LOCATION LONECONE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lonecone loam, on a southwest facing, simple, 1 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 8,400 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on May 9, 1990 the soil was moist from 0 to 30 inches.
A1--0 to 6 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 16 inches thick)
A2--6 to 27 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 1 percent gravel; few fine roots; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
Bw--27 to 30 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) gravelly sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.9); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Cr--30 to 40 inches; soft partially weathered sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Dolores County, Colorado; about 3 miles southwest of Benchmark lookout tower; located about 1,200 feet south and 150 feet east of the northwest corner of section 4, T. 40 N., R. 16 W.; The Glade USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 45 minutes 13 seconds N. and long. 108 degrees 37 minutes 44 seconds W., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: ustic (typic ustic subclass)
Mean annual soil temperature: 40 to 46 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 60 to 65 degrees F.
Depth to paralithic contact: 20 to 40 inches to soft partially weathered sandstone
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 16 to 36 inches
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: averages 0 to 15 percent
A1 horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry and moist
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
A2 horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry and moist
Texture: L or CL
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Bw horizon, when present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8, dry and moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: L or SCL
Rock fragment content: 15 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arnegard, Beman, Bowery, Falkirk, Garlips, Garza, Molinaro, Roseglen, Shawa, and Sheckle soils.
All lack bedrock within 40 inches of the surface. In addition, Arnegard, Beman, Falkirk, Garlips, Garza, Molinaro, and Roseglen soils have horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: residuum derived from sandstone and shale, and has some eolian influence.
Landform: mesas
Slopes: 0 to 5 percent
Elevation: 7,600 to 8,500 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 40 to 44 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 18 to 25 inches.
Wettest months: July and August receive slightly more precipitation than other months.
Driest months: May and June receive the least precipitation, however the soils are still moist from snowmelt.
Frost-free period: 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bradfield, Burnson, Jemco, Beje, and Detra soils. All are on mesas.
Bradfield soils are very deep and fine textured.
Burnson soils are very deep and have argillic horizons.
Jemco soils lack a mollic epipedon and have argillic horizons.
Beje soils are shallow over bedrock.
Detra soils have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists of Arizona fescue, mountain brome, western wheatgrass, bluegrass, mountain big sagebrush, serviceberry, snowberry, and Gambel's oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado. LRR E, MLRA 48A. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Dolores County, (Animas-Dolores Area) Colorado. 1990. The name is from a peak in the area.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 27 inches. (A1 and A2 horizons)
Pachic feature; The mollic epipedon is more than 16 inches thick.
Paralithic contact: soft sandstone at 27 inches.
Particle size control section: The zone from 10 to 30 inches. (Part of the A2 horizon and the Bw horizon)
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 40 inches (all horizons and upper 10 inches of the paralithic layer)
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Classified according to the Eighth Edition, 1998
Activity class is presumed based on general trend of other soils in the area.