact.
Sweetweed soils: have an E/Bt (Glossic) horizon.
Tunitcha soils: 40 to 60 inches to paralithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium or slope alluvium derived from sandstone
Landform: fan remnants and hills in the foothills
Slopes: 3 to 30 percent
Elevation: 7,000 to 9,000 feet
Mean annual temperature: 43 to 46 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 18 to 22 inches
Precipitation pattern: continental climate
Wettest period: April through August
Driest period: November through February
Frost-free period: 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Allens Park,
Gulnare,
Trag, and
Wahatoya series.
The Allens Park soils are 20 to 40 inches to lithic contact and are on backslopes of hills.
The Gulnare soils are 10 to 20 inches to lithic contact and are on summits and shoulders of hills.
The Trag soils have a mollic epipedon and are on footslopes of fans.
The Wahatoya soils are 20 to 40 inches to lithic contact and are on steep backslopes of hills.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, medium runoff, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland, rangeland, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Ponderosa pine, Gambel's Oak, mountain muhly, pine dropseed, Arizona fescue, and bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern foothills of Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 49; moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Las Animas County, Colorado, 2007; Las Animas and parts of Huerfano County soil survey area, Colorado. The name is coined from a canyon in the area.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 6 to 26 inches. (Bt1 and part of Bt2 horizons)
argillic horizon: The zone from 6 to 48 inches. (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons)
This soil was originally part of the Maitland series. The Maitland series was reclassified as having a udic moisture regime.
The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Taxonomic Version: Tenth Edition, 2006.