LOCATION ARLE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Aridic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Arle very stony loam, grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 10 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) very stony loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable; common fine roots; 40 percent flagstones; mildly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
B2--10 to 18 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) very stony loam, dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; slightly hard, very friable; common fine roots; 50 percent flagstones; slightly calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
C1ca--18 to 30 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 5/4) very stony loam, reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very friable; few fine roots; 50 percent flagstones; visible accumulation of secondary calcium carbonate as concretions and as coatings on rock fragments; calcareous; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 27 inches thick)
C2r--30 to 60 inches; soft reddish brown sandstone and shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Eagle County, Colorado; about 11.5 miles southeast of Glenwood Springs; north side of Cottonwood Pass road; 1,200 feet east and 200 feet north of center of Sec. 33, T. 6 S., R. 87 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 15 inches. Depth to the paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. These soils are typically calcareous throughout, but are leached of carbonates to a depth of 7 to 15 inches in some pedons. Rock fragments range from 35 to 80 percent and are mainly small flat fragments and flagstones. The control section is typically very stony loam, but ranges from very stony sandy loam to very stony sandy clay loam. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 43 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature ranges from 62 to 68 degrees F.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Redthayne and Veatch series. Redthayne soils lack a paralithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches. Veatch soils have hue of 7.5YR or yellower.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Arle soils are on steeply sloping ridges and hills. Slopes are 12 to more than 65 percent. These soils formed in material weathered from underlying redbed shale and sandstone. The average annual precipitation is about 18 inches generally evenly distributed throughout the year. The mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F, the summer temperature is about 63 degrees F. The frost- free season is about 95 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ansari and Morval soils. Ansari soils lack a cambic horizon and have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section. Morval soils have an argillic horizon and have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for livestock grazing. Native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass, bluegrass, oakbrush, mountainmahogany, and serviceberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Foothill areas of the Western Slope of Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rifle Area, Colorado, 1977.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 1/77.