LOCATION BLANFORT COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Blanfort fine sandy loam, 3 to 9 percent slopes in rangeland at an elevation of 8238 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 centimeters; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 12 percent clay; weak fine granular structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular pores; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (ph 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary.
Bw1--5 to 18 centimeters; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 14 percent clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (ph 8.3); clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--18 to 41 centimeters; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 14 percent clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and medium roots throughout; strongly effervescent; 3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent moderately alkaline (ph 8.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk1--41 to 71 centimeters; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 12 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, soft, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular pores; common fine irregular carbonate masses; strongly effervescent; 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (ph 8.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--71 to 142 centimeters ; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 12 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, moderately hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine dendritic tubular pores; common fine irregular carbonate masses; violently effervescent; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (ph 8.4); clear wavy boundary.
BC--142 to 203 centimeters ; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 15 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; firm, hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; 1 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (ph 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Costilla County, Colorado; USGS Fort Garland topographic quadrangle; 37 degrees 28 minutes 0.26 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 27 minutes 14.77 seconds west longitude UTM 0459844 meters E, 4146748 meters N, zone 13; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime subclass: ustic
Soil moisture regime class: aridic (torric)
Mean annual soil temperature: 41 to 46 degrees F (5 to 7.8 degrees C)
Mean summer soil temperature: 63 to 66 degrees F (17.2 to 18.9 degrees C)
Depth to cambic horizon: 2 to 10 inches (5 to 25 centimeters)
Depth to calcic horizon: 10 to 40 inches (51 to 102 centimeters)
Thickness of ochric epipedon: 2 to 7 inches (5 to 18 centimeters)
Thickness of cambic horizon: 10 to 18 inches (25 to 46 centimeters)
Thickness of calcic horizon: 30 to 70 inches (76 to 178 centimeters)
Particle size control section (weighted average:
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Sand content: 52 to 70 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
A horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Sand content: 52 to 70 percent
Silt content: 15 to 35 percent
Fragment content, total: 0 to 5 percent
Fragment size and content: 0 to 5 percent indurated gravel derived from sandstone
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 7.8
Bw horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Sand content: 52 to 70 percent
Silt content: 15 to 35 percent
Fragment content, total: 0 to 5 percent
Fragment size and content: 0 to 5 percent indurated gravel derived from sandstone
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Sand content: 52 to 70 percent
Silt content: 15 to 35 percent
Fragment content, total: 0 to 15 percent
Fragment size and content: 0 to 10 percent indurated gravel derived from sandstone
0 to 5 percent indurated cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 20 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
BC or C horizon(s): (if present)
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Sand content: 52 to 70 percent
Silt content: 15 to 35 percent
Fragment content, total: 0 to 15 percent
Fragment size and content: 0 to 10 percent indurated gravel
0 to 5 percent indurated cobbles derived from sandstone
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Cryluha,
Edlin,
Fiveoh,
Kappes and
McFadden series.
Cryluha and Kappes soils are moderately deep.
Edlin soils have strongly contrasting materials at a depth of over 40 inches
Fiveoh and McFadden soils are drier in the soil moisture control section during July and August
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: formed in slope alluvium over alluvium derived from calcareous sandstone.
Landform: fan remnants
Slope: 0 to 9 percent.
Elevation: 7,500 to 8,500 feet (2,286 to 2,591 meters)
Mean annual air temperature: 39 to 43 degrees F (4.0 to 6.0 degrees C)
Mean annual precipitation: 8 to 12 inches (203 to 305 millimeters)
Precipitation pattern: Precipitation peaks in July and August occurring as intense summer thunderstorms
Frost-free period: 85 to 100 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Fuertes and
Uracca soils.
Fuertes soils are fine-loamy and located on stream terraces.
Uracca soils are loamy-skeletal and located on fan remnants.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well or somewhat excessively drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for rangeland. Typical vegetation consists of Wyoming Big Sage, needlegrass, snakeweed, rabbitbrush and Pygmy Sage.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High intermountain valleys of south central Colorado. MLRA 51, LRR E. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Costilla County Area, Colorado; 2009.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 2 inches
Cambic horizon: 2 to 16 inches (5 to 25 centimeters)
Calcic horizon: 16 to 28 inches (25 to 71 centimeters)
The assignment of the Cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Taxonomic version: Tenth Edition, 2006