LOCATION CALICOTT CO+MT WYTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Calicott very gravelly sandy clay loam - range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; loose, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobble; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
BA--2 to 6 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) very gravelly sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common distinct clay films coating pebbles and common distinct clay bridges between mineral grains; 45 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0), clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
BC--6 to 13 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) extremely gravelly sand, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; 65 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C1--13 to 40 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 75 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (20 to 35 inches thick)
C2--40 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 30 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Mesa County, Colorado; 100 ft.
e.st and 1500 ft. south of the northwest corner, Sec. 15, T. 14 S., R. 100 W. Latitude: 38 degrees, 50 minutes, 24 seconds north; Longitude: 108 degrees, 33 minutes, 48 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 52 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature is 65 to 70 degrees F. Rock fragments in the particle-size control section range 55 to 80 percent by volume. They are dominantly gravel size, and the gravel is predominantly fine angular granite. The soils are noncalcareous throughout. The particle-size control section is extremely gravelly sand, extremely gravelly loamy sand, or very gravelly loamy sand. The moisture control section is driestin May and June and is moist in some part from August through October.
The A horizon has a hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 to 3 moist, with chroma of 3 to 4. Texture is very gravelly sandy clay loam or very gravelly sandy loam. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The BA horizon has a hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 to 5 moist, with chroma of 3 through 6. Rock fragments range from 40 to 50 percent. Texture is very gravelly sandy clay loam or very gravelly sandy loam. Clay ranges 16 to 25 percent. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The BC horizon has a hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value is 5 or 6 dry, 4 to 5 moist, with chroma of 3 through 6. Rock fragments range from 55 to 75 percent. Texture is extremely gravelly sand, very gravelly sand, extremely gravelly loamy sand, or very gravelly loamy sand. Clay ranges 3 to 13 percent. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, with chroma of 3 or 4. Rock fragments range 25 to 75 percent. Texture is extremely gravelly sand, very gravelly sand, gravelly sand, extremely gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly loamy sand, or gravelly loamy sand. Clay ranges 3 to 13 percent. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Mathis (UT), Schamber (SD), Tsetaa(T)(AZ) and Walkover(T)(AZ) series. Mathis soils have a lithic contact between 20 and 40 inches and have hues redder than 7.5YR. Schamber soils do not have angular granite, and the gravel content is less than 50 percent by volume in all parts of the series control section. Tsetaa soils are drier in the moisture control section and have rock fragment content in the particle-size control section that is mainly flagstones and channers derived from sandstone. Walkover soils have mean annual soil temperatures of 55 to 59 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Calicott soils are on foot slopes. Slopes range 25 to 65 percent. The soils formed predominantly from residuum and colluvium from granite and gneiss with surface accumulations of colluvial material derived from sandstone. The mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 50 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 15 inches. Elevation ranges from 6,500 to 7,000 feet, and the frost-free period is 90 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sedgran and Skos soils. Sedgran soils have a lithic contact between 10 and 20 inches. Skos soils are loamy-skeletal, and have a lithic contact between 10 and 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively to excessively drained; rapid runoff; very rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Calicott soils are used primarily for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists of galleta, Indian ricegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and scattered Utah juniper trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Colorado. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Laramie County, Wyoming 1973. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Type location moved from Laramie County, Wyoming to Mesa County, Colorado. Authority for the series given to Colorado by Wyoming in 1992. There are about 1,700 acres classified in Mesa Co., Colorado.
Diagnostic features include an ochric epipedon from 0 to 6 inches. Last updated by the state 9/92.