LOCATION BERTHOUD OK+NM TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Berthoud loam--native range.
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 12 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam; strong very fine and fine granular structure; hard; fragments of caliche of 2 mm to 10 mm in diameter make up about 5 percent by volume; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick)
Bw--12 to 24 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam; strong very fine and fine granular structure; hard; few thin films of calcium carbonate; common worm casting; fragments of caliche of 2 mm to 10 mm in diameter make up about 5 percent by volume; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)
BCk--24 to 36 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam; strong very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard; fragments of caliche of 2 mm to 10 mm in diameter make up about 5 percent by volume; few soft bodies of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline clear smooth boundary. (6 to 17 inches thick)
Ck--36 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) clay loam; strong fine granular structure; slightly hard; few fine fragments of caliche; few soft bodies and few fine concretions of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent, moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Texas County, Oklahoma; about 5.3 miles southeast of Goodwell, Oklahoma; about 1,650 feet east and 2,220 feet north of sec. 21, T. 1 N., R. 14 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of solum ranges from 30 to 50 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Commonly, the A horizon has moist value greater than 3.5. Texture is loam, clay loam, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Concretions of calcium carbonate and fragments of rock less than 3 inches in diameter range from 0 to 5 percent of the volume.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Concretions of calcium carbonate and fragments of rock less than 3 inches in diameter range from 0 to 10 percent of the volume.
The BCk horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 8, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam. Concretions of calcium carbonate and fragments of rock less than 3 inches in diameter range from 0 to 15 percent of the volume.
The Ck horizon is similar in color and texture to the BCk horizon. Concretions of calcium carbonate and fragments of rock less than 3 inches in diameter range from 0 to 10 percent of the volume.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Atchison, Cibeque, Coconio, Kachina, Mcrae, Sixmile, Teromote and Ziggy series. Atchison and Mcrae soils do not have hues redder than 10 YR. In addition Mcrae soils have an argillic horizon. Cibeque and Kachina soils are dry in May and June. Coconio soils have bedrock between 20 and 40 inches. Sixmile soils have a paralithic contact within 60 inches. Teromote and Ziggy have mean annual soil temperatures of 47 to 51 degrees F, and are typically drier in the spring
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Berthoud soils are mainly on foot slopes and alluvial fans. Slopes are mainly 1 to 8 percent, but range from 1 to 12 percent. The parent material consists of calcareous, loamy sediments, mainly of slope-alluvium or colluvium from the Ogallala formation of Tertiary age. The climate is semiarid to dry subhumid. Mean annual precipitation is 15 to 20 inches; Thornthwaite annual P-E indices are 24 to 34; mean annual temperature ranges from 54 degrees to 57 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Carnero, Mansic, Mansker, Manzano, Pastura, Potter, and Travessilla series. Carnero, Mansic, and Manzano soils are in lower positions in the landscape. Mansker, Pastura, Potter, and Travessilla soils are on broad ridges of caprock. Carnero, Mansic, Mansker, and Manzano soils have a mollic epipedon. Pastura and Potter soils are shallow and have an aridic moisture regime. Travessilla soils have a lithic contact within 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Moderate permeability. Surface runoff is very low on 1 to 3 percent slopes, low on 3 to 5 percent slopes, medium on 5 to 12 percent slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for native rangeland. Native vegetation is mainly mid grasses and short grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern High Plains of Northwestern Oklahoma, northwestern Texas, eastern Colorado, and eastern and northeastern New Mexico. The series is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Larimer County (Fort Collins area), Colorado; 1927.