LOCATION CHERAW                  CO

Established Series
LAN
10/2015

CHERAW SERIES

The Cheraw series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in stratified mixed alluvium derived from sedimentary deposits. Cheraw soils are on flood plain steps. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 305 centimeters and the mean annual temperature is about 11 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquertic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Cheraw clay loam, on a west facing, linear, 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 1318 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on April 13, 2011 the soil was moist from 0 to 150 centimeters, wet from 150 to 200 centimeters.

Ap--0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (18 to 30 centimeters thick)

Bw--20 to 48 centimeters (8 to 19 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 30 centimeters thick)

Bk--48 to 81 centimeters (19 to 32 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; 5 percent medium distinct irregular carbonate masses in matrix; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 36 centimeters thick)

Bgk--81 to 102 centimeters (32 to 40 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; 2 percent medium, faint, irregular, non-cemented carbonate masses in matrix; strongly effervescent; 3 percent medium, prominent, irregular reddish brown (5YR 4/4) iron masses in the matrix; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 46 centimeters thick)

2Bgk1--102 to 132 centimeters (40 to 52 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic;; 2 percent medium, faint, irregular, non-cemented carbonate masses in matrix; violently effervescent; 10 percent medium, prominent, threadlike yellowish red (5YR 4/6) iron masses in root channels; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 51 centimeters thick)

2Bgk2--132 to 200 centimeters (52 to 79 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) sandy loam, dark gray (Gley 4/N) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent medium, prominent, threadlike yellowish red (5YR 4/6) iron masses in root channels; 8 percent fine, distinct, irregular, non-cemented carbonate masses in the matrix; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Otero County, Colorado; about 0.8 kilometers (.6 miles) north of Fowler; about 500 feet west and 1150 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 17, T. 22 S., R. 59 W.; Fowler, Colorado USGS topographic quadrangle; UTM zone 13 585479 E. 4221636 N.; latitude 38 degrees 8 minutes 18.8 seconds N. and longitude 104 degrees 1 minutes 28.5 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is moist in some part March through August, intermittently moist September through November; ustic moisture regime bordering on ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 9 to 12 degrees C. (49 to 54 degrees F.)
Depth to stratified textures: 76 to 100 cm (30 to 40 inches)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 30 to 64 centimeters (12 to 24 inches)
Depth to redox concentrations: 76 to 100 centimeters (30 to 40 inches)
Depth to reduced matrix: 76 to 100 centimeters (30 to 40 inches)
Depth to endosaturation: 91 to 132 centimeters (36 to 52 inches) from April to September
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 49 centimeters (10 to 19 inches)
Organic matter content: irregular decrease throughout the profile
These soils are stratified with thin horizons of sandy loam and loamy sand occurring at depths below 76 centimeters (30 inches).

Particle-size control section (weighted averages):
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Sand content: 10 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 40 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 6 percent
EC (dS/centimeters): 0 to 2
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 2
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline

Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 6 percent
EC (dS/centimeters): 0 to 2
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 3
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Bk horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silty clay, clay
Clay content: 40 to 50 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 10 percent
EC (dS/centimeters): 2 to 6
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 3 to 7
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline

Bgk horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: clay, silty clay
Clay content: 40 to 50 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 10 percent
EC (dS/centimeters): 2 to 4
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 1 to 5
Reaction: slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline

2Bgk1 and 2Bgk2 horizon(s):
Hue: 10YR or Gley 1
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 0 to 1
Texture: sandy loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, fine sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 40 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 14 percent
EC (dS/centimeters): 0 to 4
Gypsum content: 0 to 2 percent
Sodium Adsorption Ratio: 0 to 5
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: There are presently no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: stratified mixed alluvium derived from sedimentary materials
Landform: flood plain steps
Slopes: 0 to 2 percent
Elevation: 1,158 to 1,585 meters (3,800 to 5,200 feet)
Mean annual temperature: 10 to 12 degrees C. (50 to 54 degrees F.)
Mean annual precipitation: 256 to 356 millimeters (10 to 14 inches)
Wettest period: May through August
Driest period: December through February
Frost-free period: 130 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bankard, Bentfort, and Glenberg series.Bankard soils have a sandy control section. Bentfort soils have strongly contrasting horizons in the control section. Glenberg soils have a coarse-loamy control section. All associated soils are on floodplain steps.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: Moderately well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: low or moderately low
Occasionally flooded for brief periods during the months of April through August.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily as irrigated cropland. Principal crops are alfalfa, corn, onions, and melons. Native vegetation is mainly blue grama, galleta, alkali sacaton, and inland saltgrass. ESD R069XY030CO: Salt Meadow

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Arkansas River Valley, Colorado; LRR G, MLRA 69 and 67B; The series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas

SERIES PROPOSED: Otero County, Colorado; Otero County soil survey area, 2013. The name is coined from the name of a local community.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 200 centimeters (0 to 79 inches)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 25 to 100 centimeters (10 to 40 inches). (All or part of the Ap, Bw, Bk, and Bgk horizons)
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 48 centimeters (0 to 19 inches). (Ap and Bw horizons)
Redoximorphic concentrations: In the zone from 81 to 200 centimeters (36 to 79 inches. (Bgk,2Bgk1, 2Bgk2 horizons)
Reduced matix: In the zone from 81 to 200 centimeters (32 to 79 inches). (Bgk,2Bgk1, 2Bgk2 horizons)
Endosaturation: The zone of saturation at 102 to 200 centimeters (40 to 79 inches). (2Bgk1 and 2Bgk2 horizons)

Lithologic discontinuity: At the upper boundary of the 2Bgk2 horizon.
Other features: This soil was previously a part of the Apishapa series. A receding water table resulted in significant areas of moderately well drained soils.

Taxonomic Version: Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.