LOCATION NORRISTON CO+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Norriston gravelly sandy loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 9 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly light coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 40 percent pebbles and cobbles, mostly fine angular granite pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
B2t--9 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to medium granular; hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; peds are extremely hard, very friable; wax-like clay bridges between sand grains; glossy coatings on sand grains; wax-like coatings in root channels; 40 percent pebbles, mostly fine and very fine angular granite pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
IIB3--16 to 20 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, loose; few glossy coatings on sand and gravel fragments; 60 percent pebbles, mostly fine and very fine angular granite pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
IIC--20 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, loose; 60 percent pebbles, mostly fine and very fine angular granite pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Colorado; approximately 825 feet south and 650 feet west of center Sec. 1, T. 8 N., R. 82 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 40 to 44 degrees F. and mean summer soil temperature ranges from 52 to 59 degrees F. Depth to uniformly calcareous material normally exceeds 60 inches but ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches. Depth to the noncontrasting sandy-skeletal IIC horizon and depth to the base of the argillic horizon range from 10 to 20 inches. Rock fragments average 35 to 75 percent in the 10- to 40-inch section. Fragments range from 1/8 to 10 inches in diameter and are usually less than 1 inch. Within the sand fraction the content of medium and coarser angular sand having a large proportion of flat bearing surfaces between sand grains ranges from 15 to about 90 percent and horizons of low organic matter content have a differential between dry and moist consistence that is 1 to 3 times greater than soils of similar texture having finer or more rounded sand grains.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. It ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The B2t horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist, and chroma of 1 through 6. It is typically coarse sandy loam but averages 5 to 18 percent clay, 5 to 35 percent silt, and 50 to 82 percent sand with more than 35 percent fine or coarser sand and with a large proportion of the sand fraction being coarse to very coarse angular sand. This horizon ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline line.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5y through 7.5YR. It is gravelly or very gravelly loamy coarse sand or coarse sand. This horizon ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blain, Bowen, Buena Vista, Elwood, Ess, Fourmile, Geertsen, Hoodle, Libeg, Nathrop, Packer, Parkview, Quander, Tahquats, Thiel, Winada, and Woodhall series. Bowman, Buena Vista, Elwood, Nathrop, and Woodhall soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Blaine, Parkview, and Winada soils have a paralithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Ess, Geertsen, Libeg, Packer, Quander, and Tahquats soils have more than 18 percent clay in the argillic horizon and lack a sandy-skeletal substratum above a depth of 40 inches. Hoodle and Thiel soils have a continuous horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation and have an argillic horizon with more than 18 percent clay. Fourmile soils have contrasting particle-size in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Norriston soils are on eskers, glacial moraines, alluvial fans, and terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 40 percent slopes. These soils formed in thick, noncalcareous, glacial or alluvial materials derived principally from granite. At the type location the average annual precipitation is 14 inches with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and early summer. Mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Parkview soils and the Tiagos soils. Tiagos soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: They are used principally as native pasture land. Native vegetation is snakeweed, needlegrass, and wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High mountain valleys of Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, Colorado, 1973.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 1/79.