LOCATION BINCO COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Chromic Udic Haplusterts
TYPICAL PEDON: Binco clay loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 7 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)
Bss1--7 to 24 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocks; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few intersecting slickensides; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (7 to 34 inches thick)
Bss2--24 to 37 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few intersecting slickensides; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 28 inches thick)
Ck--37 to 48 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; visible streaks and seams of secondary lime; violently effervescent, strongly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
C--48 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; violently effervescent, strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Grand County, Colorado; about 10 miles north of Kremmling, approximately 750 feet north and 2,400 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 22, T. 3 N., R. 81 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The 10- to 40-inch control section is normally clay or silty clay, but percent of clay ranges from 35 to 60. Rock fragments range from 0 to 25 percent by volume in the major part of the control section. They are mainly shale fragments of 1/2- to 3-inch size. Cracks up to 1 inch or more wide occur when soils are dry for 100 to 150 days. Cracks extend to depths of 20 or more inches. Slickensides that intersect are common to depths of 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 43 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 55 to 59 degrees F. Depth to calcareous material ranges 0 to 20 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, and 4 or 5 moist, with chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is neutral through moderately alkaline.
The Bss horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 4 through 7 dry, and 4 through 6 moist, with chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The Bk or C horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 4 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aaberg (CO), Abor (MT), Barkof (MT), Bascovy (MT), (T)Bickerdyke (MT), Bulkley (CO), Dutton (MT), Gerber (MT), Linnet (MT), Marias (MT), Marvan (MT), and Styers (CO) series. All of these soils except Aaberg have mean annual summer soil temperatures warmer than 59 degrees F. Aaberg and Styers soils have a paralithic bedrock layer above 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Binco soils are on alluvial fans and mountain foot slopes. Slopes are 0 to 45 percent. The soil formed in alluvium, colluvium, and residuum, and is derived from sedimentary rocks. Elevation is 7,200 to 8,200 feet. At the type location the mean annual precipitation ranges from 11 to 14 inches. In other colder areas it ranges to 18 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 37 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free season is 35 to 65 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Aaberg soils and the Waybe soils. Waybe soils are shallow to shale.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for range and wildlife. Native vegetation consists of wheatgrasses, Indian ricegrass, greasewood, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of north-central Colorado. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grand County, Colorado, 1977.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features include a Bss horizon at 7 to 37 inches (Bss1 and Bss2 horizons). Last updated by the state 12/90.