LOCATION BERLAKE                 CO

Established Series
Rev. DLS/GB/SJJ
04/2016

BERLAKE SERIES


The Berlake series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium, colluvium, and residuum derived from sandstone. These soils are on hills, plateaus, and alluvial fans. Slopes range from 1 to 25 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Aridic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Berlake coarse sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.

A1--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) coarse sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

A2--3 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)

BA--14 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bt1--18 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on the faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)

Bt2--27 to 39 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on the faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick)

Bt3--39 to 49 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on the faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)

BC--49 to 57 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)

C--57 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles, neutral (pH 7.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Moffat County, Colorado; 17 miles north-northwest of Craig, Colorado; 800 feet west and 1,700 feet north of the southeast corner of Sec. 26, T. 9 N., R. 92 W. Latitude: 40 degrees, 42 minutes, 27 seconds north; Longitude: 107 degrees, 40 minutes, 49 seconds west.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Ustic bordering on aridic.
Soil temperature regime: frigid.
Mean annual soil temperature: 42 to 47 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature ranges from 59 to 65 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon: 10 to 14 inches thick.
Depth to the base of the Bt horizon: 25 to 60 inches.
Rock fragments in the A and B horizons: 0 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments in the C horizon: up to 25 percent. They are dominantly fine pebbles less than 0.5 inch in diameter. Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 40 inches or more.
Moisture control section: moist in all parts for at least 30 consecutive days immediately following May 1. It is dry in all parts of the moisture control section for at least 45 consecutive days immediately following July 1 in most years. They are moist in some part for at least 50 cumulative days during the period August 15 to October 30.

A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 to 6.
Texture: sandy clay loam with clay ranging from 20 to 32 percent and with more than 35 percent fine and coarser sand. Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline.

The Bk horizon, if present:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist.
Chroma: 3 to 6.
Texture: sandy loam or sandy clay loam.
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline.
This horizon occurs only below a depth of 40 inches.

C horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Texture: loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam. Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beavwan (MT), Crittenden (MT), Eapa (SD), Evanston (WY), Joplin (MT), Kevin (MT), Marmarth (ND), Nuley (MT), Telstad (MT), Udecide (MT), and Varney (MT) series. Potential competitors not reclassified to the current Keys are Assinniboine (MT), Bostwick (CO), Cheesman (CO), Duffson (CO), Emlin (CO), Evanot (CO), Jarre (CO), Kenilworth (MT), Morval (NM), Notter (UT), Perrypark (CO), Peyton (CO), Reicess (WY), Sugakool (WY), Turret (CO), and Villa Grove (CO) series. The Assinniboine, Beavwan, Crittenden, Eapa, Emlin, Evanot, Evanston, Joplin, Kevin, Morval, Notter, Nuley, Reicess, Sugakool, Telstad, Varney, and Villa Grove soils all have continuous subhorizons of secondary calcium carbonate above 40 inches. Cheesman, Marmarth, and Udecide soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Duffson soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Bostwick and Jarre soils have less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the Bt horizons. Turret soils have loamy-skeletal C horizons or substrata at depths of 20 to 50 inches. Kenilworth soils have lithologic discontinuities at depths of 10 to 26 inches. Perrypark and Peyton soils have moisture control sections that are moist in some parts for 15 consecutive days in the period after July 1 and are usually dry in all parts of the moisture control section during the period August 15 to the winter solstice when the soil temperature at 20 inches is greater than 41 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Berlake soils.
Parent material: residuum, alluvium, and colluvium derived from sandstone.
Landform: hills, plateaus, and alluvial fans.
Slopes: 1 to 25 percent.
Elevation: 6,200 to 8,200 feet.
Mean annual precipitation: 12 to 16 inches.
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period: 75 to 95 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Maysprings and Ironsprings soils. Maysprings soils lack a mollic epipedon and Ironsprings soils are coarse-loamy.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very low to medium runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and dryland wheat production. Principal native vegetation is needleandthread, western wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, antelope bitterbrush, and big sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwest Colorado. LRR D and E, MLRA 34, 47. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Moffat County (Moffat County Area), Colorado, 1991.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 14 inches.
Argillic horizon - the zone from 18 to 49 inches.
The name is coined from Timberlake Creek. It differs in patterns of precipitation which results in marked differences in vegetation.
Aridic feature: has a moisture control section that is dry in some part for 0.6 or more of the time.
When the new Mollisol chapter is approved, this series needs to be reclassified to an Aridic Argiustoll.

Taxonomy Version: Seventh Edition, 1996.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.