LOCATION CEEK COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Inceptic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Ceek very flaggy clay loam - forest. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed pine needles.
A--1 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very flaggy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium pores and roots; 10 percent gravel and 30 percent flagstones; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
E--6 to 14 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) very cobbly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium pores and roots; 10 percent gravel and 40 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--14 to 23 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very cobbly clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few fine pores and roots; 10 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 13 inches thick)
2Bk1--23 to 32 inches; weak red (2.5YR 4/2) clay, dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) moist; massive; extremely hard, firm, sticky and plastic; 10 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 20 inches thick)
2Bk2--32 to 61 inches; reddish gray (5YR 5/2) clay, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) moist; massive; hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: San Miguel County, Colorado; about 1,200 feet east and 1,000 feet north of the southwest corner, sec. 18, T. 44 N., R. 13 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths given are measured from the top of the mineral soil)
Mean annual soil temperature: 44 to 47 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 60 to 68 degrees F
Depth to calcareous material: 22 to 30 inches
Surface rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent covered with flagstones and gravel.
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry or moist
E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: L, CL
Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: CBV-CL, CBV-C
Clay content: averages 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent; commonly mixed gravel, cobbles, and stones.
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
2Bk horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 2.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: CL, C
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 5 to 15 percent
Carbonate content: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. Soils that were competing series prior to the Seventh Edition of Soil Taxonomy (and may be reclassified to this family) are the Fishers, Ormiston, and Pleioville series. Fishers soils do not have accumulations of secondary carbonates above 30 inches. Ormiston soils have a calcic horizon. Pleioville soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ceek soils are on mountain slopes. Slopes are 5 to 40 percent. The soil formed in colluvium over residuum both derived from interbedded sandstone and shale. Elevation ranges from 7,400 to 9,200 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 17 to 24 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 40 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 65 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Acree, Fivepine, Nortez, Pino, and Zoltay soils. Acree soils have a mollic epipedon. Fivepine soils have a lithic contact above 20 inches. Nortez and Pino soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Zoltay soils have a mollic epipedon thicker than 16 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and timber production. Principal native vegetation is ponderosa pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, Gambel oak, Oregon grape, muttongrass, elk sedge, mountain muhly, and snowberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado. MLRA 34, 48A. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: San Miguel County, San Miguel Area, Colorado, 1987.
REMARKS: This revision changes the classification from clayey-skeletal, montmorillonitic Mollic Eutroboralfs to clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Ochreptic Haplustalfs.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from 1 to 6 inches (A horizon).
Argillic horizon and particle-size control section: from 14 to 23 inches (Bt horizon).
An ustic soil moisture regime.
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Series classified according to Seventh Edition, 1996