LOCATION BUFFMEYER COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustollic Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Buffmeyer sandy loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) light sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable; 5 percent gravel and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
A2--8 to 13 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) light sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak thin platy structure that parts to fine granules; soft, very friable; 5 percent gravel and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
B21t--13 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; many thin wax-like patches on faces of peds; wax-like coatings in some root channels and pores; wax-like coatings on some rock fragments and as bridges between sand grains; 40 percent gravel and some cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
B22t--21 to 40 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular block structure; slightly hard, very friable; many wax-like patches on faces of peds; wax-like coatings in root channels and pores; wax-like coatings on some rock fragments and as bridges between sand grains; 50 percent gravel and some cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
B3--40 to 46 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly light sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few glossy patches on faces of peds; few glossy coatings on some rock fragments, and few wax- like bridges between sand grains; 50 percent gravel and some cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); diffuse wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
C--46 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly light sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; 50 percent gravel and some cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Colorado; approximately 800 feet north of SW corner of Sec. 9, T. 10 N., R. 78 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is about 40 degrees F, and mean summer soil temperature is about 54 degrees F. The soils are noncalcareous to depth of more than 40 inches. Base saturation ranges from 60 to 100 percent in all subhorizons of the argillic horizon. Depth to the top of the argillic horizon is less than 24 inches and depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 17 to 55 inches. Rock fragments range from 35 to 70 percent in a major part of the solum and C horizon and are mainly 1/4 to 10 inches in diameter. These soils are dry in some part of the moisture control section for some period of nearly every year.
The A1 horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. It ranges from medium acid to mildly alkaline. The A2 horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist, and chroma of 1 through 6. It ranges from medium acid to mildly alkaline.
The B2t horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 1 through 7. It is typically sandy loam but averages 8 to 18 clay, 5 to 35 percent silty, and 50 to 80 percent sand with more than 35 percent fine or coarser sand. This horizon ranges from medium acid to mildly alkaline.
The C horizon normally has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR. Subhorizons redder than 7.5YR occur in some pedons. This horizon ranges from medium acid to mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Burnac, Judkins, Namon, and Wapshilla series. Burnac soils have a frigid temperature regime. Judkins and Namon soils have a lithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches. Wapshilla soils lack continuous A2 horizons and are in areas having dominantly winter precipitation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Buffmeyer soils are on gently to moderately steeply sloping alluvial fans, terraces, stream bottoms, and valley side slopes in mountainous areas. Slopes typically range from 2 to 40 percent. The soils formed in moderately coarse textured very gravelly alluvial fan sediments derived principally from crystalline rocks. At the type location the average annual precipitation is about 18 inches with peak periods of precipitation during the spring and early summer. The average annual temperature is 34 degrees F. and the average summmer temperature is 54 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the MacFarlane and Tiagos soils. MacFarlane soils have A1 horizons less than 4 inches thick and have transitional A&B horizons. Tiagos soils lack an albic horizon and have a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland. Native vegetation is pine needlegrass, Idaho fescue, and big sage.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High mountain valleys of north-central Colorado. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, Colorado, 1973.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 10/73.