LOCATION BIEDSAW COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, calcareous, mesic Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Biedsaw gravelly loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; 20 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
AC--4 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
2Ck1--9 to 19 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; violently effervescent, lime in blotches, moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 23 inches thick)
2Ck2--19 to 43 inches; weak red (2.5YR 4/2) clay loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; strongly effervescent, lime in blotches, moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)
2Ck3--43 to 60 inches; dark reddish gray (10R 4/1) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; strongly effervescent, lime in blotches, moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Garfield County, Colorado; NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Sec. 3, T. 8 S., R. 98 W. U.S.G.S. Long Point quad.; approximate lat. 39 degrees, 22 minutes, 35 to 45 seconds N.; long. 108 degrees, 18 minutes, 6 to 18 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually calcareous at the surface. About 5 to 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent is present throughout the profile. The particle-size control section is a clay loam or clay, but clay ranges from 35 to 45 percent, silt from 25 to 50 percent, and sand from 15 to 30 percent. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 54 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The AC horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Due to the variegated nature of the parent material, Ck horizons have hues of 2.5Y through 10R, value of 4 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 1 through 4. It is slightly alkaline through strongly alkaline. Visible secondary calcium carbonate is inconsistent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bone (WY), Gayhart (WY), Gaynor (CO), and Vananda (MT) series. Bone soils have a consistent salic horizon and crusted surface. Gayhart and Gaynor soils have paralithic contacts between 20 and 40 inches. Vananda soils have 45 to 60 percent clay.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Biedsaw soils are on steep mountain hillsides, foot slopes, back slopes, and ridges. Slope ranges from about 10 to 65 percent. These soils formed in calcareous sediments weathered from variegated shale. Elevation ranges from 5,100 to 8,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 16 inches and the mean annual air temperature is 46 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sunup and Dominguez soils. The Sunup soils are less than 20 inches deep over shale. The Dominguez soils have more clay, more development and are in a less sloping area.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Principal native vegetation is Utah juniper, western wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Colorado. The series is of moderate extent with over 15,000 acres mapped to date.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Garfield County (Douglas-Plateau Soil Survey Area), Colorado, 1988.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features include an ochric epipedon from 0 to 4 inches; Ck horizons from 9 to 60 inches; about 5 to 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent throughout.
Last updated by the state 5/94.